That’s the question, isn’t it? Can an all-electric pickup truck be powerful enough to be a “real” pickup truck?
Yes there are powerful hybrids out there … gasoline/electric … diesel/electric … propane/electric … salad oil/electric … goat milk/electric … (ok, just kidding about the goat milk engine). But as far as I know, no major truck manufacturer has built a fully powerful, fully powered, electric ONLY, pickup truck. Until now.
Ford appears to have won the race. Kudos to Ford.
As a former truck mechanic, I’ve heard for years that all-electric trucks have been in the works … for more than 20 years. But it looks like Ford has finally broken the barrier and produced a powerful all-electric engine (not a hybrid). They are now offering an all electric Ford F150 pickup truck. Good for them!
Here she is. Isn’t she pretty? And, yes, the very front panel of the truck is a solid panel. There’s no need for a front grille between the two sets of headlights because there is no engine under the hood that needs air for cooling. In fact, that space under the hood is empty … it’s empty! There is no engine! Kinda messes with your mind doesn’t it?
I’ve heard a few people talk about this new technology and how fast it’s being developed. Well, it’s not new, and it has taken forever for a major manufacturer to produce such a vehicle for sale to the general public.
Let me share a comparison with you …
MANY years ago, when all gasoline engines in cars and trucks still had inefficient carburetors on them, we mechanics knew that the technology already existed to eliminate carburetors and run gasoline engines using efficient fuel injection instead of carburetors. It was similar technology to diesel fuel injection, but different. The hang-up and delay with putting the technology in place on gasoline engines was the petroleum industry. The hangup wasn’t safety (tho you’ll hear that too from some people) … the hangup was money. The petroleum industry wanted to sell oil! Reducing oil use by reducing gasoline consumption, to them, was a really bad idea. And they had the money to sway the decision-makers in the industry and in goverments. So it took MANY years for technology that was already known and proven to finally show up and become common. Today, just about every gasoline vehicle built is fuel injected. It’s fairly old technology that was finally approved and put in place.
I suspect we’ve now finally broken a similar barrier with this all-electric pickup truck.
Hooray for Ford!
Here’s a video from NBC news about the new Ford truck: https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/exclusive-look-at-ford-s-first-fully-electric-pickup-truck-115542597721. You may have to click on the sound/volume controls that are right under the words “PICKUP TRUCK” in the video to make sound happen.
The video says these new trucks are being built at the same location where Ford Model T’s were built. Here’s a photo of a 1908 Ford Model T.
The vehicle above has a kit/box on the back for hauling stuff. Originally, these vehicles were not called “pickups”. It was just the kit or box on the back that was called a “pick up” because, after buying one of these vehicles, you could then buy a kit (the metal box) that you could go “pick up”, and then you would install that kit/box on the back of your vehicle so you could haul stuff. Eventually we simply called the whole vehicle a “pickup”.
The video shared above says this brand new 2021 all-electric Ford pickup truck has more power than the traditional Ford F150, but they don’t say which gasoline engine they are using as a comparison. The smallest gasoline engine available in a Ford F150 doesn’t have a great deal of tow capacity for a sizable RV/trailer. So RVers might want to wait and see what comes next down the pipeline. This new EV (electric vehicle) pickup truck purportedly enjoys “up to” 563 horsepower and “with options” a 10,000 lb. towing capacity, but I’d think we might want to get some proof of that in the real world after a few years of use. I want to see the numbers and the proof from real-world folks using these trucks in real life.
The video above also talks about using this Ford EV truck to power other electical items. Absolutely you’ll be able to, it’s a great benefit to having an all-electric vehicle.
My gasoline powered RAM pickup has an onboard power inverter that converts standard vehicle 12V to household 120V (the RAM household 120V is sine wave compatible for use with computers). My truck has a 730 amp-hour battery, and a 160 amp alternator, and has numerous USB ports throughout the cab. I really could run a power cord from my truck to my house and power up a number of appliances/heaters/lights, even air conditioning, etc, if the power to the house went out. Sounds like Ford is working on producing the same efficient system. The only problem with using an all-electric truck to do that sort of thing is that there’s no way for that all-electric truck to re-charge its own onboard system once its batteries go dead. Whereas I can simply run my RAM’s engine and recharge everything.
Nevertheless, this Ford looks super! Here’s an independent video about it …
At the Ford plant, Linda Zhang is Chief Engineer and Liza Currie is Operations Manager. With this new truck, and all that’s riding on it for Ford, I’d bet Ford has its best people designing and building it.
I will soon be heading to my local Ford dealer to find out when they will be getting one of these trucks so that I can see it and test-drive it. I love Fords. During my nine years as a FedEx truck mechanic, I maintained a fleet of 50 trucks, bumper to bumper (including the bumpers). All of those trucks were Fords … I love Fords. Ok, I love my RAM pickup truck too, a lot! But this news from Ford is very impressive. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a Ford EV pickup truck is in my future.
I never liked Fords over any other brand before, but now I’m a believer Ann. Great info!
Thanks Steve. 🙂
Enjoyed your commentary on electric vehicles & the Ford Lightning in particular.The power of electric vehicles is not the problem,the issue has always been the supply of the electricity – ie.,battery technology in power density or supply such as via fuel cell- all this comes to bear on what range can be anticipated at what power needed .I also look forward to these vehicles especially as I have read that battery technology is expected to improve performance dramatically.All the best.
Excellent comment, A James. You are so right, the supply of electricity is a big issue. If the range of this truck is 300 miles, then you better find a place to plug in and probably stay the night after just 250 miles or so. 250 miles isn’t very far in the world of those who like to travel. And if you like to camp without an electrical hookup, you’d better have a very robust solar system that will power the trailer AND recharge the truck batteries. Great comment. Thanks for adding that important perspective.
Power, on the other hand, is an issue as well. Horsepower is a different animal than torque. Horsepower gets you speed, and it gets you acceleration if your vehicle is light weight enough. But for towing, or hauling weight in the back of a truck, you want torque. Basically, horsepower makes you go fast, but torque will pull/haul weight. Low-end RPM is generated by torque. With less torque, you may still be able to pull 10,000 lbs but it may take you a long time to accelerate up to highway speeds, and the truck may have a difficult (and slow!) time pulling up a steep hill. I haven’t been able to find a torque spec for the Ford EV truck. You’ll notice I don’t say that it is underpowered, I just suggest we might want to wait and see what the real world results are regarding towing.
Again, thanks for the comment. Nice to hear from you, A James!
Rear end or differential ratio is important too. I’ve forgotten whether a larger number ratio is better for towing and a smaller number ratio is better for fuel economy, or maybe it’s the opposite, but I’d bet Ford has that all figured out and will offer different differentials when buying a new vehicle. That has to do with torque too and nothing to do with horsepower. Lots of variables, all depends on what you wanta do with your truck.
Ben, I was sitting here at my computer thinking the very same thing but I decided not to add more info, but then I thought it’s important info, so I started typing, and then up jumped your comment.
Indeed, rear end axle ratio affects torque to the rear wheels. A lower number axle ratio (3.21:1) produces better fuel economy, a higher number axle ratio (3.55:1) produces more low speed torque and so it’s better for a 4X4 vehicle and for medium duty towing/hauling.
For my truck, RAM offered three rear axle ratios … the two mentioned and then a higher number ratio 3.92:1 for really heavy hauling/towing. I bought the truck used so I knew I’d be stuck with whatever was in the truck unless I wanted to pay to have the differential replaced. Turned out, however, that the truck had exactly what I would have ordered … the mid range axle ratio which is a nice compromise between fuel economy and heavy towing. I’m not planning on towing anything huge anyway, so this was perfect.
Thanks for adding that info. My readers are the best!
I think it’s great that there is finally an electric pickup truck and that it has some guts to it, however many guts that is. 🙂 I wonder why they don’t put a solar panel on the top of the cab of the truck? Maybe that can be added? Loved the photo of the Model T, my grandparents had one almost like that one.
That’s a great idea about installing a solar panel on top of the pickup, and on top of a pickup bed canopy too, especially for RV-ers who need more electricity and range. Maybe make the panel removable so the height doesn’t cause a problem when the truck is running without a trailer. Great idea, Tim. Ford should listen to you!
We’re thinking about a new pickup, and we were really impressed by this Ford electric. But like you, Ann, we’re going to wait and see what transpires regarding systems and failures. Seems like any new vehicle has glitches to iron out, not necessarily anything bad but still things that need to be corrected. We really appreciate your professional input and information. We’ll be watching this truck closely. And yes, she is pretty! 🙂
Good thoughts Marge. Pretty much any vehicle or technology that’s new on the market needs a bit of time in order to work out the kinks. Hopefully it won’t take long to work the kinks out of this new EV pickup. They’ve had decades to work out the details! Maybe all you folks and I need to do is pick out the color of our new trucks! 🙂
Very grateful for the mechanic-speak about engines and power and batteries – I needed a lesson or two, clearly.
We all may love camping, but we have to get there first!
Goods words, Robin. Yep, we need to have a way to get ourselves and our rigs out there without problems … and then have onboard energy for lights and heat and cooling and cooking while we’re there … and then get home or on to the next destination. I’m very much appreciative of all the input from everyone here with everyone’s mechanic-speak. I like to share what I know from my own years of mechanic experience and yet it seems other folks always bring new ideas and knowledge for me too. I remember “teaching” you about the installation of the battery monitor system on the trailer that you and Mark owned … except that you picked everything up so fast that I finally simply stepped aside and walked off and you finished the job very much professionally. I think maybe that was the same day that Mark gave me that fly-fishing lesson. We really do, all of us, learn from each other. 🙂
I’m fascinated by this discussion. I know nothing about the mechanical and electrical systems that all of you are talking about, but I think maybe I’m just starting to get a clue about about all of it. Really appreciate the discussion! I’m thinking about selling my pop-up tent trailer and buying a hard-sided trailer and I’m sure I would benefit from more knowledge. How does a regular person learn these things???
Yep, she sure is pretty. 🙂
Hi Kinny, that’s a great question about how does a person learn this stuff, when you don’t want to become a full-fledged mechanic, but you want to know enough about your rig to know how to talk with a mechanic and understand what your mechanic says. Heck, even just reading the owners manuals for some rigs can leave your head spinning. There are RV clubs that offer classes (Escapees is one such organization). There may be classes at your local community college or a local technical school you can take to get more detailed info. As well, if you have a mechanic you trust, ask her for help (or him). Honest mechanics, an honest shop, will be more than willing to teach you about your rig, how it works, what you need to pay attention to, things you can do/fix yourself. There are lots of RVing blogs that talk about repairs, sometimes done by the owner, but I’ve read things that people have done that scare me, so please take that stuff with a grain of salt. Best thing you can do to learn is to take classes and to find a shop/mechanic you trust and ask her/him/them for help. Ok, and read this blog. 🙂 Please, please feel free to ask me questions any time. I’ll share what I know, and I will be honest about what I don’t know. Also, one last thought, don’t ever be embarrassed that you don’t know things … no one was born knowing anything! We’ve all had to learn what we know from someone else. I bet you know tons of stuff in the world that I don’t know. Thanks Kinny. I’m glad you’re here. 🙂
Very happy to hear your thoughts on this, Ann. Before committing to an all electric towing vehicle, we need to see more re-charging stations, and whether the range would be impacted by the weight of the tow(hee), which I’m sure it would. For boondocking in Arizona, as well as getting down there, I’m not sure there are enough places to stop and power up. AND, how LONG does it take to power up? Must one stay overnight or is there a way to get a ‘boost’ to get to where you are going? I would LOVE an electric truck, but feel we need to wait til the charging infrastructure builds up and these questions are answered for our ‘kind’ of travel. A hybrid may be a better choice for us, and I’m hoping Toyota makes one in the near future!
Excellent thoughts, Laurie. Reader A James touched on this too. You have gone into more detail. Besides the power/torque question, there’s the battery capacity issue, with possibility of adding solar or wind generators to extend the range, but at some point, most people will need to stop and plug in. Gas/diesel fuel is readily available throughout the USA/Canada. There will likely be growing demand for fast, high amp charging stations for electric vehicles. It’s fairly easy to maintain the electrical system when you don’t go too far from home, but long distance traveling is another story, right now anyway. There’s also hydrogen fuel being developed for vehicles … since hydrogen is one of the most common elements on earth, especially in water. And again, I’ve been hearing about hydrogen fuel celled vehicles for 15-20 years, and it’s just now becoming a very popular “idea”. Maybe some day, all we’ll need to do is add water to our vehicles! But, in the meantime, yes, where do we plug in?