I haven’t got any empirical proof to again this up, but when I needed to guess which new-vehicle patrons are probably the most stubbornly against electrification, I’d wager it is pickup buyers. Conversely, with the phase’s emphasis on torque and its seeming indifference to greater curb weights, light-duty vans stand to learn from gaining an electrical serving to hand greater than most. While others have tried and largely didn’t spark curiosity in gas-electric vans, spending just a few days driving this 2021 Ford F-150 PowerEnhance has me satisfied that this mannequin stands the very best likelihood of changing the lots to the enjoyment of electrons. In truth, it is the primary hybrid pickup I’d purchase. When I say “masses,” I imply it. The F-150 has been America’s best-selling truck for 43 straight years, and the nation’s best-selling new car of any sort. In truth, the F-Series is considered one of this nation’s chief financial drivers, reportedly incomes more cash than each main US sport mixed. Ford constructed 900,000 F-Series vans final 12 months. Even if hybrid fashions solely make up a modest proportion of complete F-150s bought going ahead, PowerEnhance may single-handedly have a much bigger internet impact on America’s fossil-fuel consumption than some other car — Tesla included. This new truck, then, is a giant deal. No strain.
2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch PowerEnhance matches hybrid smarts with Western aptitude
See all images
While the Blue Oval will proceed to supply its money cow in a predictable array of gas- and diesel-powered flavors, the brand new 2021 Ford F-150 PowerEnhance will give buyers loads to chew on. I’m not simply speaking about this mannequin as a result of it is acquired probably the most horsepower and torque of any F-150, though with 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet, this plugless pickup has these honors locked up tighter than an proprietor’s fist round a bacon-double cheeseburger. Thanks to the F-150 hybrid’s customary Pro Power Onboard built-in generator and a number of different methods, this new F-Series provides loads of causes to contemplate electrification past improved gasoline economic system.
Minor visible modifications, massive functionality updateBefore I dig too deep into the gas-electric guts of this specific King Ranch SuperCrew 4×4, an outline of the brand new F-150 is so as. While it might appear to be a gentle refresh of the outgoing mannequin, this 14th-gen rig is, in reality, very completely different — nicely over 90% completely different, Ford says. The new truck rides on a stiffer, totally boxed metal body clothed in all-new bodywork (aluminum, as earlier than), and it sits on a half-inch-wider observe. All cabin and field configurations return, together with all main trim ranges — XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited (a brand new Raptor is predicted subsequent 12 months), however there’s so much new occurring beneath the pores and skin no matter trim. The best method to spot the 2021 F-150 on the road can be its revised C-clamp-shaped LED working lights, which now stream right into a redesigned entrance bumper. There’s a spread of latest grilles up entrance, and aerodynamic enhancements embrace lively shutters and a chin spoiler that robotically deploys at pace. Out again, new taillights bracket a redesigned tailgate whereas repeating the C-clamp design theme.
The F-150’s observe width grows modestly, however when it comes to general dimensions, it is similar to final 12 months.
Nick Miotke/Chris Paukert/Roadshow
It’s price noting that this new F-150 eschews the business’s pattern in direction of trick multifold tailgates like these provided on arch rivals such because the Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra and Ram 1500. Instead, the Ford’s extra standard one-piece tailgate is accessible with energy up/down actuation and a redesigned work floor that features options like a pill holder, bottle opener and clamp pockets, and a built-in deployable step. These are intelligent options, however one has to surprise if the automaker is not leaving one thing on the desk by not providing an non-compulsory variable-hinged tailgate just like the cut up rear door on the Ram or the Chevy’s Multi-Flex unit.
2021 Ford F-150 cabin enhancementsWhile Ford’s departing F-150 held up nicely typically in opposition to the competitors, it was clearly bested by Ram when it comes to cabin niceness and noise isolation, particularly on upper-end trims. I’ll want some back-to-back time in each rigs to know for certain, however I believe this new technology would possibly reorder issues just a little. I’ve virtually no complaints about my King Ranch tester’s cabin. Material high quality and aesthetics have improved noticeably, and the inside’s characteristic depend is thru the roof. With its wealthy shade palette and wall-to-wall leather-based, the King Ranch is legitimately luxurious, and this is not even the brand new F-150’s prime trim. (I skilled some lesser trims, together with an XLT and XLT Lariat, and I did not suppose a few of their particulars have been as convincing for his or her costs, however I’ll want extra time in them to know for certain.)Higher-end 2021 F-150 fashions like this King Ranch profit from a a lot richer cabin, each when it comes to supplies and tech.
Nick Miotke/Chris Paukert/Roadshow
Available class-exclusive options embrace Max Recline lay-flat seats with heating, air flow and therapeutic massage (nice for sneaking a fast nap on the job web site) and a power-folding gearshift lever that permits the armrest to flip down into a large flat work floor (a conventional column selector can also be provided). You cannot roll out a brand new truck today with no boatload of infotainment smarts, and the F-150 obliges with a 12-inch touchscreen working Ford’s strong Sync 4 infotainment platform leveraging out there wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Even low-end XL fashions get an 8-inch touchscreen, a giant replace from final 12 months’s comically small 4.2-inch unit. Furthermore, this King Ranch contains a punchy B&O Unleashed audio system with 18 audio system — together with ones within the ceiling and headrests — and SiriusXM 360L.The new infotainment system permits over-the-air updates — not only for center-stack tech, for all the car, powertrain included. That means Ford will have the ability to wirelessly beam out bug fixes and have updates to homeowners.It’s additionally price calling out this F-150’s matching 12-inch reconfigurable totally digital instrument cluster, which provides vivid, splashy animations (particularly when altering drive modes) and all types of information. The manner the engine pace is prominently expressed with two digits by default (0.0, as in 1,000 x rpm) takes just a little getting used to, and it feels a bit “2010 design-magazine infographic” to me. I admit it is also oddly satisfying to see how usually you may get the tachometer to fall to 0.0 rpm — indicating the engine has shut off and also you’re quickly crusing alongside solely on electrical energy. The manner the tachometer expresses engine revs in numerical shorthand takes just a little getting used to.
Nick Miotke/Chris Paukert/Roadshow
PowerEnhance hybrid energy, gasoline economic system and refinementRunning on electrons undoubtedly enhances the 2021 F-150 PowerEnhance’s sense of inside calm, however you needn’t be in electric-only mode to know that this new F-150 feels appreciably quieter than earlier than. Wind and highway noise are nicely managed, and whether or not the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is pumping its red-hot fists within the air or not, the cabin of this F-Series is a surprisingly serene place to be. I even made a degree to drive my tester on higher Detroit’s badly rutted grime and gravel roads, and never solely are physique motions nicely managed (even with an empty mattress), the shortage of noise when cinders ping-pong round within the F-150’s specifically lined wheel wells is spectacular. Yes, the Ram 1500’s out there coil-spring setup is in the end extra compliant, however at the very least by truck requirements, this new F-150 King Ranch rides very nicely, and it is quieter than a church mouse pissing on cotton. To be frank, I’ve by no means a lot cared for the best way Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost sounds, and the truth that the PowerEnhance tech silences its noise periodically whereas providing 30 extra horsepower and 70 extra pound-feet of torque is icing on the cake. It’s not that the V6 itself sounds dangerous, precisely, it simply is not authoritative in the best way you may want or anticipate for a full-size pickup. Ford’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 sounds worlds higher, as an illustration, nevertheless it solely delivers 400 hp and 410 lb-ft (and it does so at a lot greater engine speeds). Of course, you may nonetheless additionally go for Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 (325 hp, 400 lb-ft) or simply avoid wasting dough going for the turbo-free 3.3-liter V6 (290 hp, 265 lb-ft). Introduced for 2018, the 3.0-liter Power Stroke V6 diesel returns for 2021 unchanged, delivering 250 hp and 440 lb-ft. That’s proper, the brand new PowerEnhance hybrid handily outperforms even the diesel’s output figures. PowerEnhance contains a 35-kW electrical motor hidden within the 10-speed transmission’s case, powered by a modest 1.5-kWh battery beneath the rear seats.
Ford
Importantly, the PowerEnhance hybrid does a convincing job of feeling like a standard gasoline pickup. Electric muscle comes courtesy of a 35-kilowatt motor that lives contained in the (in any other case related) 10-speed computerized gearbox, with energy coming from a liquid-cooled, 1.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack mounted beneath the rear seat. You cannot get the nifty foldable and lockable rear-seat storage pack with PowerEnhance, however inside house is in any other case unaffected. Acceleration is robust — I’d wager that this SuperCrew’s 0-to-60-mph time is someplace within the mid-5-second vary. Better nonetheless, interaction between the V6 and the electrical motor are all however seamless. The brake really feel — usually a sore spot as a result of regenerative braking — is mercifully progressive. The identical goes for the stop-start {hardware}. I’m a man that ceaselessly turns off such programs in new automobiles and vans as a result of their lack of smoothness annoys me, however I’d fortunately go away the tech lively on the PowerEnhance every single day. To Ford’s credit score, PowerEnhance availability is not simply reserved for high-end fashions — it is provided on all F-150 trims. The hybrid will handily outlast the stoutest of bladders with its 700-mile vary between fill-ups, and even with four-wheel drive, the EPA charges gasoline economic system at 24 miles per gallon metropolis, freeway and mixed. Compared with the less-powerful 3.5L EcoBoost 4×4’s 18 metropolis, 23 freeway and 20 mixed, there is a substantial distinction. Yes, the hybrid prices $1,900 greater than gas-only 3.5L, however the potential long-term gasoline financial savings look tempting, particularly for metropolis dwellers. 2021 Ford F-150 Pro Power Onboard generates excitementAnd that is ignoring the PowerEnhance’s cherry on prime: Pro Power Onboard, a built-in generator that features energy retailers within the cab and mattress for optimum flexibility. Operable via the dashboard or via the Ford Pass app in your telephone or pill, PPO is nothing wanting a recreation changer, whether or not you are a roughneck or simply somebody who likes to camp or tailgate. PowerEnhance hybrids come customary with a succesful 2.4-kW PPO system — sufficient juice to run a pandemic-era drive-in film setup in your yard, together with projector, loudspeakers and a full-size popcorn machine concurrently. Ford says you may rise up to 85 hours of energy on a full tank.
For an additional $750, my King Ranch has an out there 7.2-kW PPO system that provides 4 120-volt family retailers and one 240-volt hookup, backed by sufficient energy to energise a small development web site. In truth, Ford officers inform me they’ve used this method to fast-charge their new Mustang Mach-E
electrical SUV. What’s extra, whereas the Blue Oval cannot say as a lot as a result of regulatory issues, this model of PPO is definitely strong sufficient to energy the important gadgets in most individuals’s houses in a blackout for as much as 32 hours per tank of gasoline. (Translation: You can most likely neglect about working the central air similtaneously your Sub-Zero fridge and garments washer, however you may greater than doubtless preserve the septic pump, fridge, lights and TV on whilst you journey out the storm.)Yes, you may go for a 2.0-kW Pro Power Onboard system on non-hybridized fashions, too. This fundamental, lower-power setup is sufficient for a TV, mini fridge, heater, blender and audio system for a correct Big 10 soccer celebration, nevertheless it’s the hybrid-only 7.2-kW setup that is the true workhorse. What’s extra, with new Zone Lighting options to light up almost all the perimeter of the car, night time video games will not be an issue. Questioning the necessity for an onboard energy supply? Lots of job websites depend on heavy, cumbersome mills, and PPO ought to enchantment to individuals who use them. It does not eat into mattress house, it isn’t a theft danger, it is so much quieter, works with out gasoline cans and its emissions are so much decrease than a typical standalone generator. Me? I’m not a contractor, however I like the concept of taking some electrical bikes out to an off-road park with out worry of needing to discover a charger, or for utilizing the onboard inverter to offer new life to an outdated Airstream. More than something, I relish the concept of parking considered one of these in my driveway as a substitute of paying hundreds for the whole-house backup generator that is been on my procuring checklist for years.
2021 Ford F-150 towing, payload and off-road skills It’s not all rope swings and freshly tapped kegs for PowerEnhance patrons. In addition to its upfront value, the hybrid has decrease towing and payload scores than its gas-only equal — this, regardless of the driveline’s superior output figures. Among different issues, you may blame the hybrid’s additional weight for the shortfall, however irrespective of the rationale, Ford charges a short-box, 4×4 Super Crew with PowerEnhance to tow 12,400 kilos, whereas the non-hybrid will lug 13,900 kilos. PowerEnhance payload is an analogous story, rated at 1,830 kilos, whereas a gas-only 3.5 can pack-mule 2,100 kilos in its mattress. Check the suitable packing containers, and the 2021 F-150 can tow as much as 14,000 kilos — 800 kilos greater than final 12 months.In addition to a number of days of driving on nation roads and freeways, Ford gave me the possibility to check out towing with each gasoline and hybridized 3.5-liter V6s on its hilly proving-grounds highway course. I attempted an EcoBoost with a 7,200-pound Supra boat-and-trailer combo and the PowerEnhance gas-electric with a double-axle Forest River Wildwood camper weighing in at a smidge over 7,000 kilos. Neither vans have been in peril of pegging their max scores, nevertheless it was nonetheless spectacular and instructive to expertise how easy towing such massive toys may be with out requiring a heavy-duty truck. It’s a very wild sensation to notice the engine shutting off within the hybrid whereas driving down hills, solely to tug away noiselessly from a cease earlier than the V6 kicks again in. I additionally tried some off-road workouts in a gasoline Lariat outfitted with the FX4 suspension bundle, together with muddy two-tracks via the woods and a few steep ascents that helped take a look at out the brand new F-150’s numerous terrain settings. To be trustworthy, whereas enjoyable, none of this was terribly eye-opening. More than something, it simply goes to indicate how succesful most vans are today, and the way trendy four-wheel-drive programs and drive modes could make once-formidable challenges completely routine. 2021 Ford F-150 OTA updates and hands-free driving techEarlier, I discussed that the F-150 has over-the-air updates. That identical skill will permit Level 2 hands-free driving on HD-mapped divided highways starting late subsequent 12 months. Buyers who pony up $995 for the Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 Prep Package achieve superior driver help programs like adaptive cruise management with lane-centering and speed-sign recognition, plus Evasive Steering Assist, Intersection Assist and a self-park perform. Unlike most such programs — together with Tesla’s Autopilot — Co-Pilot360 features a driver-facing infrared digicam that tracks head place and eye gaze to make sure drivers are nonetheless paying consideration.Properly outfitted, the 2021 F-150 can tow a stout 14,000 kilos — that is 800 greater than final 12 months.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
2021 Ford F-150 pricing and sum-upA lot have individuals have been lamenting the rising costs of full-size pickups, and to be trustworthy, the 2021 Ford F-150 is not going to do a lot to silence the grousing. A base, regular-cab XL work truck begins at $30,635 (together with $1,695 for freight), simply $195 greater than final 12 months. However, with all of those new choices, it is simpler than ever to greater than double that price ticket briefly order. King Ranch fashions begin at $55,630 delivered, however my closely optioned PowerEnhance 4×4 tester stickers at a retirement-jeopardizing $77,000. Remember, Ford provides two trims above this mannequin — Platinum and Limited.It’s all of the extra exceptional, then, that even on this lofty specification, the 2021 Ford F-150 completely feels well worth the cash. It’s onerous to think about a extra versatile car, one able to doing a lot work whereas feeling so upscale and delivering a lot tech. In specific, I believe Pro Power Onboard may very well be an actual difference-maker for many patrons — doubtlessly even prying open the wallets of oldsters who’ve been reluctant to entertain electrification in a brand new car of any sort. Since PPO’s strongest variations can be found solely with PowerEnhance, this new functionality might coax just a few gas- and diesel-only diehards into crossing the Rubicon and going hybrid. I can even see this tech being a boon for fleet patrons of municipal and utility automobiles.While the 2021 F-150 seems to be a conservative redesign, make no mistake, this truck is loaded with the most recent tech and a raft of distinctive options to assist defend Ol’ Henry’s turf atop the auto business’s most vital phase. If nothing else, PowerEnhance ought to assist truck patrons mentally put together for Ford’s forthcoming all-electric F-150, which is because of tackle the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T starting in 2022. Setting our tables for Ford’s battery-powered (and closely automated) future is a giant ask. Fortunately, the 2021 Ford F-150 feels as much as the job.