All-New Ford F-150 Debuts With Hybrid Power, Self-Driving Tech And Plush Comfort Features
Ford has been teasing for months about the all-new F-150 pickup. To say the F-150 is a critical model for the automaker would be an understatement. Anyone who expected a radical change from the formula that's made the truck the most popular vehicle in the country for decades running was wrong. While the all-new Ford F-150 features a new exterior design with a bolder and tougher look, it's very similar to the F-150 it replaces that truck fans loved.
Not only did Ford give the pickup a new, bolder, and tougher exterior design, it also gains an all-new interior with more comfort, technology, and functionality for truck customers. The all-new interior promises new functionality and features, delivering enhanced materials, new color choices, and more storage as well. One of the cool new features is an available Tailgate Work Surface that supports people who work out of their pickup.
An optional Interior Work Surface is available to make those who frequently work from a laptop or eat in the truck more comfortable. Ford also knows that some busy F-150 owners want to rest between jobs, and the truck has available Max Recline Seats that recline nearly 180-degrees to make sleeping more comfortable. For carpenters and other people who work out of their pickup and use lots of power tools, an available Pro Power Onboard option offers 2.0-kilowatt of output. That's enough to power 28 average refrigerators and run an entire job site of tools. The hybrid version provides 2.4 kilowatts of output with an optional 7.2 kilowatts of power. The truck offers four bed-mounted 120V, 20A outlets while the 7.2kW version has a 240V, 30A outlet.
Another of the changes is a class-exclusive 3.5-liter PowerBoost full hybrid engine that Ford says is targeted to have the most torque and horsepower of any light-duty full-size pickup. The hybrid engine promises at least 12,000 pounds of maximum available towing and an EPA-estimated range of 700 miles on a tank of gas. That engine adds instant electric torque to the venerable 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 using a 10-speed automatic transmission paired with a 47 hp electric motor that's integrated into the transmission. The battery is a 1.5 KWh lithium-ion unit that's underneath the truck leaving the cab and cargo box unaffected.
New driver-assist technologies are available as part of the Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0 system with more features now standard on the base XL model. The new F-150 also has available Active Drive Assist allowing for hands-free driving on more than 100,000 miles of divided highways in all 50 states and Canada. Ford is offering an Active Drive Assist prep kit that contains the hardware required for this feature with the software to enable the function expected in Q3 2021 delivered via an OTA update. Drivers will have to pay separately to activate the functionality when the software is available. While Ford didn't mention the all-electric F-150 pickup, word is this is the body style the EV will use when it launches.
