The Ford F-series has been the number one selling brand of trucks in the U.S. since first hitting the market in 1977. It’s also seen sales increases every year since 2009, outperforming competitors like the Chevy Silverado and Jeep Ram in becoming the leader in total vehicle sales.
Over 900,000 F-Series were purchased in the U.S. in 2018. But all of that success doesn’t mean the trucks are immune to change.
Recently announced during the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, Ford will be taking its’ most popular truck, the F-150, fully electric.
Granted, very little is known in terms of specs or even timing for the platform, but Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets did divulge that the future of the F-Series will feature fully electric and hybrid models. While a gas-electric hybrid is not new, the battery-powered platform definitely is.
The timing of the announcement is interesting, as none of the F-Series’ current competitors have hinted at the development of an electric truck. So, is Ford simply working to stay ahead of the pack, or could there be other competitive pressures at work?
IEN recently reported on the development of the Rivian R1T all-electric pickup that was unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show in November. The truck will feature a driving range of 410 miles and a top speed of 125 mph. Costing just under $70,000 it’s still about twice that of an F-Series.
Also busting on the scene of late is Arizona-based Atlis, which plans to have its’ 500-mile range truck ready by 2020. It will be selling for closer to $45,000.
And, of course, Elon Musk and Tesla reportedly have an electric truck high on their priority list.
For those looking forward to ushering in an electric F-Series, the earliest possible projection sits at the 2022 model year.
