Ford to electrify best-selling F-150 pick-up truck

Ford has long since announced their intention of manufacturing a hybrid version of their favourite Ford F-150 truck, however now manager Jim Farley confirmed they would produce a battery electric version as well.

The Transit will also be available in the future with both hybrid and pure electric drive systems. Farley said: “We’re going to be electrifying the F-Series, both battery-electric and hybrid. And we’re doing the same for Transit.”

The hybrid version of the F-150 is planned for 2020 and will be manufactured in Dearborn, Michigan. A date for the introduction of the battery-electric version has not been released yet.

Meanwhile, Ford’s North American CEO Kumar Galhotra has revealed that the Lincoln brand will use Ford’s electric performance SUV platform with Mustang genes for their own “elegant” BEVs planned for 2020. However, the two projects are “absolutely distinguishable” from each other, he said. The Mustang-inspired SUV will be given an aggressive look, while the Lincoln EVs will remain true to the brand, corresponding to a “quiet luxury”. Galhotra has not yet published a timetable.

Just a few days ago, Ford announced the intention to restructure the business in Europe to improve its competitiveness and profitability. Ford Europe said that starting with the new Focus, it will offer an electrified option for each vehicle model series in the future. Furthermore, Ford confirmed in a joint statement with VW that they want to intensify their cooperation and throughout the venture jointly produce electrically powered transporters and medium-sized pickups from 2022, among other things.

And last but not least, a quick look at Ford’s electrification strategy: the carmaker plans to invest eleven billion dollars worldwide in electrified vehicles by 2022, including 16 purely battery-electric models and 24 hybrids.

eu.detroitnews.com, autonews.com (Lincoln)