F-150 EV will outwork the competition, Ford says

DETROIT — Unlike other upcoming electric pickups, the Ford F-150 EV isn't inspired by Blade Runner, doesn't have a hidden fridge and can't crab walk diagonally.

But it will tow heavy trailers, produce more horsepower and torque than any previous F-150 and cost more than 40 percent less to operate than the current gasoline model, executives promise.

Those are the attributes Ford Motor Co. believes matter most to the customers who have sustained the sales leadership streak of its F-Series pickup line since the year Jimmy Carter became president. And it's those attributes that Ford is touting as it prepares for one of the biggest changes to its most profitable product.

"Simply put, this isn't a gimmick," incoming CEO Jim Farley said last week at an event celebrating construction of a facility in Michigan to build the F-150 EV starting in 2022. "It's a workhorse, not a show horse destined for a shiny garage filled with four other luxury cars."

The messaging two years ahead of the vehicle's production is clear: Ford is attempting to convert loyal fleet operators and business owners to an EV by dispelling concerns about its cost or performance under load.

Those buyers, Ford hopes, will help it fend off new competitors Rivian, Nikola and Tesla, as well as established rivals such as General Motors, that are preparing to launch electric pickups.

The F-150 EV will be powered by dual electric motors that will produce more than the 450 hp and 510 pound-feet of torque generated by the most powerful version of today's gasoline-powered truck.

In place of the engine, the EV will have a "giant" front trunk, executives say. And the truck will double as a mobile power generator, much like the hybrid variant that launches this year.

"This is a really breakthrough product for us for the capability itself," Farley told Automotive News Publisher Jason Stein for the "Daily Drive" podcast for Monday, Sept. 21. "It will bring energy and electrons to the job site. It's so much more than a new-propulsion F-150. It's 'Built Ford Tough.' That will make us different in this market."

Ford's strategy is a stark contrast to other automakers'. To be sure, rivals aren't ignoring performance and capability. GM, for example, said the GMC Hummer electric pickup, slated to be unveiled next month, will have multiple electric motors and numerous battery packs producing up to 1,000 hp and 11,500 pound-feet of torque. Startup Lordstown Motors is marketing the Endurance, an electric pickup due in 2021, toward fleet buyers.

But most battery-powered pickups are being branded more as lifestyle vehicles.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk told Automotive News last month that he conducted zero customer research for the upcoming Cybertruck, opting instead to make a vehicle "we thought was awesome and looks super weird."

Rivian, a rival that Ford has invested in, will come out with the R1T pickup next year. The truck is marketed toward outdoor lovers, and the company says the interior was inspired by contemporary furniture as well as hiking and outdoor gear.

That gives Ford an opening to make a business case with its longtime work-oriented base.

"It's a very natural fit and very much in alignment with the company's past and the way they serve their customers," Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst with IHS Markit, told Automotive News. "It makes sense for Ford to stick with what they know and what they're respected for."

Cost has long been a deterrent to EV ownership, but Ford is attempting to downplay a potentially high sticker price by touting lower lifetime operational costs.

The automaker last week said the F-150 EV will have significantly lower operating costs compared with the gasoline version, in large part from reduced maintenance. In addition to never needing gas or oil, the truck will save companies money by being out of service less often, Ford said.

"The consumer wants this," said Angela Pritchard Spiteri, COO of Pritchard Family Auto Stores in Iowa and a member of Ford's commercial vehicle advisory board.

Spiteri said her fleet buyers are becoming more mindful of their environmental footprint and are intrigued by the potential for lower operating costs.

"It's different than previous alternative fuel solutions," she said. "It's something that's going to stick."

Part of that newfound interest revolves around data. Ford has promised the F-150 EV can be continually improved via over-the-air software updates.

In addition, Spiteri said, fleet operators can take advantage of telematics software within the vehicle to unlock more savings.

"That data can be measured, and those measurements can be utilized to truly measure that cost and find driving efficiencies," she said.

Ford plans to build the F-150 EV at its Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan. The automaker is investing $700 million on a new assembly facility at the site to accommodate the new propulsion system.

Gary Johnson, Ford's chief manufacturing and labor affairs officer, said it would be the company's "most technologically advanced plant in the world" and be flexible enough to accommodate additional vehicle lines.

Johnson declined to say what the annual production capacity would be. He said F-150 EVs would go through the same paint and body shops as the gas-powered models before moving to the new building.

Kumar Galhotra, Ford's president of the Americas and International Markets Group, said the F-150 EV would look "distinct" but might not have the bold look of products such as the Cybertruck.

A teaser image released last week hinted at a more rectangular "grille," with an LED light running horizontally across the front of the vehicle connecting each headlamp.

"The silhouette for that segment is evolving, and other people are testing some extremes," Galhotra said. "Our vehicle will be different, but it's not going to be the Mad Max vehicle. It will clearly be an evolution that signifies it's electric. It will be an aesthetic that's true to Ford truck DNA."