we thought the drag range of the F-150 Lightning would be bad before the truck gets out, and indeed, the publications as MotorTrend recently confirmed many, a maximum range of 90 miles towing a 7,218-pound trailer. It looks like with Super Duty, Ford won’t even bother going electric for the foreseeable future.
However, don’t take it away from me. These are some of Ford executives including Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, via Automotive News:
“If you are towing 10,000 pounds, an electric truck is not the right solution. And 95% of our customers get more than £10,000,” Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley told the media at Churchill Downs racecourse, where the firm unveiled a line of Super Duty lines. redesign. “This is a really important segment for our country, and it will likely use hydrogen fuel cells before switching to pure electricity.”
[…]
Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager, told Automotive News that people buy heavy-duty trucks — often used in mining, construction and utility work, or as emergency response vehicles. – did not show much interest in electric vehicles. Instead, they focus on what can get the job done best.
“We haven’t seen a major uproar yet,” Eckert said. “It’s about productivity, ability and efficiency. Right now, gas and diesel really serve those needs.”
And don’t just get it from Ford, as this is Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet, as quoted by Auto News:
“We see this segment as possibly one of the last to stick to ICE,” Bell said.
All of this, logically, makes sense, because towing is really a problem for trucks, as one way automakers increase range is by making EVs more aerodynamic. and one problem with many things you can tow is that they are very aerodynamic, aside from the added weight. It’s also the first thing I hear whenever I ask many current truck owners about switching to electric, that being able to tow medium to long distances is a priority, and they have yet to see an EV truck that can do that.
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All of that, Farley notes, is probably where hydrogen fuel cells eventually come in, except that the technology seems so far-fetched and not even well established in cars, that manufacturers car manufacturers are even interested in it. So: Get ready to see a lot more petrol and diesel Super Duty right now. I’m glad Ford is finally admitting that EV truck traction sucks. There is still time, Ford, for you to reply to a certain email on this subject from last May.
