Recently Ford’s Blue Oval City plant in Tennessee production launch was there. InsideEVs reports that Ford CEO Jim Farley shared some details about the next vehicle they are going to launch. Though there are no precise details, it appears that the vehicle is to have more range and better efficiency. It is expected that the price difference between F-150 Lightning and the new model will be $7,000. And the range difference is expected to be 100 miles (160km).
The new pickup has been under development for quite some time now and will have a more radical, maybe even controversial design. Specifically, there will be “active and deployable aero,“ which sounds like new solutions to significantly improve efficiency. Considering that the F-150 Lightning has two battery options and an EPA range of respectively 230 miles (370 km) or 300-320 miles (483-515 km), we should surely expect a number north of 400 miles (644 km). That sounds reasonable because it’s also the upper target for the Chevrolet Silverado EV.
At this point, it’s difficult to say much, but the overall plan of electrification of pickup trucks appears to be divided into stages. The first one was to simply make an electric version of the most popular model (and add a lot of EV-specific features, which makes it even better than ICE). The next stage will be probably a vehicle built from the ground up as an electric vehicle to maximize the potential and apply all of the latest solutions.
Deployable Aero
According to Laycee, Farley told her that the new electric pickup would feature active and deployable aero similar to a semi-truck, with the design focusing on maximizing efficiency. We’ve reached out to Ford to confirm these details about its new pickup, but the company wouldn’t elaborate. A company spokesperson said that it had “Nothing to add from earlier this week. It will be a next-gen electric truck, different from the F-150 Lightning.”
The factory is part of a multi-billion-dollar investment into the company’s future. The complex, known as Blue Oval City, will produce the next generation of electric F-Series trucks and batteries. The site will have three gigafactories. The complex will see operations begin in 2025, so it could be a bit before we see this new pickup. The company is also doing more than spending money. Earlier this year, Ford announced splitting its operations into Ford Model E for EVs and connected cars. And Ford Blue for its gas-powered products like the Mustang, Bronco, and F-150. The company wants half of its global volume to be EVs by 2030.