No electric Super Duty Lightning in Ford's current plans

MAhauler · Nov 26, 2021

Per https://insideevs.com/news/550764/ford-superduty-lightning-not-planned/

Ford has officially ruled out making a heavy-duty electric pickup truck, at least for now, as it focuses on starting production of the F-150 Lightning, the electric Transit van and the vehicle (or vehicles) that it is developing on Volkswagen’s MEB platform. We may see a fully-electric Super Duty Lightning in the future at some point, it was not ruled out, but its creation is not a priority right now.

However, it will surely happen at some point in the not too distant future as more and more types of vehicles will be switched from ICE to EV. When Kumar Galhotra, president, Americas and International Markets Group was asked about an electric Super Duty, he said that

At the moment, we do not have any plans to go into heavy duty with battery-electric vehicles.

Sundancer330 · Nov 26, 2021

Im not surprised, the super duty owners really use their trucks for heavy towing and hauling so a EV version would not be a good seller.

Snakebitten · Nov 26, 2021

We're actually fortunate that a manufacturer, any manufacturer, already committed to building an EV in a legitimate mainstream truck and van format.
I don't think I'm surprised that it isn't being expanded just yet.
I do think that it makes sense to bring some of the Powerboost technology and utility to the SuperDuty line though.

Diabolical! · Nov 26, 2021

TXhauler said:
No electric Super Duty Lightning in the plans

Based on all the info coming out of Ford aince May 19, I'm beginning to wonder if they actually have a non super duty lightning in the plans.

jeffcrum · Nov 26, 2021

I'd love to see a SD Powerboost!

Sgt Beavis · Nov 26, 2021

I think we’re still a few years away from the battery tech being to the point where an EV based SD can tow a good distance. We’ll get there, but it’s gonna be a while.

GABAR · Nov 27, 2021

Diabolical! said:
Based on all the info coming out of Ford aince May 19, I'm beginning to wonder if they actually have a non super duty lightning in the plans.

Patience grasshopper.

BEVolution · Nov 27, 2021

Naturally the next EV should be Expedition-Lightning although so far, Ford hasn’t even offered the hybrid yet.

SteffanG · Nov 27, 2021

BEVolution said:
Naturally the next EV should be Expedition-Lightning although so far, Ford hasn’t even offered the hybrid yet.

I would say the explorer as I believe it is a better seller and not so massively big. Would give them a smaller SUV (MachE), a mid/large size (Explorer), and a full-size truck (F150L) so it would cover the most commonly sold to consumers. The Explorer sells almost 3 times as much every year.

But yes they should think about a PB super duty instead of a straight EV to help with unladen fuel mileage. Maybe with a 10kWh battery to get better economy if it fits.

Snakebitten · Nov 27, 2021

An Onboard ProPower SuperDuty becomes the defacto RV towing truck immediately.

PungoteagueDave · Nov 28, 2021

Snakebitten said:
An Onboard ProPower SuperDuty becomes the defacto RV towing truck immediately.

At some point the weight/available energy ratio gets wonky - as a motorcycle adventure rider, there's nothing I'd rather see than a motorcycle that can get 300 miles of range between charges at highway speeds - but so far no one has been able to get beyond about 125 miles range at 65 - because with two wheels and the huge weight in lithium-ion batteries, the added cells needed to gain that range begin to deduct from the very range you are gaining - and the bike becomes unwieldy at the same time - so what we have so far are expensive commuter motorcycles.

The EV cars and light trucks have introduced to-date gotten around this issue so far by finding a sweet spot in the weight/energy physics that adds a LOT of weight but with enough efficiency that we can get 200-400 miles of range and maintain reasonable handling characteristics, while admittedly wearing tires faster than the ICE counterparts. We still end up with the typical EV sedan weighing 4,500 pounds+ and SUVs over 5,500 pounds, a huge premium to the ICE versions. Translate that up to a true Superduty, which is far heavier and tow-capable than the biggest EV so far (Hummer or concept Cybertruck), and I suspect you tip into 200 khw battery requirements, and the energy requirement ratio likely tips into a battery weight of diminishing returns like we see with EV motorcycles. Elon said as much in a recent talk - that he could make vehicles with 600 or 800 miles range, but the efficiency tradeoff would be huge, and the charging times not worth the extra cost in weight and materials.

jeffcrum · Nov 28, 2021

PungoteagueDave said:
At some point the weight/available energy ratio gets wonky - as a motorcycle adventure rider, there's nothing I'd rather see than a motorcycle that can get 300 miles of range between charges at highway speeds - but so far no one has been able to get beyond about 125 miles range at 65 - because with two wheels and the huge weight in lithium-ion batteries, the added cells needed to gain that range begin to deduct from the very range you are gaining - and the bike becomes unwieldy at the same time - so what we have so far are expensive commuter motorcycles.

The EV cars and light trucks have introduced to-date gotten around this issue so far by finding a sweet spot in the weight/energy physics that adds a LOT of weight but with enough efficiency that we can get 200-400 miles of range and maintain reasonable handling characteristics, while admittedly wearing tires faster than the ICE counterparts. We still end up with the typical EV sedan weighing 4,500 pounds+ and SUVs over 5,500 pounds, a huge premium to the ICE versions. Translate that up to a true Superduty, which is far heavier and tow-capable than the biggest EV so far (Hummer or concept Cybertruck), and I suspect you tip into 200 khw battery requirements, and the energy requirement ratio likely tips into a battery weight of diminishing returns like we see with EV motorcycles. Elon said as much in a recent talk - that he could make vehicles with 600 or 800 miles range, but the efficiency tradeoff would be huge, and the charging times not worth the extra cost in weight and materials.

I think @Snakebitten was talking about a SD Powerboost. Not an EV.

Snakebitten · Nov 28, 2021

jeffcrum said:
I think @Snakebitten was talking about a SD Powerboost. Not an EV.

Exactly. I am an RV full-timer for about 5 years now. And I am the bullseye customer for the Powerboost'rs Onboard generator. However, regardless of the towing capacity of a 600ftlb drivetrain, you will run out of cargo capacity long before you run out of tow capacity.
So if Ford would pop that electric motor in the SuperDuty transmission and the battery/inverter package as well, suddenly you can use all 7.2KW while boondocking with your 5th wheel Toy hauler!

(The toy hauler can carry all the previous posters Adventure motorcycles.

)

Niterider · Nov 28, 2021

I have little doubt that, at some point, there will be an EV version of everything that Ford currently offers.

But...it won't all happen overnight.

Charging Infrastructure/tech, battery tech...we just aren't there yet to just flip a switch and have everything jump to EV's. Granted, Ford/Purdue just recently announced a new charging cable that could allow an EV to be fully recharged in about 5 minutes. Once they get that standardized and deployed...that removed a really large roadblock for EV's.

A powerboost option in a Superduty...that wouldn't surprise me if it was already in the works. Hopefully, it will be a combo Powerstroke/Electric drive. Just please size up the electric motor and battery a bit for the Superduty's Ford...

No electric Super Duty Lightning in Ford's current plans

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