2021 Ford F-150 Review: The Truck Goes Techno | Motor1

[Mook]

2021 Ford F-150 Review: The Truck Goes Techno

With more on-board technology than ever, the 2021 Ford F-150 brings the pickup truck into the modern age.

www.motor1.com

The 2021 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 starts at a reasonable $43,805 in SuperCrew, 5.5-foot bed form. But as with any Blue Oval product, options add up rapidly, resulting in a gasping price-as-tested of $62,311, a 29-percent increase. Some of the biggest wallet-lighteners here are the $5,730 “High” equipment group, which adds a larger infotainment display with Sync 4, heated and powered front seats, remote keyless start and entry, and other niceties. A $1,495 panoramic moonroof shows up, as does a $1,090 trailer-tow package and a $1,195 charge for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost. The coordinating Sport Appearance pack is a reasonable $300, but optioning 20-inch wheels demands another $1,395.

Ford at least deserves some credit by making most options a la carte instead of requiring customers to step into a higher trim level. For example, this XLT Sport offers many of the same features that would be available on a King Ranch or a Platinum (a panoramic roof, advanced driver-assist tech, an onboard generator, and a big infotainment display), perfect for buyers who want the toys but don’t need leather or wood. Still, at more than $62k, the XLT feels a bit unspecial, especially when a Ram 1500 Limited – equipped with a standard V8 and optional adaptive cruise – is only a few grand more.

By playing with the online configurator a bit more judiciously, it’s possible to build a well-equipped F-150 XLT 4x4 for about $50,000, which feels more palatable to the average truck family than this pricey, sporty tester. Whatever the cost, the 2021 F-150’s mission brief was to integrate sophisticated technology and thoughtful workplace solutions into the nation’s best-selling vehicle family, and in that vein, it’s an unqualified success.

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[SpeedSpeak2me]

The hybrid version of this is tempting, but can't really find anything that definitively says if it'll drive on strictly battery power for short trips, like 10, 20, 30 miles. If so, it would be a contender for me some day.

$5700+ for a single equipment group of tech though, ouch.

 

[Yaj Yak]

The hybrid version of this is tempting, but can't really find anything that definitively says if it'll drive on strictly battery power for short trips, like 10, 20, 30 miles. If so, it would be a contender for me some day.

$5700+ for a single equipment group of tech though, ouch.

why does the hybrid version tempt you?

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

It sounds like he was hoping for something more like a plug-in hybrid where you get a longer "electric only" range. If Ford released that, I would be all over it as well.

 

[Yaj Yak]

It sounds like he was hoping for something more like a plug-in hybrid where you get a longer "electric only" range. If Ford released that, I would be all over it as well.

volt style, right?

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

Yep, we have both the volt and the fusion plug-in hybrids. All electric around town and an ICE for longer trips. Best of both worlds in my opinion.

 

[Yaj Yak]

Yep, we have both the volt and the fusion plug-in hybrids. All electric around town and an ICE for longer trips. Best of both worlds in my opinion.

so why isn't a truck manufacturer doing this setup then you know?

seems silly to me

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

Because of costs. It's going to be much much cheaper for them to produce an all electric version so most manufacturers will skip making plug-in hybrids.

 

[Yaj Yak]

Because of costs. It's going to be much much cheaper for them to produce an all electric version so most manufacturers will skip making plug-in hybrids.

but i mean how much more would it have been to create that version vs what ford gave us.

we all know the sky is the limit for f150 pricing/options anyways.

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

Its not a Ford thing. GM is going to go straight to electric trucks as well. Both Ford and GM abandoned their plug-in hybrids.

 

[Yaj Yak]

Its not a Ford thing. GM is going to go straight to electric trucks as well. Both Ford and GM abandoned their plug-in hybrids.

i know it's not a ford thing.

my point stands, why did ford make this "thing" instead of a plug in hybrid... i dont think your "cost" angle is why.

the powerboost f150 makes legit 0 fucking sense for the money... the generator isn't a generator... it doesn't get good mileage at all. but they still made it.

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

The cost angle is exactly why. Putting two motors in each vehicle. That's why all manufacturers are now working towards 100% EV.

The powerboost is a generator and I believe the good one is only a $750 option on top of the hybrid. I saw two interesting youtube videos where one they powered an entire RV and the second one they powered a home.

This is fun for me because I know your two biggest nemesis's are the F150 and anything hybrid/electric. You take any opportunity to bash both of these within this forum.

 

[Yaj Yak]

The cost angle is exactly why. Putting two motors in each vehicle. That's why all manufacturers are now working towards 100% EV.

The powerboost is a generator and I believe the good one is only a $750 option on top of the hybrid. I saw two interesting youtube videos where one they powered an entire RV and the second one they powered a home.

This is fun for me because I know your two biggest nemesis's are the F150 and anything hybrid/electric. You take any opportunity to bash both of these within this forum.

f150 is not a nemesis whatsoever. ive said it before plenty, id totally have bought one had i been able to find what i wanted when i was shopping. similar to what you got- big bed, leather buckets, but i'd have wanted the 5.0 and totally loved one.



anything hybrid/electric is also not a nemessis... in this case, the f150 hybrid makes little to no sense. read the mileage that the guy got out of one below. it's a huge let down.


you're not going to let your truck idle that entire time powering an RV, it is not a generator

ive posted about it in the other thread. it's a sorry excuse for another gimmick.

read my other posts about it.

The 2.0-kW system is available on the F-150’s equipped with a gasoline 2.7-liter, the 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 and the 5.0-liter V8 non-hybrid engines. Power is accessed via two standard 120-volt, 20-amp outlets in the bed, nearly identical to the electrical outlets in your home). Its best suited for tailgating, light-load camping or powering small electrical devices.

The 2.4-kW is standard on the 2021 F-150 when equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 hybrid “PowerBoost” engine. Electricity is accessed through two standard 120-volt, 20-amp outlets in the bed, and Ford claims an 85-hour run time on a single tank of gas. For people who often go off-the-grid, the 2.4 kW system could eliminate the need to lug around a noisy and thirsty standalone portable generator.

The 7.4-kW system is optional on the 2021 F-150 PowerBoost. It offers four bed-mounted 120-volt outlets and a dedicated 240-volt circuit. Ford claims it will run for 32 hours on a full tank. This system is designed for the serious user and is robust enough to run a small construction site or power a mobile mechanic’s toolbox.



In the case of the Pro Power 2.0 kW system, the electric energy comes from the vehicle’s existing 12-volt battery, converted to AC by an onboard HD inverter. It’s pretty basic stuff and operates similarly to what’s readily available in the aftermarket, but comes fully integrated and warranted from the factory. Although functional, the 2.0 system lacks the robust properties of hybrid-based systems.

The 2.4- and 7.2-kW Pro Power systems are in an entirely different league. Both leverage the F-150 PowerBoost’s existing hybrid hardware, including the liquid-cooled 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. (A standard 12-volt battery is reserved for starting the vehicle.)

When activated, current travels from the battery to an onboard inverter that converts it to AC. If the battery charge gets low or demand spikes, the vehicle’s engine will start and recharge the battery via the drivetrain’s integrated 35-kW (47 horsepower) electric motor, which also functions as a generator (remember, it’s a hybrid).

2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid Truck’s Pro Power Onboard Generator Explained

Ford's 2021 F-150 V6 PowerBoost hybrid truck comes with an innovative onboard generator system called ProPower Onboard. This is how it works.

www.forbes.com

what a joke, so the "generator" on the gas trucks, is just an inverter... and the "generator" on the specialty POWERBOOOOST and hybrid trucks, will just idle the gas engine to work when needed.




@DEEZUZ LOVES direct injection engines idling.

the powerboost 3.5 engine is $1900 more than the "normal" 3.5 to make it a hybrid then the 7.2 KW package is another $750.



Ford is targeting an EPA-estimated range of approximately 700 miles for the hybrid on a 30.6-gallon tank of gas—indicating it’s expecting about 23 mpg combined.



sounds like gm's attempt at hybrid trucks & suv's from around 2010

2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hypermiling Test Ends With 29.7 MPG

Ram has the TRX as the most powerful half-ton pickup out there, but the Ford Motor Company took a different approach with the F-150. For the 2021 model year, the light-duty truck has been treated to a hybrid option – the PowerBoost V6 – which is pretty economical on paper.

www.autoevolution.com

As the headline implies, you can extract way more than the Environmental Protection Agency promises if you’re willing to sacrifice a little bit of speed. Tim Esterdahl of Pickup Truck + SUV Talk did exactly that in his PowerBoost V6, which averaged 29.7 miles to the gallon after 49.1 miles of driving. That’s 7.9 liters per 100 kilometers in European money, and of the total distance, around 9.5 miles were driven in zero-emissions mode.

I think I've had a similar hero run of 26.7 mpg? Mehhh

Oh and then



These being said, Tim decided to test his truck under normal highway driving conditions as well. Over the course of 234.5 miles, which included 9.4 electric miles, the PowerBoost averaged 19.6 miles to the gallon.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s estimates are never accurate in this kind of driving scenario, but nevertheless, this isn’t too shabby at all for 3.73 gears and a rather heavy truck at 6,000 pounds or 2,722 kilograms.

 

[Yaj Yak]

These being said, Tim decided to test his truck under normal highway driving conditions as well. Over the course of 234.5 miles, which included 9.4 electric miles, the PowerBoost averaged 19.6 miles to the gallon.


weak.

This is yesterday, not trying at all, driving home from north of Madison and the day before driving around Central wisco, and then driving to work this morning. My dic has been correct each time ive checked.

Minimal highway driving at all. Cold temperatures. Backroads. And my truck idled three different times for a good amount of time to warm my truck up for my before we left.

 

[Yaj Yak]

average speed of ~40 mph...

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

whoa, calm down son! I triggered something.

The truck doesn't idle the entire time when using it as a generator.

One mileage test is not going to speak for the improvement in mileage. I typically get over 20 on the highway. This summer when driving to South Dakota, I hit a really hard head wind through the entire state and ended up with 16mpg average. I'll wait for some more reviews to come out.

 

[Yaj Yak]

whoa, calm down son! I triggered something.

The truck doesn't idle the entire time when using it as a generator.

One mileage test is not going to speak for the improvement in mileage. I typically get over 20 on the highway. This summer when driving to South Dakota, I hit a really hard head wind through the entire state and ended up with 16mpg average. I'll wait for some more reviews to come out.

you didn't trigger anything, you just selectively chose posts of mine and disregard others for whatever reason.

correct. the truck does not idle the entire time using the "generator"... but it could.

nothing like picking and choosing what reviews to go off of

 

[Yaj Yak]

Your results will vary—maybe by a lot, if you frequently sample that 5.2-second acceleration or run with traffic at 80 mph on the freeway. That said, during one 75-mile drive that consisted of 45 miles of freeway cruising at 80 mph and 30 back-road miles averaging 60 mph, the trip computer self-reported 20.0 mpg. My 3-hour 169-mile drive that encompassed all instrumented testing and a lively run around my favorite 14-mile rural road circuit averaged 17.7 mpg; and on over 608 miles with multiple media drivers flogging it, the truck reported 16.6 mpg. That's not bad for 3 tons of truck and driver—and heaven knows it's way more efficient than a Raptor would be if driven similarly.



How Does Power Pro Onboard Work As A Mobile Generator?
To answer this burning question, I drove up to my cabin on a chilly autumn day, plugged in a 1,500-watt space heater and my 14-inch McCulloch chain saw (880 watt). The heater ran for 5 minutes on the energy stored in the 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery before firing the engine. Then when I started cutting firewood, still with the heater on, the engine still only switched on for brief periods to top up the small battery. There's a button on the Power Pro Onboard panel in the pickup box that turns the power on and off (saving you unplugging your chain saw when adjusting chain tension), and there's a button inside on the dash that allows you to disable the plugs or set them to a low power mode. The screen this activates warns that the engine will periodically switch on and admonishes users not to operate the truck indoors. Much of this functionality can be monitored and controlled by a smartphone app, too.

2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid First Test: Powerful USP

Raptor quickness, mid-size-sedan efficiency, 12,000 pounds of towing: The 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid does it all.

www.motortrend.com

 

[Yaj Yak]

it doesn't get much better mpg and the "generator" has the truck engine idle randomly to recharge the batteries.

someone would be better off getting "just" the 3.5 truck and a nice generator with the saved money.

 

[Yaj Yak]

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

So if you price out a GMC Denali and a F150 Platinum with V8's and comparable options, they are roughly the same price. Ford just offers more options.

If you want gimmicky options, you can get the new GMC Hummer EV and crabwalk down your street.

 

[SpeedSpeak2me]

why does the hybrid version tempt you?

Depends if it'll run on battery only power for short distances, like up to 30 or 40 miles. If so, it'd be great for me around town, then have the ICE for road trips/hauling/towing.

Since it's only a 1.5-kilowatt-hour battery with a 35-kilowatt electric motor I don't think it'll go very far on electric only power.

 

[SpeedSpeak2me]

So, reading more of the replies after I responded, yeah, a PHEV truck would be great. With that 50-ish so miles that the Volt gets on battery only I could run around for a few days between charges. However instead of the gas motor powering the batteries to run the electric motor I'd rather have the ICE kick in when the batteries are depleted while simultaneously charging the batteries. That would work great for me around town, then when I go on a road trip, haul, or tow I'd have the ICE (preferably a nice V-8) doing the heavy work.

GM improved on the DoD/AFM on the models after my 07 and getting 20+ MPG while doing like 75mph would be awesome. I always felt they should have made the DoD adjustable, so while at highway speeds under light load you could stay in 4cyl mode longer. With my truck, at 70 it'll barely kick in the DoD as long as there is no headwind. It has plenty of power at that speed with half the cylinders. Really no need to go back to V-8 just because I gave it another 2% throttle input.

The guy that tuned my truck did mess with the DoD/AFM settings and I was able to maintain 4cyl mode at 75mph turning about 22-23mpg, however the transition from 4-8-4 was really harsh and he couldn't smooth it out, so had it set it back to factory settings.

Yeah, no one really buys a truck for the gas mileage, but going from 17mpg to 22 or 23mpg on the highway would be a huge improvement. That'd be like another 120 miles per tank.

 

[Yaj Yak]

So if you price out a GMC Denali and a F150 Platinum with V8's and comparable options, they are roughly the same price. Ford just offers more options.

If you want gimmicky options, you can get the new GMC Hummer EV and crabwalk down your street.

im unsure why you are saying this first part, i posted what the powerboost costs above the truck. and why it's silly to me.



crabwalk, while i'd agree, a gimmick, is easily cooler and more useful than ford's sweet i-can't-backup-a-trailer-knob.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

They should just make a volt truck like this.