Ford’s venerable pickup has been a lot of things for more than 100 years, except electrified. For 2021, that changes.
The 2021 Ford F-150 was unveiled Thursday and it’s the brand’s first hybrid full-size pickup. The heavily revised truck also gets improved interior functionality and quality, new driver-assistance features including a hands-free-driving mode, more convenience features, and even some Easter eggs.
2021 Ford F-150
The biggest news is a new hybrid powertrain, which Ford calls PowerBoost. It consists of Ford’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, a 47-horsepower electric motor integrated into the transmission, and a 1.5-kwh lithium-ion battery mounted under the floor. Ford didn’t provide specifications yet, but said the hybrid truck would offer the most torque and horsepower of any full-size pickup, be EPA-rated with a 700-mile range on a tank of gas, and tow 12,000 pounds or more. The hybrid powertrain will be offered on models from XL to Limited only with the SuperCrew cab. The model lineup will consist of XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited trims.
A host of features and conveniences are aimed at making the trucks easier to drive and more comfortable. A new Active Drive Assist feature will drive the truck, without driver input, on certain divided highways, provided drivers are paying attention to the road. The system uses a driver-facing camera to monitor attention and it will notify the driver when to take control of the steering wheel. The hardware will be available this fall when the truck goes on sale, but customers will have to pay to activate it starting next summer. It will be delivered to the trucks via another new feature for the 2021 F-150, over-the-air updates, or at a dealership.
Ten new driver-assist features will be offered. In addition to Active Drive Assist, the new features include an intersection monitor that detects oncoming traffic when taking a left turn, an updated automatic parking function that can guide the vehicle out of a parking space, adaptive cruise control, lane centering, evasive steering assist, post-collision braking, and reverse automatic braking. Every F-150 will come with Ford’s suite of active safety features, called Co-Pilot 360, which will include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, auto-dimming high beams, automatic headlights, and a rearview camera that can help guide the driver to line up the trailer hitch. F-150 XLT models and above will add blind-spot monitors with cross-traffic alerts that also cover a trailer, active lane control, lane-departure warnings, rear parking sensors, reverse automatic braking, and the post-collision braking.
2021 Ford F-150
2021 Ford F-150
2021 Ford F-150
Inside, the F-150 will have improved materials and a more user-friendly design. A new work surface feature includes a shifter that folds forward and a tray that folds over to turn the center console into a large, flat work area that can hold a 15-inch laptop, according to Ford. A new dual glove box and a lockable rear underseat bin that can fold flat when not in use provide additional storage capacity. New lay-flat driver and passenger seats recline nearly 180 degrees and will be optional on Platinum, King Ranch, and Limited trims. As a fun Easter egg, XLT Sport models will have a map of Detroit on their door panels, and all models will have American flags on either side of the instrument cluster housing. We’ll see if other Easter eggs make their way into the truck.
2021 Ford F-150
2021 Ford F-150
2021 Ford F-150
In all models, the center screens get larger. An 8.0-inch touchscreen replaces a 4.2-inch screen on XL and XLT models, while higher-line models get a new 12.0-inch touchscreen in a landscape layout. Both screens are powered by Sync 4, the next generation of Ford’s infotainment system with twice the processing power of Sync 3, natural language voice recognition, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. A new 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster will change its layout in different drive modes.
Sound systems will include a new eight-speaker B&O in XLT and higher models. A new 18-speaker B&O system will be available for Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum models, and be standard on Limited.
2021 Ford F-150
Ford updated the bed for more functionality as well. A new onboard generator will be available in power capacities of 2.0 kw, 2.4 kw, or 7.2 kw. Only hybrid models will offer the 7.2-kw generator. The generator can power multiple electric tools at once, and users will be able to plug into the cabin and four 120-volt, 20-watt outlets in the bed. The hybrid will also offer a 240-volt, 30-watt outlet in the bed.
A new tailgate work surface can put those tools to work. The tailgate includes an integrated ruler, clamp pockets, a pencil holder, a device holder, and a cupholder.
2021 Ford F-150
The truck’s bed lighting also now covers the tailgate, and cleats added to the sides of the tailgate give owners more options to tie down items in the bed. Also newly available are extended-length power running boards that provide better access to the bed. They automatically deploy when the driver approaches with the key in their pocket, and can be activated by kick switches.
Ford will help improve towing with a trailer backup guidance system borrowed from the F-Series Super Duty. It will team with Trailer Backup Assist. These systems will use seven of the truck’s eight cameras to help drivers line up trailers and can advise drivers on which way to turn the wheel.
2021 Ford F-150
What’s not new is just as important as what is new. The new 2021 F-150 uses the same fully boxed high-strength steel frame as the outgoing truck. Three bed lengths and three cab styles (regular, extended and four-door SuperCrew) return. The only new powertrain is the hybrid, while the five other engines carry over, as does the 10-speed automatic transmission. The base engine, a 3.3-liter V-6, now gets the 10-speed instead of a 6-speed. Ford has yet to provide performance figures but says it aims for class-leading horsepower, torque, towing, and payload.
While the body has a tweaked look, it continues as aluminum and it’s not appreciably larger than the current truck. The new look includes taller front fenders, C-shaped headlights, larger tire diameters that wrap around 17- to 22-inch wheels, and LED taillights that mimic the headlights. Three types of headlights will be offered: halogen reflectors, LED reflectors, and LED projectors with adaptive lighting that points into turns.
2021 Ford F-150
All of the body panels are new, but the truck’s traditional design cues remain the same. The beltline has the same stepped look as the current truck, and the round wheel arches return. However, the wheels are pulled outward 3/4 of an inch. Ford will offer 11 different grilles based on model and package, and they will all have active grille shutters that close on the highway for better fuel economy. The F-150 will also add an active front airdam that deploys at 40 mph, retracts 3/4 inch at slower speeds, and retracts farther for off-roading. Ford says the 2021 F-150 is 3% more aerodynamic.
The 2021 Ford F-150 pickup goes on sale this fall. Performance stats, prices, and complete equipment will be available closer to launch.
