2021 F150 hybrid first drive: In-box electrical
2021 F150 hybrid first drive: This is the year of unbelievable new trucks. The Ram TRX Super Truck, GMC has an electric Hummer, and Ford has the F150 PowerBoost Hybrid that can power your house or RV at idle. We all know electric trucks are coming. In a couple years, there could be 5 or more electric truck brands on the market. Ford decided to introduce electricity in trucks first with a hybrid. The 2021 F150 hybrid Ford sent me was a loaded Limited model MSRP of $79.000. That’s the high end, you can get one in a entry level work truck. This truck can power my house (our backup generator is 7000 watt) or my RV toy hauler (3600 watt generator.) Though Ford revised their owners manual to not use the truck for your house or RV. But that doesn’t mean not to run your small welder, power saw, electric chain saw, drill press etc. Ford actually claims the F150 PowerBoost full hybrid can run 28 refrigerators.
Of course more power, with 430 horsepower and 570 lb.-ft. of torque. More torque than a new F150 Raptor. In 2-wheel drive the F150 can tow a 12,000 lbs. trailer. The loaded Limited crew cab 4×4 I reviewed was rated to tow 11,000 lb. trailer with 1305 lbs. of payload. The rear locker axle was a 3.73. This F150 handled like a loaded F250 which is good. it’s a heavy truck at 6340 lbs. The electric hybrid lithium-ion battery is 1.5 kilowatt hour. The 33 kilowatt hour, 47 horse power electric motor goes between the 10-speed transmission and V-6 turbo. So combine the electric motor and turbo-charged V-6 and you’ve got power and speed and fuel mileage like no other truck.
This truck has a long list of specs. 30.6 gallon fuel tank. In the bed, 1-240 volt, 30 amp outlet, putting out 7200 watts. Also 4-120 volt 20amp outlets. On the giant screens in the dash beyond the large digital gauges, you can see how much electrical power the truck is generating. What I’m most impressed about the new hybrid is fuel mileage. Of course it has all the features like stop-start and an automatic front bumper air dam. But the EPA mpg rating is 24 combined and 24 highway. And I got better than that. Think about getting 24 mpg driving in the city.
The interior is amazing too. Seats look like they are out of a Lincoln. Cross stitched and more adjustments than I’ve ever seen. Even the head rest has a speaker inside. Twelve inch center stack screen with more options than a jet liner. Both front seats fold flat for camping and the center shifter folds into the center console which flips over into a table. That’s where I eat McDonalds sense I can’t go inside. Five outlets in the bed and a couple more in the cab. This would be the ideal tailgate party truck. Run the big screen, microwave oven, refrigerator and laptop all on the tailgate. The tailgate powers up and down, with rulers, notepad holder, bottle openers and clamp holes. Even a back up beeper to warn your trailer you’re hooking up. With all those goodies, my favorite option is the massaging seat.
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