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Ford Authority

Here’s Why The Ford E-Series Skipped The 2020 Model Year

The Ford E-Series, formerly known as the Econoline, has been in continuous production for almost six decades. But now, there’s one model year missing, as the E-Series skipped the 2020 model year, without skipping production time.

FoMoCo representatives tell Ford Authority that skipping a model year was done in an effort to boost the residual values of existing vehicles. In theory, skipping a model year would allow the new model year – in this case the 2021 Ford E-Series – to remain current and more valuable, for a longer period of time.

That said, skipping a model year without skipping an actual year of production may not actually achieve the goal of improving residual values. As Ford Authority exclusively reported in April, Ford took the same approach with its F-650 and F-750 Medium Duty Trucks.

Nevertheless, the 2019 Ford E-Series went into production at the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant in January, 2020. The model received a few significant updates for the 2021 model year, the most noteworthy of which was the introduction of The Blue Oval’s 7.3L Godzilla V8 to replace the outgoing 6.8L EFI Triton V10 engine and 6.2L SFI V8 FFV engine.

The Godzilla is available in two different tunes – Premium and Economy. The Premium tune replaces the 6.8L V10 motor and makes 350 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the Economy tune replaces the 6.2L V8 and brings 300 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are paired with the Ford TorqShift HD six-speed automatic transmission.

These days, the Ford E-Series is available exclusively as a cutaway, as the Ford Transit took over van duty in the Ford commercial portfolio. The lineup is comprised of the E-350 single-rear-wheel, E-350 dual-rear-wheel, as well as the E-450 dual-rear-wheel model, all available in several wheelbases and GVWRs.

The Ford E-Series had a strong finish to 2019, with almost 13,000 units sold in Q4. The first quarter of 2020 saw sales slide of 6 percent due to COVID-19, which is a strong performance considering the situation.

We’ll have more about the Ford E-Series and Ford Commercial business soon, so be sure to subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford E-Series news and ongoing Ford news coverage.

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Comments

  1. Ford, I sure hope you keep this in production for quite some time. Gives customers choice between this and the Transit vans.

    Reply
  2. The Transit might be faster and safer than the E-Series, but the build quality is subpar compared to its predecessor. The Transit is known for having many quality related issues related to paint and rust, the transmission, and the drivetrain. The van can also dent easily and I have noticed several of them on the road with a broken fuel door as well.

    With that said, Ford needs to step up on the quality of this van or just redesign the E-Series and offer similar variants (sizes) to what the Transit has now.

    Reply
  3. I purchased a 2015 Ford E350 Commercial Vehicle in 2016 and only have 34,000 miles of very conservative driving with virtually no weight on it and have had to put substantial repairs into it with respect to suspension. I did not have a reputable dealer for service and paid for a worthless premium warranty and not only do I feel I have been hung out to dry, I am concerned that the recent $193. diagnostic I paid for is inaccurate from the dealer making me uncertain regarding what I need to spend to keep it. I have maintained it exceptionally well even without Fords help but come on, I paid $53k for it. Please help.

    Reply
  4. I’ve been buying & driving these E350 cutaways for 20 years now , I thought they were gone forever,
    Do they offer a power stroke option?
    My local dealership couldn’t answer me

    Reply
  5. Own 2 e450 cutaway
    Trucks have power and box holds all our tools and parts
    Seems run great no major issues

    Then there’s the seal between the cab and box
    It squeeks so loud you can’t tall in the truck and leaks so bad it soaks you and the seats
    Replaced it’s times now and it’s doing it again for as new as these are this is unacceptable

    Reply

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