Back in November 2020, Ford Authority reported that The Blue Oval had no plans to build and sell an all-electric Ford Super Duty pickup, in spite of its massive investment in EVs. This past May, Ford CEO Jim Farley confirmed that fact once again, noting that at this point in time, battery technology simply isn’t quite ready for heavier trucks. In fact, Ford didn’t even bother to develop a hybrid powertrain for the all-new 2023 Super Duty, and is instead focusing its efforts on a pair of pilot programs that involve hydrogen fuel-cell powered versions of those trucks for a pair of utility companies – SoCalGas and Ferguson Enterprises. According to a new report from Automotive News, it’s also now more likely that the Ford Super Duty and its competitors go that route before an all-electric version arrives, too.
While Ford, GM, and Stellantis are pushing all-electric versions of their respective light-duty pickups, their larger, heavy-duty brethren are profit generating machines that won’t be quite as easy to electrify for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that battery technology isn’t quite viable for heavy vehicles that tow heavy loads.
“If you’re pulling 10,000 pounds, an electric truck is not the right solution,” Farley said while speaking with the media at the 2023 Super Duty unveiling in Kentucky. “And 95 percent of our customers tow more than 10,000 pounds. This is a really important segment for our country and it will probably go hydrogen fuel cell before it goes pure electric.” “We haven’t seen a huge clamoring,” Todd Eckert, Ford’s truck group marketing manager, said of heavy-duty truck customers asking for EVs. “It’s about productivity, capability, and efficiency. Right now, gas and diesel really serve those needs.”
While some states – including California and New York – have set sunset dates for the end of new ICE vehicle sales – all have made exceptions for heavy-duty pickups, which has given Ford confidence that it won’t be forced to develop such a product in the near future. Regardless, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of the Super Duty would fulfill the mission of offering a zero-emission or at least lower emission version of the popular pickup until battery technology improves.
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Comments
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Leave the whole EV “revolution” where it belongs—light duty second automobiles. Any real “working” vehicle should just stay ICE until EV technology matures decades from now, and then convert real trucks over to EV. Stop artificially rushing things.
Glad to hear Ford’s involvement in hydro, although infrastructure is a major stumbling block, hydro fuel cell (HFC) is clearly the best long term solution.
It bothers me to have EV vehicles shoved down our throats, almost literally, when the production of a battery creates tremendous emissions, currently. My biggest concern is the future waste of EV production products, sources, and use. Hydrogen is a no brainer. It’s our most abundant renewable resource. EV is a short sighted approach to our environmental goals. When you drink a glass of water, think Hydrogen, and clean Oxygen. It’s just that simple. Infrastructure was produced for Hydrocarbon use. We can certainly produce the infrastructure for Hydrogen use. Our Nation is the best at inventing any technology required, and we can do it in a hurry, and do it well. “Case Closed”
One last thing: With long range commercial goals, and it’s own survival, Ford could be well seated to be at the forefront of Hydrogen use for global emission clean up, and have what people really want in their own lives.
Taking electricity ( hopefully green ) and converting it into hydrogen, compressing ( or liquifying ) it for storage, transporting it to new stations that can handle it, then converting it back to electricity is hugely inefficient, comparing the electricity used and produced, as well as potentially dangerous. Companies like Ford are probably better off concentrating on passenger and end of mile delivery vehicles, then work trucks, until technology catches up.
ABOUT TIME! WE SHOULD BE EMBRACING HYDROGEN TECH FOR ALL VEHICLE NOT THIS ELECTRIC CRAP
I agree with so many comments re EV for Super Duty trucks. Let me simply say that I don’t want nor will I buy an electric SD truck. Ford needs to keep up to speed on diesel and gas trucks. Period.
I am an oil Jobber in Florida and looking at putting in a retail hydrogen filling station.
Dose Ford have a timeline on when we could get our hands on something like this???