Since its launch several years ago, the Ford F-150 hybrid, which utilizes the first-ever Ford PowerBoost engine, has generated headlines when owners have used its capability to rescue weddings, concerts, and other events. Additionally, the company has told dealers in areas impacted by adverse weather events to loan out F-150 hybrid pickups with Pro Power Onboard when needed. The technology has also been recognized for its relative novelty in the industry. However, it seems the hybrid’s popularity took the company by surprise, as Ford CEO Jim Farley indicated as much during the Q2 2023 earnings call that took place last month.
“So I would say a couple of years ago we decided to continue our hybrid investment in our heavier vehicles. And those hybrid systems are quite different, let’s say, to Toyota and the Japanese OEMs. And we have been surprised, frankly, at the popularity of hybrid systems for F-150. It’s now more than 10% mix for us and it’s increasing. And what we’ve learned is that we have to tie, what the customer really likes is when we take a hybrid system that’s more efficient for certain duty cycles, and then we add new capabilities because of the batteries like Pro Power on board, we’re seeing a lot of customers find that combination of using the batteries for something beyond just moving the vehicle,” said Farley.
As Ford Authority previously detailed, the Ford F-150 hybrid isn’t the first vehicle or powertrain that the company has underestimated. It also didn’t expect the Ford F-150 Lightning to become so popular, and is currently ramping up production of the electric pickup to compensate. Additionally, the Ford Maverick team did not expect the hybrid powertrain to be so popular. The automaker has been unable to meet hybrid Maverick demand and made the non-hybrid 2.0L EcoBoost the standard powerplant for 2024.
While the company is making a broad pivot to fully electric vehicles, it remains committed to hybrid vehicles. Currently, aims to quadruple sales of hybrid vehicles over the next five years. A new hybrid variant is expected to join the 2024 Ford F-150 lineup, which will debut at the 2023 Detroit Auto Show in September.
We’ll have more on the F-150 soon, so subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-150 news, and for comprehensive Ford news updates.
A tiny car with a unique history.
Sort of a precursor to the Maverick.
The most expensive bundle is over $5k.
AI really likes to make everything into EVs.
View Comments
The Lightning is not popular, 200K is reservations are all gone.
So, Ford doesn't fundamentally understand it's customers. Wonderful.
The PowerBoost hybrid is very practical and helps customers do things that an straight ICE vehicle can't do, while having the go-anywhere-at-anytime convenience of an ICE.
This SHOULD NOT be a surprise. When hybrid trucks got rolled out some 20 years ago, they were immediately put to use in construction as giant portable generators for power tools and equipment. Whoever at Ford did not see the "dual use" convenience of hybrids likely had their head buried in the EV sand.
Maybe they too can get Dylan Mulvaney to promote their F series trucks.
Never happen that's for Toyota to embrace.
You're literally complaining about Ford being innovative in this department. Did GM or Mopar or Yotota come up with PowerBoost?
I'm complaining that the answer has been staring Ford in the face and they couldn't see it. Again.
Sorry David. Your criticism lacks logic. Ford saw a market need long before any of its competitors, then developed/built an appropriate product. As with any new subsegment, there is ALWAYS some uncertainty about demand. So David, you are really criticizing Ford for not accurately forecasting demand for a new sub-segment. Monday morning quarterbacking is easy and cheap.
Exactly 💯 I agree 100%. Lots of trolling on here unnecessary. It's a annoying.
"took the company by surprise, as Ford CEO Jim Farley indicated" means Ford didn't do their due diligence in understanding what customers want. Nobody gets it 100% right, but you should never be taken by surprise in rolling out a product that you've been working on for over 100 years.
Have a comfortably 1/2 ton 30amp towable RV? Powerboost F-150 is the best truck to tow it. Why?
• Plug the trailer into the truck when boondocking.
• Run the A/C off the truck battery; V6 runs 4x an hour for 90sec.
• Quietest generator in the campground, by a lot.
• Tows GREAT like an F-150, but also has towing mojo like trailer routing, pro trailer backup which are fantastic for new RV owners.
Market this truck to small RV trailer owners, add add full 7.2kw or more as 50amp to the SuperDuty.
Market this to house/condo owners along with a Ford branded transfer switch (that works with what the truck generator needs) for emergency backup power for those that don't need it often (e.g. TX, CA). Electrician should install.
Ridiculously good truck.
Hybrid is the future!
Ford makes the best hybrids since 2005 with the Escape Hybrid, later with others such as the Fusion Hybrid which won Motor Trend's COTY. Their hybrids are superior to Toyotas and the few GM made, except for the Chevy Volt which is an EREV. I have a 2014 Fusion Hybrid and after 9 years it is my best sedan ever. But Ford errored in cancelling the North American version while the Asían and European markets have the Mondeo which is still in production.
Bring back the Fusion/ Mondeo hybrids to America!
They are soon bringing many next Gen hybrids to markets not just EVs.
Waiting for the F150 plug-in hybrid. It truly seems that companies don't try to satisfy the customers anymore, but instead the critics.
Agreed. Powerboost is a great powertrain, and the only things that it really needs is 1) to be on the coyote, and 2) to be plug in hybrid.
A PHEV Powerboost would leverage existing infrastructure and deliver a lot of electric only driving for a lot of buyers. As long as they didn't get stupid with pricing, they'd have a real hit on their hands.
Hybris it the future not electric!
You have the gas and battery working along side without putting much strain on either end. If the goal of these politicians is to help the environment the Hybrid does just that and with less strain on the grid and without the need of creating mass battery recycling or disposal.
I'm going let all you EV owners in on something. Your EV is going to be worth it's weigh in scrap when Hydrogen becomes more likely, which it is. More auto makers are turning to Hydrogen as it's alternative fuel source. EV's will be ancient history (thank God) sooner than you think. I know the facts screw with your emotions, but get over it. Hail Hydro!!! Oh, FYI....Toyota created a Hydro that went over 800 miles on one tank.
Investment not paying off, huh? Sorry, you'll have to do better than trying to change public opinion, one obscure comment board at a time.
H2 has this nasty habit of randomly fatiguing metal. Coat the H2 tank and a piece of the coating peels off, you have an explosive vector that will fail unpredictably at some point. Random filling station fires, pipeline blowouts and vehicle fires are obviously not a good thing.
Precisely! 💯
Everyone has toyed w/ hydrogen technology. It's not practical. You want to be the maker of 1st one that goes BOMB!?
Now imagine how popular a Ranger Hybrid would be! Use the Explorer Hybrid's setup.
( and offer the 7MT with 4WD 2.3L Ranger whydonchya?!)
I own a 2022 F150 PowerBoost Hybrid. As a roofing contractor it’s great to have job site level power. As a home owner it’s great to be able to pay an electrician $700 to install a power inlet and a power shut off switch from the grid to simply plug my F150 into my house to power the house during grid tied power outages.
As for the Hybrid Technology increasing the MPG with electric assisted propulsion that is a big NO… No improvement. I’d say it actually gets 1mpg less than the Average MPG or each of the last 3 F150s I’ve owned with the 2.7L EcoBoost mated to the 10 Speeds Auto…
The improvement I’d like to see is a doubling of the battery pack size to actually have enough battery to increase the average MPG by 10mpgs. Right now my PowerBoost Averages 13.4mpg for the current tank of fuel and 14.2 for the life of my truck which has 14,891miles on it…
What about a traditional hybrid where the engine drives the battery or direct to the electric drive train? Not very familiar with the power assist setup… Battery size is a big issue responsible for substantial weight gain which requires a heavier drive train. In other words, it’s a big circle.
Battery engineer told me the Lighting’s battery pack weighs ~ 820 kg / 1,800 lbs.
One of few options for vehicle manufacturers to extend range is smaller vehicles with proportionally larger batteries.
You're also comparing a 2.7 to a 3.5, I'm not surprised you'd get similar fuel economy.
I don't think it needs a bigger battery, it needs a larger electric motor. The ideal.situatiom really would be to utilize full electric motor power, and have a small ice engine to be used as a generator to charge a modestly sized battery.