Even though it’s investing heavily in all-electric vehicles, Ford remains dedicated to hybrids as well, which the automaker believes will continue to be strong sellers for years to come. However, CEO Jim Farley still previously admitted that he was a bit surprised at just how popular the Ford F-150 PowerBoost hybrid became when it launched for the 2021 model year, at least part of which is driven by its incredibly useful Pro Power Onboard feature. That’s precisely why the automaker decided to make the twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 PowerBoost cheaper and easier to obtain in conjunction with the 2024 Ford F-150 refresh, too.
As FoMoCo pointed out, the 2023 Ford F-150 was the best-selling full-hybrid pickup in the U.S. through the first half of 2023, and sales of that particular model were also up 28.1 percent over that same time span – with the hybrid accounting for 10 percent of all F-150 pickups sold. However, Ford is aiming to double that mix in the 2024 model year, and make the PowerBoost one of the best-selling hybrids of any kind in the U.S., too.
To accomplish that goal, 2024 Ford F-150 customers will find that opting for the PowerBoost powertrain – which is now available on the XLT through Platinum Plus – over the standard twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 EcoBoost costs precisely the same. This means that customers can get a more powerful and efficient powertrain in their new pickup for the same price, along with 2.4kW of Pro Power Onboard as standard, while the more powerful 7.2kW capacity can be added as an option.
“We’re making hybrid more accessible to our customers, giving them the power of choice by offering it as the same price as the 3.5L EcoBoost,” said Andrew Frick, vice president, Sales and Trucks, Ford Blue. “This is the latest example of Ford democratizing technology for all truck customers. We did it with EcoBoost engines and with high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy bodies for greater capability, and now we’re doing it with PowerBoost Hybrid.”
We’ll have more on the 2024 Ford F-150 soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, and comprehensive Ford news coverage.
Comments
The PowerBoost hybrid will be successful because it gives consumers capabilities that they wouldn’t otherwise have with a straight-up ICE, and it doesn’t require infrastructure upgrades to operate. It is the no-brainer solution Ford should have thought of first.
I test drove a powerboost and came away impressed. That said, it would be even better with the coyote V8, and it would be even better with a PHEV and a little more powerful motor. If you could drive it up to 80mph in all electric mode for 20 miles or so, I could cut a huge portion of my gas use out.
Maybe don’t drive 80mph if you’re wanting economy
Like all the recent automotive news articles are saying…EVs have failed, Americans simply aren’t buying them. We will keep boycotting EVs with other Americans. #BudLightEVs
Electric vehicles are expensive. The average price of an electric vehicle is about $18,000 more than the average price of a gas vehicle, and profits have been elusive even at that price point. Plus they are very expensive to repair. There is a recent example from a minor accident involving an EV where the repair bill was $42,000. If electric vehicles made significant environmental progress, that would be one thing. But they don’t. Electric vehicles are not “zero” emissions—they create more emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles when they are produced, and they also cause emissions when they are charged, usually by using electricity generated by burning hydrocarbon fuels. Mining for many of the materials needed for an electric vehicle battery is done nearly exclusively overseas and is dominated by China. America’s lone lithium mine is responsible for about 2% of the world’s annual supply. Traditional cars have never been cleaner: Even President Barack Obama’s EPA head noted they are 99% cleaner than they were just a few decades ago. And let me be clear, I am disproving their argument because I can also disprove the climate change hoax. Not only will electric vehicle mandates cost us more at the dealership, but they will also destroy American jobs. By limiting choice and increasing costs, fewer people will buy cars, hurting auto manufacturers and dealers alike. Auto mechanics, masters at prolonging the life of the internal combustion engine, will also be impacted. America’s farmers would be devastated since more than a third of the corn crop ultimately goes to biofuels. And America’s oil and refining workers would face a heavy blow. Before 2021, America was leading the world in oil and fuel production, and we had finally achieved what every president since Richard Nixon dreamed about: energy security. Manufacturing jobs like those found at auto plants and refineries support dozens of other jobs and are the foundation on which an economy can be built. Why destroy those jobs? Jobs are often impacted by technology, and if electric vehicles end up being a consumer’s choice, that is understandable and the price of progress. But if people want to continue buying internal combustion engine vehicles, these workers could continue to serve their neighbors and provide for their families for decades to come. Internal combustion engine vehicles offer superior range, convenience, and durability at an affordable price. The median internal combustion engine vehicle has a range of 403 miles compared with the median electric vehicle at 234 miles. Extreme weather conditions negatively affect EV’s. And using the heater can reduce that range by some 40%. That means more frequent stops for electric vehicles to charge, and they take much longer than filling up at the pump. Raw materials needed for batteries are extracted at a high human and environmental toll. This includes, for example, child labor, health and safety hazards in informal work, poverty and pollution. Second, a recycling challenge looms over the eleven million tonnes of spent lithium-ion batteries forecast to be discarded by 2030, with few systems in place to enable reuse and recycling in a circular economy for batteries. Most manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries takes place in China, South Korea, and Japan, where electricity generation remains dependent on coal and other hydrocarbon fuels. The most brilliant inventors in human history lived 110-140 years ago. We continue to use many of their inventions. They all passed on the EV’s. There are definitely strong reasons to follow their wisdom and judgment.
I don’t see this being the hybrid option is cheaper, it’s that the full ice option is now more expensive.