Electric vehicles are the wave of the future, and many consumers are finding ways to include the new technology in their lives in many different ways. Partial electrification sales, in the form of hybrids and plug-in hybrids, are surging at an amazing rate. More and more people are finding the combination of both gasoline and electric power to be a win-win. That said, the hybrid take on America’s best-selling vehicle – full-size pickup trucks – remains relatively low. However, recent changes to the F-150 hybrid may bring about a welcome change. Green Car Reports reviews the updated F-150 Hybrid, and Benna Ford tells you what they found.
Smoothing Things Out
With a name like Green Car Reports, you expect them to be pretty favorable to a hybrid pickup truck, but they actually had a few issues with the F-150 Hybrid when it first launched in 2021. As it does now, the 2021 model featured a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 combined with a 35-kW (47-hp) electric motor located between the engine and 10-speed transmission. Power is plentiful, with total system power of 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque.
While the electric motor did a fine job of filling in on acceleration while the turbocharger spooled up, the transition between motor and engine on the 2021-2023 models could cause a shuddering in the drivetrain, particularly between the 1-2 and 2-3 gear changes.
New powertrain software smoothed out the roughness for the 2024 model year. It also simplified the system by eliminating a second starter integrated into the accessory belt drive. Green Car Reports found the fix to be effective, with barely noticeable motor-to-engine transitions.
More Power, Better Efficiency
Most everything else remains the same. The fact that the hybrid system was paired to the 3.5-liter rather than 2.7-liter engine tells you Ford was less interested in achieving the lowest viable fuel economy and more interested in providing more power without a fuel mileage penalty. On that, they succeeded. With standard 4×4, the F-150 hybrid has an EPA city/highway rating of 22 / 24, beating the 2.7-liter powered 4×4 truck significantly over its 18 city rating and slightly over its 23 highway rating even as it delivers 105 more horsepower and 170 more lb-ft of torque. The 5.0-liter V8, which still doesn’t match the hybrid’s power figures, is rated at 16 in the city and 24 on the highway in 4×4 form.
Green Car Reports found that when loaded with four adults and their fishing gear, the truck achieved its EPA-estimated figure, or precisely 24.4 mpg throughout 686 miles of primarily highway driving when keeping it at 65 mpg. At 70 mph, the figure dropped to 20.4 mpg, so speed matters.
Helpful Tech
Outside the drivetrain, they praised the 12.0-inch touchscreen interface, which they described as “one of the best.” They specifically called out its ability to split screen and show two separate apps even when using the wireless Apple CarPlay. In addition, the hybrid’s 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery, which powered the available 7.2 kW external power system, proved useful in powering devices at their fishing location.
Hybrids are improving the performance and efficiency of all vehicle categories now, and those advantages apply just as well to the Ford F-150. Visit Benna Ford and check out how the Ford F-150 can add power and efficiency to your daily life.
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