By SEMA Editors
 The new F-150 will be rated to tow at least 12,000 lbs. via a 3.5L PowerBoost V6 and electric motor combo. There are 11 different grill options available across the lineup. |
Late last week, Ford revealed a new F-150, signaling that the enthusiast aftermarket will have new raw material to work with when the latest F-150 hits showrooms this fall. The new F-150 design includes a number of new features and qualities aimed at enhancing both commercial work and personal use.
Based on a fully boxed high-strength steel frame with a high-strength aluminum alloy body, the exterior is redesigned with an updated headlamp design, new power dome hood and wrap-around bumpers. Higher front fenders, a tucked-in midsection and larger-diameter tires pulled out three-quarters of an inch create a broader stance.
There are 11 grille options available across the series lineup. Functional upgrades include available LED headlamps and taillamps, and available full-length extended power running boards with a kick switch that provide better truck-side cargo box accessibility.
The most aerodynamic F-150 ever, the pickup features new active grille shutters, a new automatically deploying active air dam, and new cab and tailgate geometry, all working together to reduce drag and improve fuel consumption.
 The interior is completely redesigned with advanced materials, a wide array of optional features and new color choices. |
Redesigned Interior
The interior is completely redesigned with enhanced materials, new color choices and more storage, plus new features, such as more soil-resistant two-tone seats for XL or the new standard dual glovebox.
F-150 introduced an all-new 12-in. center screen—standard on XLT high series and above—that allows customers to split the screen and control multiple functions simultaneously, including navigation, music or truck features. An 8-in. touch screen, standard on XL and XLT standard and mid-series trucks, means every customer gets touch-screen functionality and better rearview camera vision. Both screens feature access to the new digital owner’s manual.
An available new 12-in. digital gauge cluster features a large information-on-demand area, along with truck-specific graphics and animations that respond to the all-new F-150’s selectable drive modes and can display off-roading data and turn-by-turn navigation.
As a mobile office, the F-150’s new optional Interior Work Surface is designed for signing documents, working on a 15-in. laptop or eating a meal when parked. It is available in both bench and captain’s chair seating configurations on XL to Limited. Knowing many customers prefer a console shifter, Ford has created a stowable unit for F-150, which easily folds into the center console with the push of a button and allows full access to the large work surface when in park.
Max Recline Seats available on King Ranch, Platinum and Limited models fold flat to nearly 180 degrees, with the bottom cushion rising to meet the back cushion and the upper back support rotating forward up to 10 degrees for maximum comfort.
Available lockable, fold-flat rear storage adds a vault to the F-150 that extends the width of the rear seats. Every all-new F-150 comes standard with new cleats mounted to the sides of the tailgate to act as tie-down locations for extra-long items in the bed. New clamp pockets are built in to the tailgate of every truck, so customers can hold materials down for precision work. An available flat Tailgate Work Surface also includes integrated rulers, a mobile device holder, cupholder and pencil holder.
The all-new F-150 will offer available Trailer Reverse Guidance and Pro Trailer Backup Assist. Trailer Reverse Guidance, made popular on Super Duty, uses the truck’s high-resolution cameras to provide multiple views along with helpful graphics that tell drivers which way to turn the steering wheel while backing up. Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which makes backing up a trailer as easy as turning a dial, continues on F-150.
The new eight-speaker B&O Sound System by Bang & Olufsen is available starting on F-150 XLT, while the optional 18-speaker B&O Unleashed system with speakers in the headliner and front headrests is available on F-150 Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum, and standard on Limited.
 The new F-150 will offer an optional feature to export power through power plugs, accessible in the bed and the cabin. |
Hybrid Powertrain Option
The all-new 3.5L PowerBoost full hybrid V6 powertrain is targeted to deliver the most torque and horsepower of any light-duty full-size pickup, according to Ford. Available on every trim level from F-150 XL to Limited, the PowerBoost system adds instant electric torque to Ford’s 3.5L EcoBoost V6. It is targeting an EPA-estimated range of approximately 700 miles on a single tank of gas and will deliver at least 12,000 lbs. of available maximum towing. Final EPA-estimated mileage numbers will be available later this year.
PowerBoost combines Ford’s EcoBoost engine and 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with a 35-kilowatt (47 hp) electric motor integrated into the transmission, as well as software calibrated specially for truck use, including drive modes, such as tow/haul to help customers better manage towing heavy trailers.
The electric motor applies regenerative braking energy capture to help recharge the 1.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The battery is efficiently packaged underneath the truck, leaving the cab and cargo box of PowerBoost F-150 as spacious for passengers and cargo as other comparably equipped F-150 models. The system is capable of sustained battery usage at extreme outside temperatures or under heavy loads.
For worksite use, the Pro Power Onboard option brings generator levels of exportable power to work sites, camp sites and everyday life. Pro Power Onboard is available with a 2.0-kilowatt output on optional gas engines, while PowerBoost-equipped F-150 comes standard with 2.4 kilowatts of output or an optional 7.2 kilowatts of output. Power is accessible through in-cabin outlets and up to four cargo bed-mounted 120-volt 20-amp outlets, with a 240-volt 30-amp outlet on the 7.2-kilowatt version. The system also provides power on the move to charge tool batteries in between jobs.
Safety and Convenience
The all-new F-150 will include standard over-the-air updates. These updates are bumper-to-bumper, and can include all-new functions and additional features throughout the life of the truck. They can support preventative maintenance, reduce repair trips, provide improved performance and ultimately result in more vehicle up-time.
Ford offers complimentary technology, including 911 Assist, which automatically alerts emergency responders in the event of an accident, and FordPass, a mobile device app that allows Ford drivers to start or unlock their vehicle from a distance, as well as control new truck-focused features, such as Zone Lighting, Trailer Theft Alert, Trailer Light Check and Pro Power Onboard.
Driver-Assist Technologies
All-new F-150 offers the latest driver-assist features as part of Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0. More features are now standard on XL, including Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection, to help avoid a possible collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian, rearview camera with dynamic hitch assist, auto high-beam headlamps and auto on/off headlamps.
F-150 also adds 10 new driver-assist features, including Active Drive Assist, which allows for hands-free driving on more than 100,000 miles of divided highways in all 50 states and Canada. Its advanced driver-facing camera tracks head position and driver eye gaze to enable hands-free driving when available. It allows owners on certain sections of pre-mapped, divided highways to drive with their hands off the steering wheel—if they continue to pay attention to the road ahead—granting them an additional level of comfort during long drives. The Active Drive Assist prep kit contains the hardware required for this feature, while the software to enable functionality, expected in the third quarter of the 2021 calendar year, will be delivered by over-the-air update or dealer visit. Separate payment will be required to activate full functionality at that time.
Other new available features include Intersection Assist, which detects oncoming traffic while the driver is attempting a left turn. If there is risk of a collision with an oncoming vehicle, F-150 will apply the brakes to mitigate or avoid it. The available Active Park Assist 2.0 handles all steering, shifting, braking and accelerator controls during a parallel or perpendicular parking maneuver while the driver holds down a button.
Every F-150 is assembled at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri.