The information comes courtesy of NPR radio which had Ford CEO Mark Fields on air
The existence of companies like Bob Lutz’s Via Motors proves there’s a definite commercial need for hybridized trucks or commercial vehicles, and now automakers want to cash in on this currently lightly exploited niche. Ford recently announced it too was planning to release one, setting a deadline for no later than 2020.
The information comes courtesy of NPR radio which had Ford CEO Mark Fields on air talking about the hybrid truck idea. Fields confirmed they are “working on an electrified F-series” but didn’t go crazy on the details.
The Ford boss is quoted in the transcript as saying they “do have plans to have a rear-wheel drive hybrid truck,” even if the market share for such vehicles is still minute compared to more mainstream options. Fields explains that the number of electric or electrified vehicles in the US adds up to around 60 models, that in turn equating to 2.5 percent of the entire market.
So basically they are definitely going to make it, it may appeal to fleet customers more and we’ll have to wait around three years before we get to see it. It will come under serious fire when it does arrive from very talented diesel-powered trucks which are always growing in popularity thanks to talented models like the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel or the Cummins-powered Nissan Titan XD.
Note: 2016 Ford Ranger pickup pictured