As the world goes green, Ford continues to impress with fuel economy efforts in the F-150 lineup.
Since 1977, the Ford F-Series has been the best-selling pickup truck worldwide. It’s easy to see why, too. The F-150 and other trucks in the lineup have a phenomenal blend of everything you could want in a pickup truck.
Modern technology and comfortable interiors combine with impressive cargo and towing abilities in a vehicle that can be used for travels up to mountain trails or trips to the grocery store with equal ease.
One thing the F-150 and pickup trucks, in general, were not initially known for, though, is fuel economy. With carbureted and even big-block V8s of the past and large displacement engines throughout the years, pulling off double-digit mpgs was an impressive feat.
Those days, though, are long gone. With advancements in technology spanning from tip to tail on these trucks, fuel economy ratings have reached heights we could only dream of with a full-size pickup truck just years ago.
However, with increased engine efficiency, modern transmissions, lightweight building materials, and Ecoboost and Hybrid technology, what seemed like a pipedream a mere decade ago is our current reality.
Benefits of Lightweight Materials
One major factor that saw an increase in fuel economy was Ford’s switch to using military-grade aluminum for the bodies of the F-150 in the year 2015. While this move did cause some backlash in the truck community and cost Ford a good amount of money, you can’t argue with the results. Switching to aluminum shaved 750 pounds off the overall weight of the truck.
While some concerns were raised regarding the rigidity and structure of aluminum, the frames of the F-150 remain high-strength steel. Switching to aluminum did not alter the towing or cargo capacity of the F-150.
While 750 pounds may not seem like a massive number in the grand scheme of things, tearing off that much weight is a substantial reduction that equates to a significant reduction in rolling resistance.
Cutting weight from the truck alone will not make a huge shift in mpgs, but The Department of Energy estimates that reducing a vehicle’s weight by ten percent will net an increase of six to eight percent in fuel economy. Every bit counts! However, Ford certainly did not stop at weight reduction in search for leaps in fuel economy numbers.
Ten Speed Efficiency
Another significant change in the F-150 came with the model year 2017 in the form of the 10-speed automatic transmission. Initially developed for rear-wheel-drive applications in a joint project by GM and Ford, the ten-speed auto also gained a four-wheel-drive sister transmission.
That means, as of now, you can get either a two-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive F-150 with this transmission.
Car and Driver reports that the switch to the ten-speed transmission in 2017 caused an increase in fuel efficiency of one mile per gallon. Again, while that may seem like a minuscule increase, any sort of increase in mpg for a full-size pickup truck is a win.
That being said, the ten-speed transmission is not the ultimate factor in the upward climb of fuel economy in the modern F-150 lineup. That success is chalked up to the other part of the powertrain. We’re talking about modern efficiency in modern engines.
A Multitude of Engine Options
This is where the rubber really meets the road in terms of fuel economy gains in the F-150 lineup. Since the debut of the thirteenth generation of the F series of trucks in 2015, the F-150 has been available with a twin-turbocharged Ecoboost V6.
While some purists criticized the use of anything but a V8, it’s hard to argue with the power output and capabilities of the Ecoboost engines. They say there’s no replacement for displacement, but a couple of whistling turbochargers beg to differ. There’s a multitude of engine options available for the 2021 model year.
For comparison’s sake, we’ll reference the two-wheel-drive variant of each. Do keep in mind that the four-wheel-drive versions generally see about one mpg less as estimated by the EPA.
The least efficient engine offering, unsurprisingly, is the 5.0-liter V8. However, you may be slightly surprised by the EPA ratings despite this fact. With direct injection and a ten-speed transmission, the 2021 F-150 has an EPA combined fuel economy rating of 20 mpg.
Considering its power output of 400 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque, this is a surprising number. One major factor in the fuel economy, though, is the 5.0L V8’s ability to deactivate cylinders when full power is not needed.
The least inspiring of the engine options is the non-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6. With a power output rating of 290 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. of torque, it’s hardly worth trying to justify its identical EPA rating to the V8 at a combined 20 mpg.
We don’t anticipate seeing many of these on the roads, considering the far more inspiring engine options available.
The 5.0L V8 and 3.3 V6 are the end of the line for naturally aspirated engine options.
Turbochargers & Technical Marvels
First in the lineup of Ecoboost engines is the 2.7-liter V6. With 325 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, it is certainly no slouch. It utilizes a similar multi-injector setup that the 5.0L V8 uses, in which each cylinder has two fuel injectors to maximize efficiency.
Though it comes up a little short on power compared to the V8 and its other Ecoboost counterparts, it does manage an impressive EPA estimated 21 mpg combined.
Next in the lineup is a departure from gasoline entirely. The 3.0-liter Powerstroke Diesel V6 doesn’t have the most show-stopping power figures. It has the least horsepower output of the whole 2021 engine lineup at 250.
However, it does output 440 lb.-ft. of torque at a remarkably low 1,250 revolutions per minute. A glance at the lineup of Ford Super Duty trucks should tell you all you need to know about the capabilities of Powerstroke diesel engines, and this one is no exception! This mighty little brute in an F-150 has a towing capacity of 12,100 pounds, and an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 24 mpg combined.
The 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 is next in line. Like its 2.7-liter younger brother, it utilizes two turbochargers to find a perfect harmony of power and efficiency. However, the 3.5L has a handful more grunt than the 2.7.
In fact, it has the same 400-horsepower output that the roaring 5.0L V8 has. It beats out the V8 in torque, though, with a remarkable 500 lb.-ft. This engine won Ford the best-in-class towing award with an excellent rating of 14,000 pounds. The slight downside to the 3.5L V6 is its shared fuel economy rating with the 5.0L V8 at 20 mpg combined.
Although the V6 is a tiny bit more potent in the torque field, it’s easy to see why people would go with the V8 instead. An F-150 with a V8 is as classic as a slice of apple pie at a baseball game.
The Hybrid Revolution
Up to this point, we’ve discussed the naturally aspirated and Ecoboost engine options of the 2021 F-150 lineup. However, there is one engine that dominates them all in terms of power and fuel efficiency. This is the epitome of technology meeting the classic pickup truck.
The 3.5-liter Powerboost V6 is Ford’s full hybrid offering for the 2021 F-150. While the word Hybrid may elicit thoughts of the Toyota Prius, this engine is playing in a completely different ballpark.
Instead of using the electric side of things for keeping the engine efficiency, it harnesses the instant power of an electric motor to maximize the output. This hybrid monster makes an astonishing 430 horsepower and a mind-altering 570 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful option available in the 2021 F-150.
It has a maximum towing capacity of 12,700 pounds and even brings features like regenerative braking and an onboard generator with six outlets in the truck’s bed. The Powerboost revolution is insane, and of course, it beats out other F-150s in our main topic of discussion; fuel economy.
The Powerboost V6 has an EPA estimated rating of 26 mpg Combined. While that sounds impressive in its own right, the city rating is 25 mpg. That puts it nearly ten miles per gallon higher than the 5.0L V8 or 3.5L Ecoboost engines’ EPA city ratings. This truly is a truck that can be driven every day without draining your wallet on fuel.
2021 F-150: The Newest Fuel Economy Innovations
The Ford F-Series has once again advanced the state of the art in truck engineering with the all-new 2021 Ford F-150, which, the Blue Oval reports, is also a fuel economy leader among gas-powered full-size light-duty trucks.
The 3.5-liter PowerBoost V6 (the only full hybrid available in a pickup) has the best-combined fuel economy rating for gas-powered full-size light-duty pickups with an EPA-estimated 25 mpg on 4×2 models.
The 4×2 PowerBoost, with EPA-estimated ratings of 25 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, has an EPA-estimated range of 750 miles on a single tank of gas. The 4×4 PowerBoost has an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined fuel economy rating, which is best among 4×4 gas-powered light-duty full-size pickups.
The 4×4 PowerBoost-equipped truck has an EPA-estimated range of 700 miles on a single tank of gas.
“Our team spent months living with and observing truck customers at their homes, on job sites, and on the weekends,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product platform and operations officer. “Using electrification, we realized we could now give customers something they had long wanted but didn’t think was possible: tremendous power, great fuel economy, and all-new capabilities to make their F-150 even more productive.”
Delivering 430 horsepower and 570 lb.-ft. of torque (the most torque ever for an F-150), the 4×2 PowerBoost truck is rated at a maximum 12,700 pounds of conventional towing with Max Trailer Tow Package and a maximum payload of 2,120 pounds.
Pro Power Onboard is standard on PowerBoost-equipped F-150s with 2.4 kilowatts of exportable power on tap at outlets in the cabin and cargo box. The optional 7.2-kilowatt output provides up to 18 times more exportable power than Ford’s nearest competitor, “enough to power everything from a tailgate event to a construction site,” says Ford.
The all-new F-150 features a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body atop a high-strength steel frame, and EcoBoost technology. F-150 is the only light-duty full-size pickup that comes standard with a 10-speed automatic transmission across all engine offerings. “With six engine options, F-150 offers drivers the choice to create their own optimal balance of fuel economy, power, capability, and affordability,” says Ford.
In addition to the 3.5-liter PowerBoost V6 full hybrid, available engines include the 3.3-liter Ti-VCT V6, 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, 5.0-liter V8, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, and 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel V6.
More Fuel Efficient than Ever
Whether or not the hybrid life is the life for you, the 2021 F-150 range has something for everyone. Furthermore, the Ecoboost engines have been available since 2015. So, even if you aren’t shopping for a brand-new F-150, there are still some great options available to you.
If you still lean towards having a V8, we understand. At least you can take solace in the fact that V8s, too, are more efficient now than they ever have been.
Overall, the F-150 is evolving with the times quite well. The whole family of F-150s is more efficient than it has ever been, and it is only going to continue to grow as we move more toward the inevitable electrified future. Ford even has plans to release a fully electric F-150 within the next few years.
Given the use of hybrid technology to maximize both power and efficiency, we think the future is looking more capable than ever for F-Series trucks, whether or not they use fossil fuels.
Photos: Ford
