UAW Contract Spells Out Where Ford Will Build Its F150 EV/Hybrid And Key Pieces

Here’s an interesting thought: sometimes, trends or actions are tightly bound together, even though they seem unrelated. Take the rapidly building knowledge base on the Ford F150 EV/Hybrid, for example. This information base has been expanding in recent days but not in the conventional ways. Those ways include news releases, interviews, chats with knowledgeable sources who know about the upcoming electric Ford F150/Hybrid. The information was handed out, almost on a platter, by Ford and the United Auto Workers (UAW). The information was in the pending UAW contract now undergoing ratification by Ford’s hourly workers. The contract spoke volumes about the Ford F150 Electric Truck and Hybrid and where they will originate.

Ford F150 EV/Hybrid To Debut As 2020/2021

For starters, though we know that Ford has hybrid and electric versions of the F150 pickup coming very soon, we now know when and where they will be coming from. We also know more about the technology used in them and where Ford will source its electric motors. We know that the Ford F150 Hybrid will be debuting soon as a 2020 model. The Ford F150 EV is slated to appear as a 2021 model.

As noted, the contract document spells out where Ford plans to assemble the F150 EV and its hybrid stablemate. Ford plans to build both versions of the electric pickup at the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan. And, the Dearborn Truck Plant is the site of the battery pack build line for the F150 EV/Hybrid.

Interest has been building in the Ford F150 EV lineup following last summer's railcar-pull stunt where a prototype Ford F150 EV pulled 10 railcar carriers, loaded with F150s, a-thousand feet. The kicker was that one electric pickup yanked and then pulled more than 1.25 million pounds of pickup that distance. The railcar stunt sparked interest in the Ford F150 EV/Hybrid and electric models in general. The railcar-hauling stunt was a great piece of promotion.

Ford Plans Large Scale Investment In Trucks

The new battery pack line and changes needed to make the Ford F150 EV/Hybrid are pieces of a $700 million investment in the truck plant. The truck plant investment plus investment in the Kentucky Truck Plant and the Michigan Assembly plant are parts of a serious infusion of cash needed to make the upcoming next-gen Ford F150 pickup line. The investments will be made over the next year and include: $1.1 billion for updates to the Michigan Assembly Plant and $1 billion to streamline the Kentucky Truck Plant.

Watch for news about Ford trucks here. You will also receive information about planned changes to the Ford F150, and other Ford F-Series trucks, as well as Ford Rangers and truck-based SUVs. Click To Subscribe To Torque News YouTube Channel For Daily Ford and Automotive Industry News Analysis.

Kansas City To Build Non-Electric F150s

And, in other Ford F150 news, the manufacturer plans to build the non-electric version of the Ford F150 in Kansas City. The non-electric versions of the F150 are part of the F150's next-gen truck package. The next-gen trucks should keep Ford at the top of the truck market next year and likely long after. For the 42nd year, the Ford F150 was America's most popular pickup. And, though there will not be an electric version of the popular pickup line rolling out of Kansas City, the electric version of Ford's popular Transit van will be manufactured there.

Also, thanks to the contract we learned that Ford will build electric motors and some of the tech for the 2020 Ford F150 Hybrid at the Van Dyke Transmission plant. Ford will also build electric motors for the F150 at the Van Dyke Transmission Plant, using tech licensed from Toshiba.

Single-Motor System Planned On F150 Hybrid

The Hybrid will likely use a single-motor system and an integrated 10-speed automatic engine. The Ford Explorer Hybrid uses a similar arrangement. One thought about the Explorer Hybrid is that any mileage improvements are only modest. The Ford F150 Hybrid will offer a type of takeoff that is opposite the Explorer. In other words, the Ford F150 Hybrid will feature a power takeoff that is useful for overnighting in the rough or at a worksite.

Source: Author research, The Ford Authority

About the Author

Marc Stern has been an auto writer since 1971. It was a position that filled two boyhood dreams: One was that I would write, and two that I write about cars. When I took over as my newspaper’s auto editor, I began a 32-year career as an automotive columnist. There isn’t much on four wheels that I haven’t driven or reviewed. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. Today, I am the Ford F150 reporter for Torque News. I write how-to and help columns for online sites such as Fixya.com and others. You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook.