‘We’re going to electrify the F-Series’

DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. confirmed plans to build a fully electric F-Series pickup, which industry observers called an unexpected move that protects the truck franchise against Tesla and other competitors.

“We’re going to be electrifying the F-Series – battery electric and hybrid,” Jim Farley, Ford president of global markets, said this week during a presentation at the Deutsche Bank Global Automotive Conference in the MGM Grand in Detroit.

In framing the company’s redesign, Farley said a move toward all-electric and hybrid would “futureproof” the billion-dollar F-Series franchise, which he called a “global juggernaut.”

John McElroy, a longtime industry observer and host of “Autoline This Week,” said, “When he says ‘battery electric,’ what I’m taking that to mean is a battery electric vehicle. Pure electric.

“They’ve said they would have a hybrid plug-in version of the F-150. But this is different than what they’ve talked about in the past.”

Creating an alternative to the combustion engine is crucial if Ford plans to protect its pickup franchise.

“Tesla is talking about coming out with an electric pickup. And look what Tesla has done in the luxury segment. They’ve clobbered just about everybody,” McElroy said.

“You can’t pooh-pooh that people won’t be interested in an electric pickup. Rivian Automotive is coming out with an all-electric pickup. These are the crown jewels for Ford Motor Co., the F-Series. Ford has got to react to competitive threats.”