- Ford’s first electric truck will be made in Turkey.
- The Ford Trucks F-Line E can be had in either 4x2 or 6x2 configurations.
- Two battery options are available, with a maximum charging power of 285 kW.
This is the Ford Trucks F-Line E, the manufacturer’s first-ever electric big rig. Unveiled late last week at the Solutrans truck fair in France, the battery-powered commercial vehicle will be available next year in Europe and other parts of the world.
Featuring a cab-over design, the Ford Trucks F-Line E is the brainchild of Turkey’s Ford Otosan, which is a joint venture between Ford Motor and Koç Holding. The company has been making Ford-branded vehicles for over six decades, while the truck business went into operation in 1982.
Available in either 4x2 or 6x2 configurations, the electric truck is powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor and several side-mounted nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery packs. The 26-ton 6x2 chassis gets four 98-kilowatt-hour packs for a total of 392 kWh, with 314 kWh usable. This enables a maximum estimated driving range of 186 miles (300 kilometers), according to the company.
Meanwhile, the rear motor can provide a continuous output of 415 horsepower (310 kilowatts), but it can go all the way up to 523 hp (390 kW) for short bursts. That’s pretty impressive, but the torque is even more impressive: 1,010 pound-feet (1,370 Newton-meters) continuous and a whopping 1,821 lb-ft (2,470 Nm) peak. There’s also a three-speed automated gearbox to help with efficiency.
The shorter, 19-ton 4x2 version gets the same transmission as its bigger brother, but a lower-powered motor and a smaller battery. The drive motor has a continuous output of 315 hp (235 kW) but peaks at 389 hp (290 kW)--interestingly, the torque figures are the same as on the 6x2 version. The four-wheeler gets just three battery packs for a total capacity of 294 kWh (235 kWh usable), leading to a lower estimated range of 155 miles (250 km). That's not a lot, but these types of commercial vehicles are usually meant for short-distance or regional transport, so it should be plenty for day-to-day use. Think garbage trucks or vehicles that ship goods from a regional hub to local supermarkets.
The batteries are supplied by Germany’s ZF and can be DC fast-charged through a CCS2 connector at up to 285 kW on the long version and 213 kW on the short model. According to Ford Trucks, it should take less than 50 minutes to go from a 20% state of charge to 80%.
Both models come with air suspension on the rear axle and an electric air compressor as standard. Optional features include rear-wheel steering for the 6x2 version, an electric power take-off (e-PTO) and all the necessary hardware for towing up to 10 tons.
