Iconic American manufacturer Ford (NYSE: F) is making headlines with a new stunt based on its emerging all-electric F-150 pickup.
Electric F-150 Pickup
Reports today on a video released within the last 24 hours showing an electric prototype pulling a series of 10 double-decker train cars totaling over a million pounds a 1000-foot distance.
As Verge reporter Andrew Hawkins points out, part of the appeal of this new project is showing consumers that “Built Ford Tough,” a commonly recognized Ford slogan, can include an electric vehicle design.
Behind the current headlines, gear-heads have seen this type of innovation going on for a while now.
The key design aspect behind this type of electric vehicle stunt is that an electric motor simply has superior torque design over a gasoline engine.
In a key sense, an electric engine is “all torque,” offering all of the power to go from 0 to 60 at the initial ignition, rather than ramping up torque over time.
“In electric motors, maximum torque is produced from the get-go,” writes Michael Fernie at CarThrottle. “As a current flows through the electric motor, a related electrical charge causes an armature to rotate. These rotations within an internal magnetic field cause something called a back-EMF (electromotive force) which opposes the supply voltage. Imagine back-EMF to be the equivalent of a natural braking force, much like in IC engines … if speed is very small …there is little to no back-EMF, meaning that the supply voltage is immediately equated to a torque output. So if you floor the throttle, maximum voltage is suddenly applied therefore maximum torque is immediately available.”
Ford also reportedly plans to release a hybrid option, but the all-electric promotion shows the power of what an electric truck can do in a market segment where power plays a significant role in purchasing decisions.
Nor is Ford alone in starting to pioneer electric truck design.
“Ford’s not the only automaker having such thoughts,” writes Alex Davies at WIRED. “Elon Musk has been talking about a Tesla pickup since 2013, and may debut a prototype in the coming weeks. GM recently confirmed it will produce an electric pickup at some point, and all-electric startup Rivian is developing a truck for the luxury market.”
Look for this new segment to continue to grab headlines as news on electric truck design reaches a greater audience.
