Okay, so yes, the 2022 all-electric Lightning is the F-150 that's getting all the cyber-ink right now, but it's still six months away from your local dealership (likely with a long waitlist and insane dealer markups to start), so let's talk about what, absent the Lightning, would be hailed as a breakthrough pickup---the 2021 Ford F-150 4X4 SuperCrew Full Hybrid.
This is the truck that brings all the goodness of the Ford F-150, which was laid out here in January, and folds in a gasoline/electric hybrid.
Under the hood is Ford's 3.5-liter PowerBoost V6. Total system output is 430 horsepower and 570 pounds per foot of torque. That makes it the most powerful engine in any F-150 (the Raptor is 450 horses, but only 510 pounds per foot of torque).
It's also the only full hybrid pickup truck on the market and there are no doubt skeptics about reliability and durability. So Ford built a special rig to simulate 10 years of operation for the lithium-ion battery in 82 hours and says it meets the single standard used for all F-150s, regardless of powertrain.
Clearly, the hybrid was intended to boost performance more than it was to increase fuel economy, though it does that, with an EPA city average of 24 miles per gallon---an improvement over the 18 mpg in the EcoBoost V6 and the 17 mpg in the 5.0-liter V8. Interestingly, all three of those engines get 24 miles per gallon on the highway.
There's also power at the other end of the truck---outlets powered by the truck itself that Ford says can deliver 2.4 kilowatts of exportable power standard---upgradable to 7.2 kilowatts as an extra-cost option. That 7.2 kw is 18 times more than what's available in any competing pickup truck currently on the market.
Beyond that, it's all familiar territory---and I'm not saying that to be dismissive. Ford works hard to maintain the F-150's crown as not only the best selling pickup truck but the best-selling vehicle in America, and it shows. The interior of the truck is the state of the art of modern pickups, and in Lariat trim, like our tester, it's absolutely a luxury truck.
Ford's pricing approach to the F-150 Full Hybrid is fascinating. You start with an F-150 4X4 SuperCrew at $50,980. The window sticker is at the end of this review so you can see for yourself, but among the standard equipment highlights at that price are LED box lighting, power heated, adjustable and folding exterior mirrors, a power sliding rear window, a 12-inch touchscreen, leather-trimmed seats and dual-zone climate control.
The full hybrid powertrain is an extra cost option. At $3,300, considering the power, performance and fuel economy upgrades that come with---to say nothing of the deliverable power from the back---that's beyond reasonable. The Lariat trim, which also brings satellite navigation, is another $6,600.
From there, it's a series of individual options and mini-packages. I'm just going to refer you to the window sticker below. Cutting to the chase, the as-tested price of the 2021 Ford F-150 4X4 SuperCrew Full Hybrid is $70,265---but Ford then lists a "Lariat High Chrome/Sport" discount of $1,500---bringing the actual bottom line to $68,765.
That's $585 less than the F-150 4X4 SuperCrew Lariat with the V6 EcoBoost engine I reviewed in January. That's a compelling value argument for a truck that does everything well.
