It looks like Ford’s next electric pickup will be very frunky.
A new patent granted to the automaker for a frunk-mounted workspace reveals a possible design direction for its upcoming truck, codenamed T3.
The vehicle depicted in drawings for the “Front Trunk Including Moveable Workspace” patent features a snub nose and a large raked-back windshield that creates a front profile similar to the Tesla Cybertruck’s.
The design is surely meant to improve the vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency compared to the Ford F-150 Lightning, which uses the conventional F-150’s body, including a boxy hood and grille that allow for a 14.1-cubic-foot frunk.
FORD’S MODULAR T3 ELECTRIC TRUCK REVEALED IN PATENT APPLICATION?
But unlike the Cybertruck, which has a small 7.1-cubic-foot frunk, Ford’s patent takes greater advantage of the available space provided by the electric platform. Hidden behind the bumper is a slide-out contraption that can be used as a work table and has a storage drawer within it.
A row of power outlets is installed above it and there are cubbies that can be used to hold tools and gear. The patent text says the drawer can be power-operated, but does not address the issue of crash protection.
The truck’s styling appears to feature a wraparound rear window, but the cargo box is largely conventional and not connected to the cab with sail panels like the Cybertruck or Chevrolet Silverado. These can make a vehicle more streamlined, but restrict side access to the bed. There is, however, an element in front of the rear wheel that could be a side door into the bed.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has described the T3’s styling as a “Millennium Falcon with a back porch attached” and the patent drawings live up to that to some extent. While the sketches are no guarantee that the production truck will look like this, they are more detailed than those found in some patents that use simple outlines to hide details, which suggests that they might not be too far from reality.
It will be a bit longer than expected before we find out for sure, as Ford earlier this year announced that the start of T3 production has been pushed from 2025 to 2026, due to a slowdown in the growth of demand for electric pickups and Ford’s decision to crank up its hybrid vehicle offerings in the coming years.
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