The Ford F-Series Super Duty Is Going Hybrid, But They Won’t Be Made In The USA
Ford has announced plans to start building its F-Series Super Duty trucks in Canada starting in 2026 and not just any old trucks.
The F-Series Super Duty is currently manufactured in Ohio and Kentucky and the Oakville, Canada plant will expand Ford’s production capabilities by up to 100,000 trucks annually to start.
Ford built just over 300,000 F-Series Super Duties in 2023, which represents about a third of all F-Series production, but it isn’t enough to keep up with demand for the commercial-oriented vehicles.
However, Ford is taking this opportunity to add an interesting new option to the F-Series Super Duty lineup.
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Ford says the Oakville facility will produce “multi-energy” versions of the F-Series Super Duty, which most likely means hybrid models.
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Ford CEO Jim Farley has previously made it very clear that he doesn’t think all-electric powertrains are well-suited to how F-Series Super Duty trucks are used, which often includes heavy towing over long distances.
Ford currently offers the hybrid F-150 PowerBoost hybrid, which is the most powerful F-150 trim aside from the high performance Raptor models, and sales have been increasing this year. It combines a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor to produce a combined 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque and has a towing capacity of 12,700 pounds. It has an EPA fuel economy rating of 23 mpg combined, compared to the less-powerful non-hybrid turbocharged 3.5-liter V6’s 19 mpg combined rating.
An F-Series Super Duty hybrid will probably require a new and more powerful drivetrain, but Ford hasn’t indicated what will be under the hood. An all-new generation of the trucks should be arriving just as Canadian assembly comes on line. The least-powerful 2024 model has a 6.8-liter V8 rated at 400 hp and 445 lb-ft, while the top 6.7-liter turbodiesel is rated at 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft.
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A Ford spokeswoman said that there are no plans right now to build the “multi-energy” trucks at the U.S. factories, but that may change if there is enough demand.