Ford looks to be making progress on the next generation Super Duty, although many details have been a close-guarded secret. Louisville’s Kentucky Truck Plant will be going through a transformation very similar to the changes made at the Dearborn, Mich. and Kansas City, Mo. facilities. Ford announced that $80 million are being invested into the Louisville plant for additional space for parts storage, new paint shop, and replacing other equipment.
These changes are necessary to enable the aluminum body production for the new heavy duty pickups. Ford will likely need to invest even more to get the old welding equipment out and bring in the new machines that bond and rivet aluminum parts together.
It’s not clear if the Louisville location will see a growth in workforce, or what the increase will be.
The next Super Duty will use a high-strength steel frame. The concept is very similar to what Ford has done with the 2015 F-150. The benefits and challenges are same as well. The new F-150 lost around 700 pounds by using aluminum and high-strength steels. Ford has not released any specifications for the next Super Duty, but it’s possible for the big truck to lose over 700 lbs. This will in-turn increase the payload and towing capacities of the truck. Carrying less curb weight means better performance and higher efficiency. On the flip side, it will likely increase the purchase price (the base price of the new F-150 went up about $400). The body repair costs will likely be higher as well.
We look forward to learning more details about the next generation Super Duty.
Check out these Ford Super Duty prototypes testing at high altitude in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
