2021 Ford F-150 Prototype: Here is What To Expect From Next F-Series Half-Ton (Spied)

Here are the first images of the what appears to be the next 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck. The current aluminum-body F-150 came to market as a 2015 truck, and that was over four years ago. Ford recently updated the truck for the 2018 model year. Now, it’s time for a more thorough redesign to keep the truck ever more competitive.

2021 Ford F-150

The truck you see here is a crew cab short bed, and it’s rolling on what appears to be 22-inch wheels. This could very well be the next Platinum trim level. We don’t think it’s the range-topping Limited, because it has only one exhaust outlet (not the dual pipes on the current Limited).

Chassis

We think the chassis and the axles will remain largely unchanged. The F-150 already has class-leading payload and towing numbers. Ford may have found the ceiling of half-ton towing capability with the current 13,200 lbs.

The prototype you see here is using a solid rear axle that should be able to handle at least the same payload and towing loads that are available today on the 2019 F-150.

We hope Ford will improve the payload capacities on some of their most popular crew cab 4×4 models.

Body and Bed

The prototype we see here appears to have similar cab and bed design to the current truck. We think it’s likely the next F-150 will retain the aluminum body and bed construction. Ford may be exploring some other structural materials, such as a composite bed – but there is not information to validate this yet.

Engines

It’s likely Ford keep most if not all of their current EcoBoost turbocharged engines for the next F-150. There will likely be small improvements and a power boost. There was recent news that Ford is scaling back their 5.0L V8 production as the demand for the engine declines. We hope the V8 will continue to be available for many years to come.

Ford has officially promised an F-150 Hybrid truck. It should go on sale within the next year. It’s not clear whether the hybrid will be available as a 2020 or a 2021 model. We also don’t know how much battery capacity the truck will have, and what the electric driving range will be.

Ford has also hinted at an all-electric F-150. There was another prototype spied in the wild with an electric powertrain and independent rear suspension.

Interior & Technology

We do not have any detailed images on the new interior, but Ford is likely to make some significant design and technology changes on the inside. Ram set the bar for interior design to a new level, and we think Ford is looking to make big interior upgrades.

Will Ford put a 12-inch infotainment screen in the F-150? They could do something similar they are doing with the 2020 Ford Explorer, or they could go bigger and stack two 10-inch screens on top of each other. We just don’t know yet.

Here is a video where we discuss the latest 2021 Ford F-150 prototype.