Spy photographers have given us our first take a look at a brand new set of Ford F-150 check mules being put by means of their paces alongside a Tesla Cybertruck. Whereas it is sensible for Ford to check its all-electric pickup towards the most recent competitors, we’re much more all in favour of how this truck is decked out than we’re in its aggressive intentions. Why? Effectively, these might be the primary Ford prototypes on the street with in-wheel (AKA hub) motors, which might be an enormous step ahead each for the F-150 and for hub motor tech itself, which has loved a quite lengthy gestation interval on account of its inherent drawbacks. However let’s get to the pics.
The above is our important view. With the wheel covers eliminated, two issues grow to be apparent. First, that is an eight-lug wheel, which isn’t one thing you usually see on a lightweight responsibility pickup. And second, there isn’t any brake caliper. Usually, that would not elevate flags with us. Eight-lug wheels are ubiquitous on Ford’s Tremendous Duties and drum brakes are nonetheless favored for rear axles in some functions on account of their lengthy service lives. That would certainly be some type of prototype brake drum behind the wheel, however drum brakes are not customary gear even on Tremendous Responsibility (F-250, F-350 and F-450) fashions, and Lightning has come geared up with four-wheel disc brakes since day one. No matter that is, it isn’t a parts-bin pull from a present truck. However wait, there’s extra!
Noe the underbody brush camo within the above left shot; that is an indication that Ford would quite we not see what’s taking place underneath there. We are able to see inexperienced cabling (the identical that’s seen within the mattress in different pictures) resulting in the wheel nicely right here. That would imply nothing in any respect, or it might be a short lived run to energy the wheel-mounted hubs. And within the above proper picture, we see that this explicit mule is carrying a payload. Now, a Ford engineer might write absolutely anything on a type of for no matter purpose, however the load within the mattress seems to be marked “2,666.” If that is the burden in kilos, it is greater than the utmost payload capability of a present Lightning (2,235 kilos) with the usual battery.
Definitely, nothing right here is definitive, and automakers use mules to check all kinds of issues, lots of which by no means dwell to see manufacturing. However with different automakers inching nearer to manufacturing of hub-motor EVs, this one deserves some consideration. Keep tuned.
