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'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

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Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#121

Post by darkpuma »

Scoundreller wrote: post #93
secabeen wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plus however long it takes to drive to u-haul, wait for them to check-out the trailer, hook it up, use it, then drive back to u-haul, return it, etc. Time is money.

Trailers should lend themselves well to the sharing economy, no? Minimal maintenance, largely stored sitting idle, no cleaning required. You don't even need to unethically deem your workers as contractors.

Trailers are a huge pain in the ass, have you ever backed up with one? I've done my fair share of trailer towing and given the choice between a trailer and a pickup, I chose the pickup every time.

Trailers have a capacity advantage though. Sometimes the shit you're moving simply won't fit in a large pickup truck. In those cases though, having a truck with sufficient power to tow that trailer is still handy...

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#122

Post by protomyth »

SandersAK wrote: post #41
germinalphrase wrote: post #32

Now, if only they would revive the light trucks of the 1980s. Even the new Ranger looks massive (perhaps, that’s only looks though?).

no they are massive. the new tacomas are huge. i miss my 99 ranger :(

I was thinking about a Colorado and even those are huge compared to my old B4000 (Ford Ranger with a better grill). The Colorado was also the most uncomfortable truck I've ever sat in.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#123

Post by lawnchair_larry »

SECProto wrote: post #99
chrisco255 wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to own a Focus hatchback and was always amazed at how much I could fit in it. But everyone shitting on Texans for owning trucks is crazy. This is a huge agricultural, construction, and manufacturing state and there are plenty of non white collar office jobs that demand a solid vehicle that won't get stuck in two inches of dirt. I don't have one of those jobs but I still drive a truck, because this is Texas and…

> But everyone shitting on Texans for owning trucks is crazy I didnt see anyone do that. I saw someone on a website complain about the price of gas to fill their truck, and someone else ask them if they considered driving something other than a truck. (honestly, "do you NEED the truck?" is a very good question. I drive a Yaris to construction sites. Wouldn't work for every job, but everyone else in my position drives…

There is definitely some shitting going on. It’s the same argument people make when they say people buy Apple products because they are a status symbol.

And honestly, NEED is a dumb question. You can ask do you NEED just about anything. No, it’s not strictly a need, and neither is anything else nerds regularly spend their money on. All of what we buy lands somewhere on a spectrum of Need-Convenient-Frivolous, and people who don’t buy something are not going to make the same assessment as people who do.

A car owner saying that a truck owner doesn’t need a truck because they get by fine without one is like a bike owner saying that a car owner doesn’t need a car because they get by fine without one.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#124

Post by protomyth »

_underfl0w_ wrote: post #67
justinph wrote: post #4

I'd love to see them try. The difficulty of making a pickup truck aerodynamically efficient are substantial.

Wasn't there a Mythbusters episode about this?

Yes, two and a revisit: episodes 22, 43, and 64.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#125

Post by hannasanarion »

EpicEng wrote: post #108
cowmix wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wrong. For the energy it takes to refine 1 gal of gas you can drive an EV around 27 miles.

And best of all, electricity just produces itself!

No, but a central power generator can produce energy far more cheaply and efficiently than a consumer gas engine optimized for mobility.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#127

Post by cptskippy »

mastrsushi wrote: post #118

I have a really worried feeling about this. Don't get me wrong, it needs to happen, but why start off the transition with commercial? It's the consumers who are concerned with buying gas, environmental, and politics. The elephant in the room is Tesla and of course every auto company will follow, further eating into the consumer sedan to SUV market. So why doesn't Ford start there, then work there way up to migrate it…

Most people's F Series are both their personal and work vehicle. At least here in Georgia, it's a lifestyle vehicle. It makes perfect sense to me when most middle aged white collar professionals with money in Georgia drive a big truck and like their gadgets.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#128

Post by blihp »

mastrsushi wrote: post #118

I have a really worried feeling about this. Don't get me wrong, it needs to happen, but why start off the transition with commercial? It's the consumers who are concerned with buying gas, environmental, and politics. The elephant in the room is Tesla and of course every auto company will follow, further eating into the consumer sedan to SUV market. So why doesn't Ford start there, then work there way up to migrate it…

Well Tesla does have the Semi so it's not like this is completely virgin ground. Presumably they've got better data than we do re: mileage needs and its possible (just guessing) that many of the F-Series buyers might make sense re: living within range of a single charge while also seeing more of an impact given the lower MPG of trucks.

Something else to keep in mind is that American big auto ironically hasn't been, how shall I say this, umm... great at doing passenger cars for the last 40 years. So another thought is that they might see this as a place they can be more competitive.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#129

Post by thoughtpalette »

xnyan wrote: post #74
_underfl0w_ wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also in Texas, can also confirm. My coworker dropped the phrase "Texas Cadillac" the other day. Couldn't cringe hard enough. I hope to be able to afford an electric car for my next car purchase - for now, just a tiny Mazda stick-shift. Kinda having second thoughts after reading that comment about battery production though...

> "Texas Cadillac" Also known as the redneck cadillac.

I just learned that the term "redneck" actually comes from an old coal miner union strike that showed solidarity by using red kerchiefs hanging around their necks.

I can't use that term in the same way ever again, fwiw.

Re: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says

#130

Post by StillBored »

mikekchar wrote: post #106
StillBored wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I started driving a truck 15 years ago after a number of sports cars/sedans/etc. I will never go back. Its not insane when you consider any number of factors, starting with the fact that Americans are BIG. As a large person myself (although not overweight), I'm here to tell you that what a 120 pound 5'6" person finds comfortable frequently is painful for me. Second, I spend upwards of 2+ hours a day sitting my my car…

Interestingly (perhaps?) we got a Leaf a few months ago and the biggest thing that surprised me is that it is massive inside. I guess because the battery is stored under the floor. Although I have relatively short arms for someone my height (5' 10"), I still think it's instructive to say that when I'm sitting in the passenger seat, I can't touch the dash without leaning forward. And, again, I have slightly shorter le…

Sounds like the Prius is styled more European than most sedans. Makes sense it has more head/leg room given how boxy it tends to be.

Anyway, I looked it up, and for comparison a tundra:

headroom: 39.4 vs 39.7

legroom: 42.3 vs 42.5

(so fairly similar on the head/leg, what about big in the other direction)

shoulder: 55.0 vs 65.7

hip: 53.4 vs 62.6

Hmmm not so similar. Also, the tundra has the least headroom of any full size pickup. The GM/chevy's have 4" more, which for tall people is literally a life/death choice if they get into certain accidents where their head impacts the ceiling.

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