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Ford F-E50 Rendering Shows the Electric Future of America's Number One Truck

The Ford F-150 has had it very easy for the last few years. It has become common knowledge that Ford's offering in the light-duty segment is not only the best-selling truck in the US but also the vehicle most Americans buy overall.
Ford F-E50 rendering 7 photos
Photo: Glen George via Behance
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Sure, that stat would be a lot more stunning in a country that doesn't have a cult (and an actual need) for tough pickup trucks, but it's still pretty damn impressive. And the most amazing thing is that it's not just a fluke that happened one year never to repeat again: no, the F-150 does it time and time again.

Speaking of time, it looks like they are a-changing. Electric mobility is starting to put a stranglehold on the industry and showing no intention of letting go. After a lethargic initial response to Tesla's advance, it looks like all legacy carmakers now have ample projects ongoing that will see EV make up a significant part of their planned production over the next few years.

Naturally, the pickup truck segment can't ignore the trend. Well, maybe it could have tried at some point, but not anymore now that Tesla made its move by announcing the Cybertruck last November. Since then - and even before that - a handful of other startups have also announced similar vehicles (not design-wise, though), with established manufacturers following suit.

Ford is obviously one of them because, we can only imagine, any threat for the F-150's pickup truck crown must be taken very seriously by the company. You can only imagine the blow that Ford's image would suffer if that actually happened. Never mind it held the top spot for so long - all will be forgotten, and the attention switched to the new leader.

We're not even close yet to the point where battery-powered pickups could cause an upset, but traditional carmakers have learned that it's better to be prepared than be taken by surprise. That's why the electric F-150 is in development and should make its debut roughly two years from now.

Until then, expect more and more people to try and come up with their interpretation of what the electric Ford F-150 should look like. In reality, we expect the truck to share its exterior design with the rest of the range (bar a few "special" details to set it aside visually), but that doesn't mean people can't think bigger than that.

Enter Glen George, a transportation designer linked with the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. His vision for Ford's electric pickup truck (he calls F-E50) has a few things in common with the Tesla Cybertruck and, to be fair, it would make perfect sense to get rid of that long and now pretty unnecessary hood.

If anything, Glen could have moved the cabin even more forward and either extend the bed or reduce the vehicle's overall length. Instead, he chose to keep a frunk that, admittedly, could be quite useful in a vehicle that doesn't otherwise have any closed storage space.

The brand identity is pretty spot on considering this is the first Ford vehicle with a front end shaped like this. Still, as much as Glen's project makes us want to see Ford making a dedicated body style for its first all-electric pickup truck, we're well aware that's not going to happen.

It's nice to imagine, though. And we should probably get used to this type of shape - cabin pushed forward, van-like front end - if electricity does take over the pickup segment because it just makes so much sense, even though some might find it ugly.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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