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Big electric trucks won't save the planet, says the NYT

When The New York Times decides that an issue is an issue, be prepared to read about it at length. Rarely will a week passes these days when the esteemed news organization doesn’t examine the realities, myths and alleged benefits and drawbacks of electric vehicles, and even The Atlantic joins in sometimes. That revolution, marked by changes in manufacturing, consumer habits and social “consciousness,” may in fact be upon us. Or it may not. Nonetheless, the newspaper appears committed to presenting to the public these pros and cons. In this recently published article titled, “Just How Good for the Planet Is That Big Electric Pickup Truck?”—wow, thatÂ’s a mouthful — the Times focuses on the “bigness” of the current and pending crop of EVs, and how that impacts or will impact the environment and road safety. This is not what news organizations these days are fond of calling “breaking news.” In October, we pointed to an essay in The Atlantic that covered pretty much the same ground, and focused on the Hummer as one particular villain, In the paper and online on Feb. 18, the Times' Elana Shao observes how “swapping a gas pickup truck for a similar electric one can produce significant emissions savings.” She goes on: “Take the Ford F-150 pickup truck compared with the electric F-150 Lightning. The electric versions are responsible for up to 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions per mile.” But she right away flips the argument, noting the heavier electric pickup trucks “often require bigger batteries and more electricity to charge, so they end up being responsible for more emissions than other smaller EVs. Taking into consideration the life cycle emissions per mile, they end up just as polluting as some smaller gas-burning cars.” Certainly, itÂ’s been drummed into our heads that electric cars donÂ’t run on air and water but on electricity that costs money, and that the public will be dealing with “the shift toward electric SUVs, pickup trucks and crossover vehicles, with some analysts estimating that SUVs, pickup trucks and vans could make up 78 percent of vehicle sales by 2025." No-brainer alert: Big vehicles cost more to charge. And then thereÂ’s the safety question, which was cogently addressed in the Atlantic story. Here Shao reiterates data documenting the increased risks of injuries and deaths caused by larger, heavier vehicles.

2017-19 Ford Super Duty trucks recalled for tailgates that could open

Ford announced two separate recalls today, though neither has resulted in any known injuries. The first recall, which deals with a tailgate malfunction, affects 261,617 examples of 2017-2019 F-250, F-350, and F-450 Super Duty pickups. The second, which anticipates the possibility of a fuel leak, affects 3,893 units of 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator SUVs with 3.0-liter engines. Ford says tailgates might accidentally open on some 2017-2019 Super Duty trucks because of a short circuit. If the pickups have an electric tailgate latch-release switch on the tailgate handle, water might get into the wiring. If the water hits the right spots, a short circuit could cause the switch to release the tailgate latch. In a worst-case scenario where the tailgate opens while driving, contents of the truck's bed could fall out and create a safety hazard. Dealerships will fix the problem by modifying the tailgate frame wiring harnesses with jumper pigtails and install a new tailgate handle release switch. Of the lot, 231,664 trucks are in the U.S., and 29,953 are in Canada. The Ford recall number is 19S48.  The second recall is much smaller, involving fewer than 4,000 vehicles. In certain 2020 Explorers and Aviators with 3.0-liter engines, Ford says, "The convolute protective sleeve on the liquid fuel line is not long enough, which may allow for potential hard contact with the convolute-protected vapor fuel line. Over time, with vibration and engine roll, hard contact between the two fuel lines could cause the convolute on the vapor fuel line to rub through the plastic liquid fuel line." If that happens, it could be a fire risk and hazardous for drivers and passengers. Only 35 of those SUVs are in Canada, and the rest are in the United States. Dealers will fix the problem by replacing the defective convolute with a full-length piece and tying it down with a strap. The recall reference number for the Aviators and Explorers is 19S49. The recall adds to what has otherwise been a rocky early production phase for the new Explorers and Aviators.

2015 Ford F-150 spied in the rain

Standing as quite a contrast from the spy shots of the 2015 Ford Mustang we saw earlier today, our spies also sent along these pictures of the next-generation F-150 pickup out testing in its (heavily camouflaged) full prototype body. Much of the new truck's design is hidden under the bulky coveralls, but we expect a lot of its new lines to be inspired by the Atlas concept that debuted at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
Perhaps the biggest unknown surrounding the new F-150 is what, exactly, its body will be made of. Earlier reports have suggested that lightweight aluminum materials may be used throughout, offering a serious reduction in weight versus previous models. But Ford engineers will need to be careful, though, as they need to keep a tight rein on costs while preserving class-competitive (if not class-leading) towing and payload capacity.
On the powertrain front, the new F-150 will undoubtedly carry on with EcoBoost engines, and we'd bet on a normally aspirated V8 as well. A diesel option hasn't been confirmed, but we wouldn't be surprised to see one some time in the truck's lifecycle. Mum's the word on when the production F-150 will be revealed, but our best guess is that we'll see it at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.