Electric off-roaders aren’t the science fiction they once were, with machines like the Bollinger B1 shown earlier this year. Can an aftermarket kit for the F-150 zap some electrons into America’s best-selling pickup?
We’ve seen an uptick in the number of all-electric off-road machines, including the box-it-came-in Bollinger and rumors of an upcoming electric Land Rover Defender. Advances in battery technology help to quash thoughts of extension cords littering off-road trails, and the promise of enormous torque at low rpm is a tantalizing thought for most rock-crawling enthusiasts.
A Canadian company is making electric powertrains designed to fit the 12th-gen Ford F-150, a truck built from 2009 to 2014. EcoTuned is in the business of hauling out the factory gasoline engine and attendant transmission with a cherry-picker, then plugging their kit in its place.
Also See: All-Electric Bollinger B1 Promises Off-Road Cred
Rated at 210 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, the electric Ford F-150 powertrain has more twist than the base V6 engine found in Ford’s current base model truck, and is roughly equal in torque to what was found in the old two-valve 4.6L V8, a motor found in many of the 12th-gen F-150 pickups.
This would be good news for off-roaders, as a chief benefit of electric propulsion is its ability to provide 100% of its torque at zero rpm. Nudging the beast up and over a trail obstacle can be accomplished merely by flexing your big toe.
EcoTuned claims the truck only weighs 100lbs more than a stock F-150, thanks to the electric powertrain being lighter than the gas burner. The company chooses to locate most of the batteries it adds during conversion underneath the truck, contained in solid looking metal boxes between the frame rails. The lowest point is said to be roughly equal or a bit higher than the low point of the rear-end’s pumpkin, a unit which remains unmodified.
The rest of the truck deploys stock suspension bits, so aftermarket off-road goodies that fit a standard F-150 will theoretically fit an EcoTuned F-150.
A big knock against electric-powered vehicles always has been range. This is especially true for any off-road focused machine, as charging stations are hard to come by in the middle of a desert or along a rocky trail. EcoTuned says their truck is good for just under 100 miles when fully charged, a process which takes about seven hours. Company reps told us that working the truck hard – towing, for example – will cut that range to about 70 miles. Off-roading will probably have a similar effect.
We had a chance to drive an Ecotuned electric Ford F-150, so watch for our driving impressions in the days ahead.