Car bodies are typically made of aluminum. Of course, some fancy folk get cars made of other materials like carbon fiber or some other space-age material. The Ford F-150 is not one of these. As a result of its aluminum siding, magnets do not typically stick to them. Why is this worth talking about? Well, some spy shots of the 2021 Ford F-150 show it rolling around with big car magnets, suggesting that Ford might be testing a new magnetic paint. This could be really useful to small businesses, in particular. 

Will the 2021 Ford F-150 get new paint?

Motor1 reports that some new spy shots show the 2021 F-150 with what appears to be magnetic paint. This would be huge for the millions of people who use the F-150 to run their small businesses. This allows for far easier and cheaper advertising by being able to slap a magnetic sign to the side of your work truck with your name and info on it. 

These car magnets used to be commonplace before Ford switched from steel panels to aluminum ones. As we know from middle school science class, aluminum isn’t magnetic. But as far as we know, Ford isn’t changing the materials it uses to make the F-150, which means it must be wearing magnetic paint. 

Magnetic paint isn’t new

You may have seen magnetic paint at your local hardware store as it has become popular to paint an interior wall with, allowing the use of magnets instead of tacks or nails. This paint is simple enough to understand; It’s essentially the same as normal paint with the addition of tiny iron filings mixed into it. Boom. You got some iron; you got some magnetic paint. 

Now, I guess is technically possible that Ford could be making some new type of sign or something, but that is pretty absurd. It would make way more sense for Ford to develope its own magnetic car paint. 

Motor1 points out that with alternative materials like carbon fiber, aluminum, and plastic becoming more common in the automotive world, developing a magnetic paint would make a lot of sense. Particularly amongst the work-truck class, where people would likely utilize magnetic signs for advertising. 

Ford is really stepping its game up

Ford seems to be paying extra keen attention to its customers in regards to the 2021 Ford F-150. Not only is Ford possibly going to cover it in magnetic paint, but the addition of the generator for the Hybrid model shows that Ford is trying really hard to make the most useable truck it can.

The addition of the generator makes the Ford one of the most useable vehicles of all time, by my estimation. Ford is tipping its hat to the folks who actually use these vehicles as workhorses. This isn’t a flashy feature that will impress anyone other than your foreman. 

I love seeing pickups that are made with intention and purpose again. Let’s hope these spy shots aren’t a misunderstanding and Ford is following through with making a truly work-friendly vehicle.