When asked what vehicles Ford is best known for, it’s probably their pickup trucks. The Ford F-150 series has been a beloved staple in the segment for decades, as well as its heavy-duty versions. Ford also recently released the all-electric F-150 Lightning, with the promise that a more efficient pickup is on the way. 

Ford is one of the many automakers devoting large portions of their budgets to expanding their EV lineups. However, the Blue Oval has one of the most interesting strategies to date to help them achieve their electric ambitions.

Super Duty truck sales help fund Ford EVs

Bloomberg tells us that the Super Duty versions of the Ford F-Series received a full redesign for the 2023 model year. It’s the first pickup in the world with 5G capability, plus it’s now available with two new engine choices. Ford also added an integration system to this truck, so it can now be easily attached to external tools like plows or cranes.

All that power comes at a price: as you can probably guess, these vehicles emit a substantial amount of carbon emissions. However, Ford plans to offset that by funneling Super Duty sales directly into the company’s EV expansion. 

Is this a good idea?

Given how much of a staple the Super Duty lineup has become to consumers, Reason believes that Ford’s strategy will pay off. The site mentions that Ford earns $40 billion each year just from F-Series sales alone. So far, the company has already dedicated $50 million to the production of Ford EVs and EV manufacturing plants.

Ford’s end goal is to produce 2 million EVs annually by 2026 and achieve complete carbon neutrality nine years later. Paying for this with Super Duty revenue may seem counterproductive. However, as Reason points out, other countries have made similar sacrifices to achieve greener solutions.

Why are Ford Super Duty trucks so popular?

The Ford Super Duty lineup starts with the F-250 and ends with the F-650, and all of them offer impressive towing capacities. With one of the Powerstroke diesel engines, the 2022 F-250 has a gooseneck towing capacity of 37,000 lbs. It also boasts a payload capacity of 4,260 lbs, while the Ford F-350 can carry 7,850 lbs in its cargo bed.

The 2022 Ford Super Duty trucks have two engine options, with the standard gas V8 supplying 430 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque. A Powerstroke diesel, which generates 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft of torque, can also be equipped. The high-output version of this engine, new for the 2023 model year, is capable of 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque.

The latest gas engine option makes 405 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, promising a maximum hauling capacity of 8,000 lbs. Towing capacities have also increased across the board, some of which have been outlined by MotorTrend. 

For example, the F-450 with dual-rear-wheel-drive now has a fifth-wheel towing capacity of 35,000 lbs. With the high-output Powerstroke, this truck with the regular cab can pull up to 40,000 lbs. Even without an optional towing package, the Ford F-350 has a conventional towing capacity of 28,000 lbs thanks to the new Powerstroke. 

The 2023 versions of the Super Duty trucks have onboard power generators and lots of enhanced safety technology for trailering. Some of these features include gooseneck blind-spot monitors, onboard scales, and trailer theft alert. These trucks are also the first in the segment to have backup sensors on top of their tailgates.

Ford evidently sinks a lot of time (and money) into the development of these trucks. Judging by their sales numbers and Ford’s confidence in them as an investment strategy, we’d say it’s worth every penny.