Is the Ford Maverick Electric?
One of the newest and immediately most popular pickup trucks available, the Ford Maverick, comes at a confusing time. Loads of new models are released in the fully electric form to build automakers’ electrified lineups. However, there’s more than meets the eye with Ford’s new small pickup truck. The Ford Maverick is a bit more complicated and unlike other new trucks on the market. Is the Ford Maverick electric?
Is the Ford Maverick electric, hybrid, or neither?
Firstly, the all-new 2022 Ford Maverick pickup truck has two different engine options. The standard powertrain is a 2.5-liter FHEV hybrid setup with 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. All trim levels come with the hybrid powertrain unless owners choose to take the other option. For an additional $1,085, buyers can replace the hybrid powertrain with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine making 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.
Its hybrid powertrain is as close as the Ford Maverick gets to electric, though it isn’t officially electric. Fully electric vehicles do not use any fuel other than electricity, which isn’t true for Ford’s new small pickup. If an electrified truck is vital to you because of fuel economy, the Maverick could still be the right choice. It gets an EPA-estimated 42 mpg in the city, 37 mpg combined, and an EPA-estimated driving range of more than 500 miles.
Could the Maverick be electric in the future?
According to MotorTrend, it not only could happen, but it should happen. Ford is quickly investing in electrifying its fleet, and a Ford Maverick Lightning seems like an obvious choice. Since the Ford F-150 Lightning is the electric version of the best-selling truck in America, why not use the same branding for the new electric small pickup? Would an electric Maverick Lightning immediately earn as many reservations as the electric F-150?
Not only does it make sense, but Ford representatives don’t deny it either. MT pointed out that Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, told New York Times that the company is considering an electric version of the new pickup truck. Another of Ford’s PR representatives tweeted wire-frame images of an electric pickup truck silhouette. With all the speculation surrounding an electric Maverick, Ford’s big names feeding the flames seems like an obvious hint. The Ford Maverick will be electric in the future; the question is when.
How much would an electric Maverick pickup truck cost?
One of the main reasons for the current Maverick’s popularity is its incredibly affordable price. Compared to other pickup trucks, it’s one of the cheapest available. Starting with the XL base trim, it’s just $19,995 without additional fees or extras. However, even with the most expensive Lariat trim, the Ford Maverick pickup truck fails to exceed $30,000.
Where does that leave the electric version? We can’t know for sure, but using the F-150 Lightning, we can make an educated guess. A standard F-150 XL starts at around $30,000 but reaches as high as almost $75,000 for the Limited trim and everything in between. Its electrified version starts at approximately $40,000 with a few models thrown in the middle, then eclipses $90,000 for the Platinum model.
Although the electric F-150 Lightning is more expensive than the standard version, it isn’t too bad. We’d expect something similar for the electric Maverick, so a base model starting around $30,000. Then with each step up in options per trim, the range-topping Lariat or Platinum electric Maverick would likely be from $40,000-$50,000.
The Ford Maverick is not electric, but it probably will be
Right now, there is no such thing as an electric Ford Maverick pickup truck. However, multiple hints have been dropped about an electrified variant on the way. Over the next year or two, keep an eye out for an announcement about the subject. If an F-150 Lightning is too big or too expensive, the smaller, cheaper Ford Maverick Lightning could be the answer.
