Hybridization the highlight of Ford's all-new 2021 F-150

Ford in June unveiled an all-new version of its F-150, highlighted by a first-ever full-hybrid variant and the promise - but not yet specifics - of class-leading figures for the metrics that matter most to pickup customers. Even the COVID-19 pandemic couldn't stall the launch of Ford's crucial profit engine, with the new 2021 model coming to showrooms this fall from Ford plants in Dearborn, Mich. and Kansas City, Missouri.

Being Ford's and the U.S.'s best-selling passenger vehicle, few risks were taken with the 2021 F-150's design, even if there is a selection of 11 new grilles. Chief designer Ehab Kaoud said in a session revealing the new pickup to the media that the 2021 F-Series is “all-new, inside and out.” That includes carrying over the current-generation F-150's pioneering use of aluminum for the body, which rides on a fully-boxed, high-strength steel ladder frame. The new aluminum bodywork may be difficult to differentiate from the current model's, but Kaoud said changes are substantive enough that the new pickup “is the most-aerodynamic F-150 ever,” with active grille shutters and an active front air dam that help contribute to a 3% reduction in aero drag.