The 2021 Ford F-150 has received a number of powertrain updates and additions as it looks to stay competitive with rivals like the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500.
One of the more dramatic changes applied to the 2021 Ford F-150 is the addition of the new hybrid powertrain. This setup, dubbed ‘Powerboost’, pairs a twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine with a 35 kW electric motor and 1.5 kWh lithum-ion battery and produces 430 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 570 pound-feet at 3,000 rpm. The maximum payload for Powerboost Hybrid models is 2,120 pounds, while the max towing capacity is 12,700 pounds.
The 3.3L V6 engine returns as the entry-level option and is unchanged from 2020, producing 290 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. These models have a maximum payload of 1,985 pounds and can tow up to 8,200 pounds. The twin-turbo 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine also returns unchanged for 2021, producing 325 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. When equipped with this engine, the 2021 F-150 has a max payload of 2,480 pounds and a towing capacity of 10,100 pounds.
Further up the powertrain ladder are the twin-turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and the 5.0L V8, both of which are more powerful for 2021. The twin-turbo 3.5L EcoBoost V6 now makes 400 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque (up 23 horsepower and 30 pound-feet), can tow a whopping 14,000 pounds (up from 13,200 pounds in 2020) and has a maximum payload of 3,250 pounds. The 5.0L V8, meanwhile, is up 5 horsepower and 10 pound-feet to 400 horsepower and 410 pound-feet. It has a maximum payload of 3,320 pounds and a max towing capacity of 13,000 pounds.
Completing the 2021 Ford F-150 powertrain lineup is the 3.0L Powerstroke diesel, which is unchanged from 2020. It makes 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, has a max payload of 1,840 pounds and can tow up to 12,100 pounds.
Overall, the F-150’s max towing capacity is up by 800 pounds to 14,000 pounds from 2020 thanks to the sizable boost in power the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine received. This gives the F-150 the most towing capacity of any light-duty truck, as the Silverado tops out at 13,300 pounds and the Ram at 12,750. The F-150 with the 5.0L V8 also leads the way among light-duty pickups in payload capacity at 3,320 pounds. By comparison, the Ram maxes out at 2,300 pounds, while the Silverado is third with a 2,280 pound max payload rating.
Comments
GM is caught flat footed again. They can’t even deliver all the 5.3 V8s with the much better 10spd auto. Shameful. Too bad GM and Mary Barra takes truck buyers for granted.
First off, no one should be towing 14,000lbs with a half ton, I don’t care if its flat through the plains.
Second, that 3.5 is a beast now, I wonder what MPG are for it, and if that’s rated on 93 octane. Same with the 5.0
Spot on here andrew! did they reduce compression ratios to accommodate additional boost??? the ecoboost already have pathetic towing fuel economy, now they might take a hit with daily driving economy if that’s the case. They could have also increased the compression ratios and require 93 octane. That would produce the appropriate increase in power as well. I got Chevy’s answer to this. Its quick and easy and painless, offer the 6.2 in E85. The E85 mixture would push it to about 450Hp and 515Tq, and given the 6.2s tendency to sip gas and ethanol’s price, you would still save money at the pump over the ford. How can Chevy beat fords max tow ratings? maybe by offering the 6.2 and max tow package in a 2door 2wd regular bed WT like ford and their XL. currently the Chevy pulls its 13300 with a full crew cab. I love how the truck wars are in full swing, but honestly, i am not sad that Chevy isn’t playing the raw #’s game. I still think rams are a better everyday truck than ford even if they are not better build and that Chevy’s are the all around “goldilocks” truck package. right amount of power/capability/comfort at the right price. Please Chevy, just for kicks, and the sake of coronavirus boredom, make the ZR2 with an LT4
That’s what I keep telling my manager every time we have have to validate SW in vehicle. You ever induced trailer sway on a 14K trailer on a half ton truck? Not fun.
FORD has totally up there game with the 3.5 EcoBoost which it should have, the new F-150 PowerBoost is the icing on the cake of what’s to come in the future. Chevy and Dodge has to come out with a new line of engines at some point and it needs to be sooner than later
Ford : My peepee is bigger then yours. When will this stupid BS end?
Too bad this truck still looks basically the same from the sides as a 2004. Even the front window droop remains the same.
That interior blows away what GM trucks currently offer…….and this comes from a 2020 Sierra 1500 SLT owner…..
How does it blow away the Sierra interior? The only distinguishing factors I can see are the Quilted seats and a bigger screen.
Based on reviews of the new, ground breaking Explorer, the look and feel of those interior materials aren’t so hot. Will the F150 be much different? Until one can actually sit in one, there’s nothing I’ve read that supports the F150 is groundbreaking outside of Ford’s claims.
I am going to go with the following that I wish GM had
– quilted seats
– pano sunroof
– bigger screen
– door panels look more detailed
– material use “appears” to be better quality (metal dials etc)
This also looks a little more refined overall
Yep, the F-150 even has suede on the door and headliner. Not to mention massaging seats.
Also has illuminated scuff plates and all digital gauge cluster.
Brother in laws dad has a current gen F150 Platinum, there are some nice parts, but overall I still think it looks and feels like a Tonka toy inside.
Quilted seats look ghetto.
Yea, until GM adds them to the Denali. Just like when Ford added a tailgate step over a decade ago and now tailgate features are all the rage according to GM. Or how bad of an idea is was to use aluminum until GM did it. Or how a truck is supposed to have a column shift but now these same people are clamoring for the buttons in the Yukon. I guess there is a reason you can use the same letters to spell Denali and Denial.
Clearly you have never picked up a Low Rider or Donk Magazine. Or Visited places like Memphis or Detroit. They are flooded with ghetto GM products, it’s been like that for years in hip hop music. GM has been known as ghetto for years.
First of all, the Ford looks just like any other Ford, not much change I can see. Secondly, most GM owners do not cross shop Fords. I have never owned a Ford and do not plan to own one no matter what the criticism of the GM trucks. I happen to like the look of the GM trucks and will add the options that I think best suit me. The Chevrolet trucks are smart looking and stylish, I even think that the interior is pretty good. If GM moves the new Tahoe/Suburban or even the GMC Denali interior into the trucks they will become better sellers than they are right now.
As a Chevy owner, I cross shop Ford. I tend to stop at the ecoboost motors however. Considering that Ford kept the 5.0 and added cylinder deactivation, shows that they know just how effective Chevys small block is.
Really wish GM would put a DOHC V8 in mass production like Ford.
Andrew is correct. 1/2 ton p/ups don’t provide stability for those weights , for more than 25% of driving circumstances. As well , most trucks run m/t 80% of the time , sucking gal. of fuel with one on board . Choose BALANCE ; 8000 lb , ride , interior, phenomenal mileage = ecodiesel. Ford & GM make comparatives. Yes , I’ve owned Ford & GM. 1/2 tons.
Yea but lets stop turning a blind eye to the nearly 600 pounds of torque. We all can find that useful.
I bought a new F-150 EcoBust a few years ago. It stopped running at 39K miles … it was at my dealer 47 days of a 60 day period, they couldn’t figure it out … the engine would lose power (5 of 6 cylinders) once it was hot (after 40-50 minutes of driving highway speed thus they didn’t want to send a tech out for an hour drive). I researched online and found a possible cause – documented by a Canadian dealer that affected a lot of EcoBust F-150s but Ford refused to send a regional field engineer to the dealership. It’s a long story but you get the picture. I ended-up getting rid of it and I went back to Chevrolet/GMC.
Anyway, Ford could announce that the EcoBust could tow the space shuttle and/or a Boeing Delta III rocket and I wouldn’t touch that 3.5L engine. Because of this experience I’ll never go back to Ford, though I do offer positive comments to my sons re: the Powerstroke when they’re asking for opinions re: used trucks they are considering.
But back on topic, Chevy/GMC needs to keep pace – a reasonable or realistic pace – because the average consumer looks at numbers, specs. I just don’t believe that ANY 1/2 ton from ANY manufacturer is beefy enough, hearty enough to tow 14,000 lbs and thus that’s not a reasonable number. Consumers should own at least a 2500/250 if they need to tow that weight.
I think now would be a great time to introduce an Avalanche using the same chassis and suspension engine options as the new 2021 Tahoe/Suburban to compliment the half ton lineup and steal sales from Ram.
Have any of you actually towed anything? Anyway, it’s probably not a good idea to tow 14k with a half ton. But lets give Ford their do and proper for the other big number. The nearly 600 pounds of torque is going to be a blast to drive.