2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid beats Chevy, Ram in fuel economy battle

Shocking news this morning: a hybrid pickup truck returns class-leasing fuel economy. It seems kind of like a no-brainer, but it’s true and the truck involved is none other than the 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid. On Friday, the automaker shared the EPA’s estimated fuel economy figures, which bests the most fuel efficient, gas-powered options from Chevy and Ram.

The figures are — drumroll please — 25 miles per gallon in the city, 26 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined for an F-150 Hybrid in two-wheel drive form. Opt for 4×4 and the fuel economy is still really darn good at 24 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. I went ahead and looked back at fuel economy for a 2010 F-150 to see how far we’ve come and it’s pretty incredible. Ten years ago, the most fuel efficient F-150 for sale was the two-wheel drive model with a 4.6-liter V8 and a six-speed automatic. How’d the EPA rate it? A measly 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined. In a decade, the 2021 F-150 Hybrid is almost 10 mpg more efficient than its predecessor.

If you go a head and pit the F-150 Hybrid and its twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 hybrid powertrain against the most frugal Chevy Silverado and Ram 1500, the Ford walks away with it. I’m speaking with regards to gas-powered engines, though, not diesel. Just a note. The best you’ll get from the Silverado is an estimated 21 mpg combined and even the Ram 1500’s eTorque mild-hybrid V6 powertrain only muscles an estimated 22 mpg. Both figures are for two-wheel drive trucks since the estimates drop for 4×4 models.

Truly, it puts Ford in a good spot. The F-150 Hybrid is not a slouch with 430 horsepower and a whopping 570 pound-feet of torque. You will not find that in Chevy’s 2.7-liter turbo-four Silverado, nor Ram’s electrified 3.6-liter V6. Just like Ecoboost helped Ford sell the public on smaller displacement, turbocharged engines, perhaps PowerBoost will help turn Americans onto powerful, yet efficient, utility vehicles.