First Sight!! $30k midsize EV pickup Ranchero prototype spied 📸

[dorbi]

The inside bed caught my attention. I'm wondering if that's a glossy bed mat, a spray, or a composite bed. It sure looks slippery and glossy. Kind of hoping the final product is matte rough finish. BTW, huge fan of composite beds here. They're strong and they don't dent or rust. The Santa Cruz had a composite bed, as does the Ridgeline.

I think it's just painted, no bed liner applied. My Silverado looked the same before I put a bed liner in it. My guess is steel, though no way to tell, or to know if that's a production intent prototype or not. I remember seeing the Slate Truck in person and being told the one they had for demo had composite body panels for prototyping, and they were not indicative of the production intent polymer panels.

 

[LSchicago]

AI generated prediction. I'm sure it will look more modern / futuristic than this.

AI definitely got a lot wrong here.

 

[Furai]

This was posted by @onealienboi at Mavericktruckclub, FWIW

So talking to people who've seen it, the front slopes like a Tesla model y, but blocky instead of bulbous. It'll have mach-e style door handles as well. The holes in the camo for the headlights show you kinda how far the hood slopes down.​

 

[dorbi]

This was posted by @onealienboi at Mavericktruckclub, FWIW

So talking to people who've seen it, the front slopes like a Tesla model y, but blocky instead of bulbous. It'll have mach-e style door handles as well. The holes in the camo for the headlights show you kinda how far the hood slopes down.​

That’s an interesting note about the door handles, since this prototype seems to have regular mechanical ones. I’d really prefer it to have the style shown in these pics

 

[Mike the Car Geek]

Did AI get it?
Small, Ball-shaped Side Mirrors for aero
🛜 Front center opening in camo/bra is for a Camera and Radar
Several sensors appear behind the Windshield, Ford will utilize LiDAR for L3 Self-Driving - difficult to say if this truck has one

LiDAR will move behind the windshield (vs Bubble) but it requires packaging and removing UV film in that area

 

[truckplease]

All I want is my current Maverick but as an EV. I hope the bed is still useful and has the Maverick's "multi-position" tailgate. As a person who is hauling long sheet goods loads this feature has been amazing.

 

[dorbi]

It looks like they added some foam to the rear window as well, potentially to cover up a non-squared off rear window? As in, a sloped roof line at the back of the cab for aero?

 

[rclee]

This will be interesting when they take off the Camo and we see it for the first time!

 

[truckplease]

Let's also hope the charge port is in the "correct" location (back left or front right). The new Rivian R2 seems to have it in the back left.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/somehow-rivians-cheaper-r2-is-its-most-refined-vehicle

As a previous Mach-E owner, I had a lot of unfortunate supercharging situations on the highways.

 

[TNFurb]

Let's also hope the charge port is in the "correct" location (back left or front right). The new Rivian R2 seems to have it in the back left.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/somehow-rivians-cheaper-r2-is-its-most-refined-vehicle

As a previous Mach-E owner, I had a lot of unfortunate supercharging situations on the highways.

For us EV illiterates, can you share why the location on the Mach-E was a problem?

 

[TNFurb]

I think the AI still has the front end too blunt. I think it’s going to be even more sloped than that

 

[TNFurb]

I think the AI still has the front end too blunt. I think it’s going to be even more sloped than that

That was supposed to be a reply to Mike The Car Geek

 

[truckplease]

For us EV illiterates, can you share why the location on the Mach-E was a problem?

The most available chargers on the highway are the Tesla superchargers. Some of the newer ones have long cables (V4), but most of the older ones don't (V3). So you end up using two parking spaces because you use the cable intended for the other parking space.

The Mach-E (and many older EVs) have charge ports on the front left or back right. Tesla and newer EVs have their back left or front right. (Porsche Taycan is the exception that has ports on both sides of the car.)

See this pic of common supercharger stalls: (pic from motor1.com)

The situation is worse with the old short cables and the charger set at the curb side. Here's a pic from a trip a couple of years ago. That charger is intended for the space on the left.

 

[TNFurb]

The most available chargers on the highway are the Tesla superchargers. Some of the newer ones have long cables (V4), but most of the older ones don't (V3). So you end up using two parking spaces because you use the cable intended for the other parking space.

The Mach-E (and many older EVs) have charge ports on the front left or back right. Tesla and newer EVs have their back left or front right. (Porsche Taycan is the exception that has ports on both sides of the car.)

See this pic of common supercharger stalls: (pic from motor1.com)

The situation is worse with the old short cables and the charger set at the curb side. Here's a pic from a trip a couple of years ago. That charger is intended for the space on the left.

Very helpful and sort of shocking. You would think Tesla and the other charging companies would have planned better.

 

[truckplease]

Very helpful and sort of shocking. You would think Tesla and the other charging companies would have planned better.

There are standards around the plugs and charging protocols. But there aren't standards about plug location. Manufacturers make assumptions on where the charging infrastructure will be. e.g. Tesla expected people to back into spaces, EU manufacturers might assume curbside charging.