- Ford is reportedly planning to launch extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) across multiple segments later this decade.
- EREVs get a battery and electric motors. They also get a gas-powered generator to recharge the battery, but the wheels are only powered by the e-motors.
- The automaker is also working on its ‘skunkworks’ EVs to take on Tesla and bring affordable EVs to the masses.
Despite pickup trucks being wildly popular in the U.S., the ones running on pure battery power are struggling to strike a chord with the masses. They tend to be more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts and buyers don’t seem convinced by their towing and hauling capabilities.
Now, automakers are increasingly embracing a new solution: extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs). Ram and Scout Motors have already announced their EREV plans for the U.S. and Ford is now joining that growing list. The Dearborn automaker is preparing to offer EREV versions of its SUVs, crossovers and the Super Duty pickup, Bloomberg confirmed on Tuesday.
Photo by: InsideEVs
The 2025 Ram Ramcharger’s EREV platform. It uses an EV-style battery backed up with a gas engine that acts as generator to recharge that battery.
EREVs get an electric powertrain with a large battery and motors. They also get a traditional internal combustion engine. The role of the gas engine is only to act as an onboard generator to recharge the battery. The wheels run on electric power only. Owners can also recharge the battery directly, but the onboard gas generator can be a backup when charging isn’t accessible.
EREVs are already a burgeoning category in China. Chinese automakers sold some 623,000 EREVs in 2024, according to data from the China Association Of Automobile Manufacturers. The segment will land in the U.S. this year, with Stellantis preparing to launch the Ram 1500 Ramcharger that has been promised to deliver about 690 miles of range.
Ford’s EREVs won’t arrive until 2027. But when they do, they’ll likely play a crucial role in making its EV business profitable—something that has so far proved elusive for Ford even as it moved into the electric space early on.
Ford’s EV business unit, christened Model e, was forecast to lose about $5 billion in 2024. Even though sales of the fully electric F-150 Lightning have been growing, they account for a fraction of sales in the broader F-150 family, which also includes gas-powered and hybrid models. As we reported last year, Ford has canceled a three-row electric SUV and delayed other models, including an all-electric pickup truck expected to be a Lightning successor.
Photo by: InsideEVs
Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors also showcased its EREVs in the U.S. last year. The automaker plans to launch its Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck in both pure EV and EREV versions. The latter, however, made up for about 80% of early reservations, the automaker said last year.
As InsideEVs reported last week, nobody is winning the electric pickup truck war yet. That might change when EREVs enter the picture.
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