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

The first totally hybrid pickup truck is, unsurprisingly, the most fuel efficient in its class.

Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
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Sean Szymkowski
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2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch 4x4
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2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch 4x4

These are very good figures for a full-size, light-duty truck.

 Nick Miotke/Chris Paukert/Roadshow

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 .

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 4x4 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 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 4x4 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.

2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch PowerBoost matches hybrid smarts with Western flair

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