4 ms·

It seem like a lot of people who buy trucks are afraid to use their expensive status symbol to haul anything.

neogodless 3y ago
This comment doesn't seem relevant to the article or small, electric truck concept in it. Could you connect the dots? I will still respond - this is a popular sentiment, and there is plenty of truth in it for many "fancy truck" buyers. Still, because of the area I live in, there's a much higher mix of people that insist on buying the base trim level with the biggest bed and whatever payload/towing capacity they actually need due to their jobs or serious work they get done. I know a ton of those people, and only a handful that have fancy overpriced trucks that they use for commuting (and status symbols, or at least, how it makes them feel to be in a big truck). But yeah - that doesn't seem to be relevant to this truck.
- PaulHoule 3y ago
  The Ford Maverick is a smash hit. It reminds me of the Ford Escape hybrid back in the day. It is an entry level truck with a hybrid powertrain that gets compact car fuel efficiency (40 mpg!) I am not particularly paranoid about crime but I can't understand the appeal of the pickup truck bed. My dad was a carpenter and never had anybody steal tools out of a 1970s boat car or a VW Rabbit that he took the back seats out of. I learned to drive in an underpowered F150 that struggled to make it up hills on the freeway. I thought it was hard to shift at the time and eventually discovered it was easier to drive a school bus or a pre-synchromesh tractor than to drive that truck. Multiple times he had people smash the windows on the bed cover and steal tools. To the contrary for years the one vehicle on our farm was a Honda Fit and we never had trouble stuffing feed bags, sawdust bags and the occasional hay bale in the back.
  - ghaff 3y ago
    For me, maximizing the interior space makes the most sense 99% of the time--and I live on a semi-rural property where I do need to haul stuff from time to time. If I really need a once-a-year load of something that really needs a pickup bed, I'll either rent a trailer for the day or--more likely--just have it delivered.
    - PaulHoule 3y ago
      That's what I do, plus I have an undersized tractor that tows a wagon with a busted wheel.
  - neogodless 3y ago
    Hmm at least in my area I've never heard of anyone having anything stolen out of a pickup bed. Maybe I'm just too rural, and stealing from people that keep guns behind their seat and in the glovebox doesn't feel like a smart life choice? That being said, I don't see people keeping expensive stuff in the back of a truck unless it's parked in a garage. People that need tools for work install those locking tool boxes if it won't fit in the cab. As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, those that value a bed use it as an "outdoor" trailer. Load it with firewood so the bigger, the better so you're not driving some tricky route between trees to get to the wood you're moving more times than you need to. Throw literal horse manure in there. Back up to the feed store and let them throw 100 lb bags on there. The SUV (or hatchback) makes more sense depending the use ratio. Mostly commute but sometimes pick up feed bags? OK Honda Fit! Mostly drive around the farm and move gross stuff or loads of rocks and wood? Get the truck.
- jqpabc123 3y ago
  This comment doesn't seem relevant to the article or small, electric truck concept in it. Could you connect the dots? A small, cheap truck for light loads is what most haulers really need. What lots of people buy instead is a symbol to defend their masculinity.
cmrdporcupine 3y ago
It really depends on the buyer, I think. I see a lot of pickup trucks in actual real use. But they seem to have become the minority.
PaulHoule 3y ago
The ones who do need decent range hauling things. My wife runs a riding academy, we might have the only one that doesn't own a big ass truck, but we might be the only one that was cashflow profitable (though not to the IRS) in the first year and every year thereafter. A lot of people trailer horses 10-30 miles to state forests go trail riding, often to places where there is not only no electric service but no power line. (We have some really nice trails on our farm, and roads and trails to ride on right out our driveway) Other people drive 50-100 to go to a horse show on many weekends. You might be able to find an electric outlet but not a fast charger. The high end of horse trailering is that many people make a pilgrimage to Ocala, FL every winter which might be driving 1000 miles with animals that don't appreciate the stress. For this application you really want the biggest vehicle you can get, the GMC Suburban has been a top choice for years. You need better range than this: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-towing-test/ https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-elect...
- cmrdporcupine 3y ago
  For this market the PHEV model frankly makes a lot of sense, so I'm not surprised that Ford is doing that with the Ranger line-up.
seanw444 3y ago
Anecdotally, my "fancy" 2500 Laramie gets plenty of hauling and towing use. A lot of people who buy these kinds of trucks like having the capability. I like knowing that if something big needs to get moved, or something messy, it can do that. Also 4WDing my way up into the mountain with my shooting gear is very nice.

This comment doesn't seem relevant to the article or small, electric truck concept in it. Could you connect the dots? I will still respond - this is a popular sentiment, and there is plenty of truth in it for many "fancy truck" buyers. Still, because of the area I live in, there's a much higher mix of people that insist on buying the base trim level with the biggest bed and whatever payload/towing capacity they actually need due to their jobs or serious work they get done. I know a ton of those people, and only a handful that have fancy overpriced trucks that they use for commuting (and status symbols, or at least, how it makes them feel to be in a big truck). But yeah - that doesn't seem to be relevant to this truck.

PaulHoule 3y ago
The Ford Maverick is a smash hit. It reminds me of the Ford Escape hybrid back in the day. It is an entry level truck with a hybrid powertrain that gets compact car fuel efficiency (40 mpg!) I am not particularly paranoid about crime but I can't understand the appeal of the pickup truck bed. My dad was a carpenter and never had anybody steal tools out of a 1970s boat car or a VW Rabbit that he took the back seats out of. I learned to drive in an underpowered F150 that struggled to make it up hills on the freeway. I thought it was hard to shift at the time and eventually discovered it was easier to drive a school bus or a pre-synchromesh tractor than to drive that truck. Multiple times he had people smash the windows on the bed cover and steal tools. To the contrary for years the one vehicle on our farm was a Honda Fit and we never had trouble stuffing feed bags, sawdust bags and the occasional hay bale in the back.
- ghaff 3y ago
  For me, maximizing the interior space makes the most sense 99% of the time--and I live on a semi-rural property where I do need to haul stuff from time to time. If I really need a once-a-year load of something that really needs a pickup bed, I'll either rent a trailer for the day or--more likely--just have it delivered.
  - PaulHoule 3y ago
    That's what I do, plus I have an undersized tractor that tows a wagon with a busted wheel.
- neogodless 3y ago
  Hmm at least in my area I've never heard of anyone having anything stolen out of a pickup bed. Maybe I'm just too rural, and stealing from people that keep guns behind their seat and in the glovebox doesn't feel like a smart life choice? That being said, I don't see people keeping expensive stuff in the back of a truck unless it's parked in a garage. People that need tools for work install those locking tool boxes if it won't fit in the cab. As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, those that value a bed use it as an "outdoor" trailer. Load it with firewood so the bigger, the better so you're not driving some tricky route between trees to get to the wood you're moving more times than you need to. Throw literal horse manure in there. Back up to the feed store and let them throw 100 lb bags on there. The SUV (or hatchback) makes more sense depending the use ratio. Mostly commute but sometimes pick up feed bags? OK Honda Fit! Mostly drive around the farm and move gross stuff or loads of rocks and wood? Get the truck.
jqpabc123 3y ago
This comment doesn't seem relevant to the article or small, electric truck concept in it. Could you connect the dots? A small, cheap truck for light loads is what most haulers really need. What lots of people buy instead is a symbol to defend their masculinity.

cmrdporcupine 3y ago

It really depends on the buyer, I think. I see a lot of pickup trucks in actual real use. But they seem to have become the minority.

PaulHoule 3y ago

The ones who do need decent range hauling things. My wife runs a riding academy, we might have the only one that doesn't own a big ass truck, but we might be the only one that was cashflow profitable (though not to the IRS) in the first year and every year thereafter. A lot of people trailer horses 10-30 miles to state forests go trail riding, often to places where there is not only no electric service but no power line. (We have some really nice trails on our farm, and roads and trails to ride on right out our driveway) Other people drive 50-100 to go to a horse show on many weekends. You might be able to find an electric outlet but not a fast charger. The high end of horse trailering is that many people make a pilgrimage to Ocala, FL every winter which might be driving 1000 miles with animals that don't appreciate the stress. For this application you really want the biggest vehicle you can get, the GMC Suburban has been a top choice for years. You need better range than this: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-towing-test/ https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-elect...

cmrdporcupine 3y ago
For this market the PHEV model frankly makes a lot of sense, so I'm not surprised that Ford is doing that with the Ranger line-up.

seanw444 3y ago

Anecdotally, my "fancy" 2500 Laramie gets plenty of hauling and towing use. A lot of people who buy these kinds of trucks like having the capability. I like knowing that if something big needs to get moved, or something messy, it can do that. Also 4WDing my way up into the mountain with my shooting gear is very nice.