Ford CEO Jim Farley Outlines Where EREV Tech Makes Sense

[rembrant]

Ford CEO Jim Farley Outlines Where EREV Tech Makes Sense

By Brett Foote
February 12, 2026 12:02 pm


Extended range electric vehicles (EREVs) are a pretty new concept in the automotive world, combining large battery packs with electric motors and gas generators that serve one purpose - to feed power back into those battery packs when one needs to travel longer distances. EREVs are being hailed as the perfect middle-ground solution between traditional gas-powered vehicles and pure EVs, and Ford is aiming to add them to a select number of vehicles in its lineup, as CEO Jim Farley recently touched on.

"But that's only part of our strategy. In addition to that, we're betting on hybrid across our lineup and EREV where it makes sense for our duty cycle, like large trucks where towing is a real important application and both FHEV and pure electric will definitely not work," Farley said during the automaker's Q4 2025 earnings call with investors. "So we're looking to make CO2 reductions across our lineup, but we're doing it in a very efficient way."

For now at least, The Blue Oval has only confirmed that it has one specific EREV model on the way - a revamped version of the previously all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning. That pickup is expected to offer a total range of up to 700 miles, when factoring in the gas generator. However, that gas powerplant won't drive the wheels - that task is reserved for the electric motors, meaning that the EREV will drive a lot like a regular old electric vehicle, with quiet operation and rapid acceleration.

Otherwise, Farley has hinted that EREV powertrains will be reserved for the company's larger SUVs and pickups - and even the Ford Explorer, potentially - which makes sense, as pure electric versions of those vehicles require massive battery packs to achieve reasonable range statistics, and are quite pricey as a result - not to mention the fact that they lose considerable range when towing. Judging by Farley's comments here, EREV powertrains may also be limited to body-on-frame vehicles, and perhaps only full-size ones, at that.

I think it’s foolish to assume that everyone wants a EREV. Why don’t they have this as a option? Just like the interior options, XLT, Lariat or Platinum. My next purchase will never be a EREV. I don't want to buy gas or oil ever again. The way of the future is all electric.

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[bc1]

Guess I haven't paid much attention to the corporate ladder. I kinda thought from reading posts here that "Brian" was the CEO of Ford and/or the man in charge of Ford. I suppose he is just some flunky that really was invented by AI after all even though his signature line says he isn't.

 

[rembrant]

Imagine complaining "the vehicle is TOO reliable", how dare a customer purchase such a reliable vehicle, what are they thinking!

They should continue to buy unreliable vehicles, so the dealership can forever charge them...lol

To me the practical issue that EREV's solve is towing.
Current Batteries are too big, heavy, expensive to just double their capacity, and they charge too slowly anyway if your towing. Solid state will likely solve these issues eventually, but that is years away at the moment.

EV charging station design wasn't planned out for trailers behind the EV's and although pull through charging is coming, it will take a long time to become widespread. The time to transition both battery tech and charging infrastructure is the issue, and Ford sees the EREV as the temporary solution.

Most people who tow regularly don’t drive half ton trucks. They drive 3/4 or 1 ton trucks. Farley’s decision is incorrect. Ford should invest in charging stations.

 

[bc1]

Most people who tow regularly don’t drive half ton trucks. They drive 3/4 or 1 ton trucks. Farley’s decision is incorrect. Ford should invest in charging stations.

Just seems to me that they should focus on farmers and people in the trades who don't drive long distances and only pull trailers for short hauls, etc. Many of those don't need or use 3/4 tons or that is what they buy. Most get by with their 1/2 ton pickups and that is what I see the most of even pulling their cattle trailers and flat beds. I see roofers pulling those dump bed trailers with a half ton just far enough to get to the county landfill.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I had three F150's that were used for pulling my 7x14 dual axle to racing events across the nation east of the MIssissippi, they all worked well, then had my F250 PSD, that performed better from the MPG point of view.

I'd like to see the EREV meet similar performance working hard, and when not pulling, it'll operate 99.8% as a BEV

 

[Jseis]

You’all seem to forget that Mr. Farley works for a board of directors and in Ford’s case the Ford Family figures prominently in such decisions… and most mainstream auto companies faced the same consequences as Ford regarding which direction with ICE, BEV, Hybrid... & tough decisions. That & “K” shaped economy means those entering workforce are faced with $450K housing, $50K vehicles on $20/hour income. Good luck with that. And a demographic cliff with a declining population within a generation… in all developed countries. Oh yeah, you‘all can make bank if you’re a plumber (true).

I prefer BEV as does the S.O. I’m not confident of a hybrid being cost efficient given our states high gas prices (4.25-4.50/ gallon) and costly dealer servicing two power units. As the Lightning currently averages 70-80 MPGEs, can’t see a mainstream pickup hybrid getting any where near that… maybe 35-40 mpg… but I doubt it.

I simply don’t miss ICE heat, reciprocation, coil packs, plugs, automatic trannies, fluids, gas stations, fuel stink, etc. Seems archaic.

Now that I think of it my first hybrid experience was a carb flooded ‘60 Biscayne with a straight 6 transplant & 3 speed floor shift. I backed it out of a parking space using the starter on a hill so I could clear a car in front to bump start it. Had barely enough battery to pull that off.

 

[bc1]

I simply don’t miss ICE heat, reciprocation, coil packs, plugs, automatic trannies, fluids, gas stations, fuel stink, etc. Seems archaic.

Now that I think of it my first hybrid experience was a carb flooded ‘60 Biscayne with a straight 6 transplant & 3 speed floor shift. I backed it out of a parking space using the starter on a hill so I could clear a car in front to bump start it. Had barely enough battery to pull that off.

I had a similar experience. Drove down a flooded street that got a lot deeper (maybe 6" to 12") towards the end in a low spot and the engine died on my Subaru with a stick shift. Put it in reverse and used the starter to back it up into the nearest driveway out of the water. Started it up and got out of there with no water inside.

 

[davel8257]

re: Diesel electric trains -- are immensely heavy --which provides the traction they need. Running a diesel EREV pickup truck would be an interesting idea -- steady-state RPMs for the diesel, high torque and regeneration from the electric motor drive. But more likely a semi-tractor sized vehicle that would be benefit from the weight.

EV's are a new technology to car makers. Personal computer vendors saw this in the 80's and 90's. A PC was obsolete in 18 months -- and most corporate buyers were replacing desktops at that rate (I was part of that movement during my work years). Car manufacturing is not nearly agile enough to keep up with changing battery chemistry, advances in electronic speed control -- even the infotainment tech is changing (new bluetooth and USB protocols come out every 3 yrs). PC vendors survived because they adopted industry wide standards. You could buy additional RAM from Radio Shack and it would fit your IBM PC (with a few notable exceptions that didn't last long). Hard drives plugged in. Flat screen monitors even today still have the 20 year old RGB connector on some of them - that drove 40LB CRT Glass tubes of the 80's. That was a radical decision to adopt those standards on the "peripherals".

PC design was 'technology and market driven' -- not politically driven. There were endless debates about how computers were either going to ruin our kid's education or improve them (still raging today) -- PC designs marched forward anyway. Cheap gas prices have always ruled the car culture. (SUV size and sales go up and down with pump prices.)

I let my diesel truck friend drive my Lightning. Not quite a convert yet, but I answered all of his questions honestly -- he's not pessimistic or hostile as he once was, but not yet a convert. That will come with time. That's 1. We all have to become 'salespeople' (I think our wives are probably better at this any we give them credit) -- and win over our neighbors 1 person at a time...

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