New specs & video on midsized Ford EV truck

[AeroWolf]

We make light of such things, but then I read an article about Ford appearing to put an add-on cost for the "Frunk" space on the Mach E.

Apparently, Ford has research suggesting Mach E vehicle owners are not using the frunk, so now they are replacing the bin with more internal plastic covers and charging an upgrade fee to put the Frunk bin back.

 

[phidauex]

We make light of such things, but then I read an article about Ford appearing to put an add-on cost for the "Frunk" space on the Mach E.

Apparently, Ford has research suggesting Mach E vehicle owners are not using the frunk, so now they are replacing the bin with more internal plastic covers and charging an upgrade fee to put the Frunk bin back.

Unfortunately the 2025/26 model was a downgrade in several areas - smaller frunk and then no frunk (I use mine all the time?), encrypted CAN (locks out 3rd party tools and ODB readers), etc. The heatpump is a nice addition, but seems to have minimal actual impact on range. So far my '21 has still been a great car.

 

[Driven5]

With a conventional trunk space that people are already accustomed to using, I can see why a frunk where the engine would normally go might not get much use on conventional sedan, hatchback, and SUV style vehicles. However, on a pickup (even 4-door) a frunk would be immensely more useful.

 

[E90400K]

Exactly - people say they want a manual transmission, and that is exactly what an EV is - a manual with a single gear.

As a diehard manual transmission guy, this is exactly my main interest in an EV, the single-speed manual transmission. Add in the instant and flat torque curve, it is the ultimate manual.

 

[KevinRS]

We make light of such things, but then I read an article about Ford appearing to put an add-on cost for the "Frunk" space on the Mach E.

Apparently, Ford has research suggesting Mach E vehicle owners are not using the frunk, so now they are replacing the bin with more internal plastic covers and charging an upgrade fee to put the Frunk bin back.

Yeah, and the numbers don't work out to actually saving consumers without the frunk much. It's like $150 less without the frunk than the older model, and adding the frunk costs $500, if I remember correctly.

 

[phidauex]

Yeah, and the numbers don't work out to actually saving consumers without the frunk much. It's like $150 less without the frunk than the older model, and adding the frunk costs $500, if I remember correctly.

Yeah, its just enshittification. "Do you want the big plastic piece or the small plastic piece? The small one costs the same as the old big one, and the big one costs $500, including our 500% markup."

 

[AZFox]

Apparently, Ford has research suggesting Mach E vehicle owners are not using the frunk, so now they are replacing the bin with more internal plastic covers and charging an upgrade fee to put the Frunk bin back.

I seem to recall someone saying

"We looked a what the industry was doing and did the opposite."

OTOH we haven't seen the price of the Electric Window Kit...

 

[KevinRS]

Taking out the frunk just seems weird though. It's kind of designed into the car, might make sense if they put something else there, more battery or something. Probably makes very little cost difference to the company to take it out, might even cost them more, since they have to replace the insert with other panels, then they can upcharge for a trim including it.

 

[GaRailroader]

Well keep in mind that Ford is not profitable on the Mach E and would like to get to profitability. If the frunk is not valued by most and they can save $100 bucks by excluding it then they are $100 closer to profitability. Additionally, let’s say 20% of the buyers the frunk is an important feature and are willing to plunk down $500 for it then they are that much closer to profitability. I do agree with the poster that observed that the frunk is probably a lot more important to a buyer of a 2 door pick-up than to someone buying a crossover with 60 cu ft of interior cargo space. On my Model 3 I use the frunk in 2 scenarios:

1. Long trips where I need every bit of cargo space.
2. When I have my bike carrier in the hitch which renders the trunk lid unusable. It is easier to use the frunk instead of folding down a seat to access the trunk.

 

[sodamo]

With a conventional trunk space that people are already accustomed to using, I can see why a frunk where the engine would normally go might not get much use on conventional sedan, hatchback, and SUV style vehicles. However, on a pickup (even 4-door) a frunk would be immensely more useful.

Sure am looking forward to the Slate frunk. Going from a Ridgeline with that nice compartment in the bed to a Tundra with basically no storage is my wife’s biggest complaint.

 

[KevinRS]

Keep in mind the quote on the frunk size is 2 carry on bags fit, so it's not really a lot of space.

 

[metroshot]

Unfortunately the 2025/26 model was a downgrade in several areas - smaller frunk and then no frunk (I use mine all the time?), encrypted CAN (locks out 3rd party tools and ODB readers), etc. The heatpump is a nice addition, but seems to have minimal actual impact on range. So far my '21 has still been a great car.

Same, love my '23 Job 1 before it got cost chopped (3 year services included, charger, and original frunk space).

My frunk is used for Costco runs and grocery store storage.

Co-worker bought a '25 Premium and he was stunned to learn that his does not have a frunk - it's closed off. But then he does have the heat pump.

 

[beatle]

I get what you mean, but to me "manual" means you shift it with driver input because the word manual means relating to or done by hand. A single-speed is always in the right gear... automatically.

Regardless of semantics, imitating a manual transmission seems silly.

It's similar to non-V8 turbocharged or hybrid pickups playing fake V8 engine vroom-vroom sounds through speakers in the cab to "enhance the driving experience".

I refuse to own a truck that makes artificial vroom-vroom sounds through its speakers.

I agree on the definition of the term "manual." The mental and physical work you do to select gears is part of the charm. Efficiency, performance, and convenience be damned. I made sure my Miata was a manual.

I disgree with the engine noises and gearshifts though. While I do agree that I don't want to have the wool pulled down over my eyes by the manufacturer, I think the piped in sounds (real or not) and simulated gearshifts are not always objectively bad. When the Ioniq 5N was announced with all of its charades, the enthusiast community absolustely roasted it as a poser EV joke. But every review I've read/watched shows the reviewer enjoying the experience, even if the car is a bit slower and is making unnecessary sounds. Slower and unnecessary are also words used for manual transmissions. Fake fun is still fun, and these features can always be disabled.

 

[E90400K]

I agree on the definition of the term "manual." The mental and physical work you do to select gears is part of the charm. Efficiency, performance, and convenience be damned. I made sure my Miata was a manual.

I disgree with the engine noises and gearshifts though. While I do agree that I don't want to have the wool pulled down over my eyes by the manufacturer, I think the piped in sounds (real or not) and simulated gearshifts are not always objectively bad. When the Ioniq 5N was announced with all of its charades, the enthusiast community absolutely roasted it as a poser EV joke. But every review I've read/watched shows the reviewer enjoying the experience, even if the car is a bit slower and is making unnecessary sounds. Slower and unnecessary are also words used for manual transmissions. Fake fun is still fun, and these features can always be disabled.

Sorry, pet peeve of mine. Slower... Not every car with an automatic is a dual-clutch auto (or a Porsche PDK - sounds cool to read, lol) that can rip off shifts in milliseconds and improve 0 - 60 times by a few hundreds of a second.

And as far as fake fun is still fun... I submit the movie, "When Harry Met Sally".

 

[Driven5]

It's not just DCT's. Cars with the latest generation of conventional (torque converter) automatics are also still generally faster, in addition to more efficient, than their manual counterparts. While not as quick shifting as a DCT, they still shift far faster and more consistently than a human.

I enjoy the feel of rowing gears on a manual transmission as much as anybody, but at this point that's literally all it is. Choosing a manual is choosing feelings over function, and choosing to sacrifice objective performance in exchange for enhancing the subjective sensory experience.