As contractors look to exchange automobiles of their fleet, innovation and decarbonization are driving most of the latest choices in at the moment’s pickup market. For a take a look at a few of the newest choices, Gear At this time spoke with each Ford Professional’s Kevin Lieberum and Ram Model’s David Sowers for extra info on latest developments and insights on future pickup product strains.
Pickup Tendencies
Lieberum, Ford Professional F-150 and Lightning model supervisor, just isn’t solely effectively acquainted with vans, but in addition the development atmosphere and the issues of at the moment’s fleet homeowners. “The tendencies driving at the moment’s demand for pickups are the identical as they all the time have been — functionality, value of possession, and expertise,” mentioned Lieberum. “We’re a nation that works arduous and, for these within the trades and working companies, we’ve developed essentially the most highly effective and succesful pickups that exist, however we have now additionally created new methods of constructing enterprise extra environment friendly.”
At this time, Ford Professional presents finish customers heightened options resembling Professional Energy Onboard, permitting prospects to make use of their truck as a cell generator. Lieberum additionally notes that tech options like Ford Professional Software program can streamline operations, make every day routines extra environment friendly, and assist finish customers scale back downtime.
Sowers, director of Ram Skilled Operations at Stellantis, Ram Model, who has greater than 30 years of truck-centric automotive expertise, says prospects steadily demand extra innovation, expertise and security elements of their fleets, noting that the first issues of at the moment’s fleet homeowners are functionality and effectivity.
Market Demand
With regards to basic demand, Lieberum says the financial atmosphere vastly influences demand, and the corporate tends to see truck demand transfer in sync with GDP, housing begins and different macroeconomic components. However in relation to the kind of vans most in demand for development fleets, heavy-duty appear to prime the record. Nevertheless, each fleet proprietor’s wants are completely different and lots of are searching for versatility of their fleet.
For example, in keeping with Ford, volumes are excessive for the Tremendous Responsibility, because the fashions span throughout all kinds of trims, pickups and chassis cabs to suit completely different development use circumstances and obligation cycles. Ford’s vary of pickups can be utilized for trade wants at numerous ranges of labor, says Lieberum. “Maverick, Ranger and F-150 are all gentle obligation pickups, Tremendous Responsibility F-250-450 are Heavy Responsibility pickups, F-550 is a Class 5 Heavy Responsibility chassis cab, and F-600 is classed as a Class 6 Medium Responsibility chassis cab. We additionally provide bigger Medium Responsibility vans within the F-650/F-750.”
Ram continues to develop alongside trade demand, says Sowers. “The 2025 Ram 1500 has come a good distance so far as functionality. The previous decade has turned what was as soon as a ‘half-ton’ pickup right into a one-ton pickup, with payload functionality as much as 2,300 kilos. That degree of engineering has cascaded by means of your entire truck with higher effectivity and
expertise. The identical will be mentioned for the Ram Heavy Responsibility lineup to a higher extent in functionality with payload numbers as much as 7,680 kilos.” Sowers notes there are a selection of use circumstances all through the development atmosphere, which is why many operators have each gentle obligation and heavy-duty variations. “In lots of circumstances, the Ram 1500 serves two jobs: as a piece truck [during the week] and household hauler on the weekends,” mentioned Sowers.
Specs, Sizes & Towing
Contractors including to their fleet face the duty of specifying a pickup that matches a wide range of wants and, in keeping with Lieberum, they need to be capable of tailor the truck as a software to suit these wants.
“Ford presents a wide range of configurations in relation to cab measurement for employee lodging and safe software storage, mattress size for payload quantity and ease of entry, most tow score, axle ratios for towing energy versus gas effectivity, engine, transmission and driveline choices for the steadiness of energy and effectivity, and towing expertise to make it simpler for extra workers to hitch up and comfortably tow the trailers they want.”
Whereas there isn’t a scarcity of specs or components to think about, most choices are pushed by utilization and funds. Lieberum says every little thing — from cab measurement, field size, 4×4 wants, axle ratio, payload, towing capability, and powertrain attributes — want to suit the job at hand. “There isn’t any one-size-fits-all [solution], however we regularly see prospects shopping for greater vans to ensure they’ve each doable want lined,” mentioned Lieberum. “Generally, prospects who use telematics are stunned after they take a look at precise utilization knowledge — utilizing instruments, like our EV Change Help — and discover they can substitute their getting older work vans with new F-150 Lightnings or XL Hybrid powertrains that won’t solely do the job, but in addition save them cash.”
Sowers stresses the significance of working intently along with your seller to establish the precise wants of your fleet and dealing to “job fee” your automobiles. “By offering [your dealer] particular utilization necessities, they can assist spec the suitable automobile by way of gross automobile weight, payload and trailer towing functionality,” mentioned Sowers.
With regards to trailering wants, says Lieberum, the very first thing to think about is the tow score and different related weight scores, but in addition towing frequency. “If the truck is towing one thing very heavy almost every single day, then, sometimes, that results in consideration of diesel or larger functionality fuel powertrains” mentioned Lieberum. “Nevertheless, if that tow utilization is barely occasional, then it could be less expensive to purchase a powertrain that’s optimum for day-to-day utilization however nonetheless has the potential to tow that load even when its efficiency whereas towing is lower than what a bigger, dearer powertrain would have supplied.”
Ford presents trailer tow enabling options on all of its vans, which vary from fundamental gear — like tow mirrors and trailer brake controllers — to high-tech options like 360-degree cameras with trailer and Professional Trailer Hitch Help.
Ford’s top-performing heavy-duty truck is the F-450, that includes a 6.7-liter Energy Stroke Diesel Excessive Output producing 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque, rear wheel drive configuration, with a single cab and twin rear wheels. “With the correct trailering choices, just like the Max Tow Bundle, this pickup is able to towing 40,000 kilos utilizing a gooseneck hitch” mentioned Lieberum. “This truck is designed for excessive work, towing the biggest flatbed or lowboy trailers to maneuver gear like excavators, telehandlers and bulldozers.”
Lieberum additionally notes that in relation to chassis cabs, Ford’s F-600, a Class 6 truck, will be personalized with a wide range of second unit our bodies, together with dump our bodies or stake beds extra in step with pickup utilization — although it presents the identical cab and inside options because the F-250 by means of F-450 pickups, regardless of having a gross automobile weight score of twenty-two,000 lbs.
Ram’s strongest, most succesful pickup within the phase, The Ram Heavy Responsibility, presents a towing capability of as much as 37,090 kilos and a payload capability of seven,680 kilos. “Ram was the primary to attain the 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque milestone with the Cummins I-6 Turbo Diesel, now rated at 1,075 lb.-ft. of torque,” mentioned Sowers. Together with these capabilities, Sowers says operator comforts are additionally a precedence. “Class-leading experience and dealing with is completed through a class-exclusive link-coil rear (2500) suspension system with elective rear air suspension (2500 and 3500),” mentioned Sowers.
Wanting forward on this phase, Sowers says Ram can be launching its new 25MY 2500 and 3500 pickup vans in Q1 2025, noting the 25 mannequin will embody important updates in functionality, expertise and security.
Powertrain Views
As producers ship extra numerous powertrain choices, the optimum powertrain for anyone development fleet is exclusive to that fleet and ought to be based mostly on the contractor’s particular wants. Lieberum says key concerns embody value of possession, regulatory compliance and handy entry to service facilities. “Typically,” mentioned Lieberum, “fleet prospects have a tendency to purchase the usual powertrain except their wants dictate in any other case with a view to optimize their funds.”
“For heavy-duty towing purposes, [Ford’s] PowerStroke diesel engine stays extremely sought-after,” mentioned Lieberum. “Contractors looking for a steadiness of payload, towing capability and value usually go for the three.5-liter EcoBoost V6 or 7.3-liter fuel V8 engines.”
In keeping with Sowers, “We see conventional fuel and diesel powertrains persevering with to be the mainstream makes use of by means of the tip of the last decade, however there can be growing mixes of electrification and ZEVs.”
Lieberum says Ford’s different choices, PowerBoost Hybrid system and F-150 Lightning Professional, provide distinctive benefits for jobsites missing energy infrastructure. “These automobiles allow contractors to recharge cordless instruments, energy corded gear, and function central energy sources for complete work areas whereas minimizing idle gas consumption,” mentioned Lieberum.
“Most fleets are taking a practical strategy to introducing electrification as a part of a smaller combine and rising over time,” mentioned Sowers. He additionally notes that almost all fleets will combine their powertrains for his or her particular wants, and electrification is utilized the place the practical wants will be met.
“For these requiring heavy-duty towing capabilities, diesel engines are the perfect selection,” mentioned Lieberum. “Clients prioritizing a steadiness of payload, towing capability, gas effectivity and affordability usually go for gas-powered fashions. By way of particular automobiles, these looking for optimum gas economic system and utility often gravitate towards the Maverick Hybrid whereas these searching for important electrical energy for jobsite purposes would possibly choose the F-150 Lightning Professional. In 2024, we switched the bottom engine on F-150 to the two.7L Ecoboost and have seen many completely satisfied prospects respect that energy and functionality.” He additionally notes the development trade tends to demand V8 fuel F-150s for towing smaller trailers, whereas the Tremendous Responsibility pickups come normal with the 6.8L V8 fuel engine or elective 7.3L V8 fuel engine, which prospects are inclined to choose when final towing functionality just isn’t required.
Lieberum notes that lately, many shoppers have begun to gravitate towards hybrid or electrical automobiles to capitalize on gas financial savings and authorities incentives. Ford Professional now presents E-Change Help, a software that helps companies assess the suitability of their present Ford automobiles for transitioning to electrical choices.
On the sustainability entrance, Ford goals to attain carbon neutrality by 2050 globally, and 2035 in Europe, specializing in its automobiles, operations and provide chain. At this time, the corporate presents a variety of fuel, hybrid and electrical automobiles to assist this purpose, giving finish customers the chance to make knowledgeable selections on their very own path to carbon-neutral transportation.
Ram is aiming for carbon neutrality on a tighter timeline, with a plan to scale back carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and be fully carbon impartial by 2038, together with the Ram Truck line.
Ford Professional’s F-150 Lightning presents an electrical fleet resolution with in a single day charging that will let you begin the day at a full cost and Professional Energy Onboard which turns the truck right into a fully-functioning generator.Ford Professional
Know-how Options
Inside the final decade, expertise adoption has boomed as contractors started to see features in effectivity and productiveness pushed by knowledge. In keeping with Sowers, “Knowledge utilization can be a big a part of bettering enterprise effectivity going ahead. At this time, it quantities to utilizing telematics to enhance automobile effectivity, however the future will combine the automobiles with the instruments and gear to make an environment friendly office.”
Ford Professional’s Telematics providing delivers key info to finish customers, together with gas consumption, EV vary, idling time, fleet monitoring and automobile well being monitoring. Additional enhancing these fleet administration capabilities, the Ford Professional Telematics Drive app permits distant monitoring, journey element exports, automobile checks and distant locking/unlocking.
Ram’s Sowers notes that new expertise not solely helps to enhance automobile and fleet effectivity, but in addition steps up resale worth, upkeep and reliability. Telematics particularly optimizes operations and supplies an added layer of safety to fleets.
As Lieberum notes, the mixing of Lytx dashcams with Ford Professional Intelligence and Ford business automobiles is one other layer of expertise designed to advertise safer driving practices. “Development prospects are recognizing the worth of lively modems of their automobiles,” mentioned Lieberum, “which allow a variety of digital capabilities resembling distant safety, superior telematics and distant video. Ford Professional presents complimentary companies like Ford Professional Telematics Necessities and E-Telematics to boost fleet effectivity and safety. “
As we glance to the way forward for truck applied sciences, Lieberum says much more options and advantages will come to market and proceed to enhance pickup choices. For instance, one in every of Ford’s new options, Good Acceleration Truncation on the F-150 Lightning, supplies sufficient energy to drive usually, and intelligently adjusts for the load on the truck whereas not delivering the entire out there 775 lb-ft of torque when not wanted, to assist optimize effectivity and put on and tear on issues like tires.
“With our engineers and workers consistently innovating, the potential is limitless to deliver future improvements that present a greater product to our prospects,” mentioned Lieberum.
In keeping with Sowers, “All future vans will possible [include] related platforms to permit telematics, predictive upkeep and restore through over-the-air updates.” And at the moment, the longer term is showing a lot nearer than anybody would possibly count on.
