Ask Nathan: Ford’s Small EV Pickup, Used Fiat 500 vs Toyota Yaris and What Happens to TFL-Owned Vehicles?

Here's what happens to our vehicles when we finish filming with them

(Image: Glen George, posted via Ford Authority)

In this week’s Ask Nathan:

  • Information about Ford’s small EV pickup?
  • Buying a used Fiat 500 vs Toyota Yaris.
  • What happens to vehicles we use in TFL Studios’ video series when we’re finished with them?
These sketches (by Glen George Via: Fordauthority.com) are from a few years back, but the radical design could influence Ford’s small EV pickup.

The first question comes from a Ford fan who wants to know if we have any information on Ford’s small EV pickup.

Q: (Via: AskNathan@tflcar.com) Can you answer a question about a rumor about Ford’s small EV pickup truck?

Do the rumors about Ford’s small RV pickup truck hold water? I love all the stuff you guys have done with the Ford Lightning. Every Alaska episode I watched and your tests are the best. I learned more about the Lightning from the Fast Lane than any other You Tuber out there. But as much as I liked those videos, they kind of made me sad. There is no way I could ever afford a Ford Lightning. My budget is closer to a Ford Maverick hybrid.

I saw you covered rumors about the Maverick becoming a P H E V or an all EV a while ago. But then I heard that Ford will build a small EV pickup that is totally unique. Do you think this is for real or did I hear wrong?

Please let me know what you guys have heard and thank you for the great videos!

– 5MG

(Image: Ford)

A: Ford CEO Jim Farley said that an EV pickup will be built at their future manufacturing campus Blue Oval City, in Tennessee. It’s not the next generation Ford Lightning, and it will have a new nameplate.

There have been additional tidbits flying around the net, including the above image of an all-electric pickup truck that’s much smaller than an F-150 Lightning. It looks more like a Maverick, to be honest, but it’s hard to say. What we do know is that Ford is making huge investments in EV manufacturing. They have a goal of reaching up to 50-percent of their vehicles being electric by 2030.

Much of this, and the confirmed, yet unnamed EV pickup revolves around BlueOval City:

“BlueOval City’s assembly plant will harness Ford’s global manufacturing expertise and cutting-edge technologies to deliver cost efficiencies and the quality that our customers expect. This will enable Ford to lead in the race to bring dependable, affordable and advanced electric vehicles to even more Americans.”

Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, Americas & International Markets Group

Like many automakers, Ford is keenly aware that their trucks are painfully expensive. When they introduced the Maverick, it became a remarkably h seller for good reason. Building a usable small pickup that’s affordably priced worked. No one, other than Hyundai, had an answer for it, and the public gobbled them up with zeal.

Imagining the equivalent in an all-electric pickup isn’t that hard for me. Ford has the deep pockets to design and build a much less expensive electric pickup for the masses. Something that will bring in new buyers, while satisfying current consumers. It could be something as obvious as an all-electric Maverick – with a different name. Or, it could be something all-new.

Sadly, there’s very little information on it right now.

– N


The next question comes from a viewer who is thinking about buying either a Toyota Yaris or Fiat 500.

2018 Toyota Yaris
[Photo: Toyota]

Q: (Via: Twitter@Nathan Adlen) Got a problem bro. I was shopping for a 2018 Toyota Yaris and accidently fell in love with a 2016 Fiat 500 Abarth by total accident.

Same price bro! I won’t bother you with all of the details, and I know which vehicle is the smarter buy [The Italian car is more reliable, right? =D] Can you please talk me down from this ledge!

– Kevin.S (Not Kevin Sorbo)

[Photo: Fiat]

A: Ah, I see your emotions are fighting with your logic circuits.

I’m sorry my friend, but there’s little I can do to influence your heart. That’s especially true for something as fun as the Fiat 500 Abarth. It will never be as solid and logical as the Yaris, but it WILL be more fun.

If those were my only two choices, I would throw logic (and an expected return on my investment) out the window and go for the fun car.

– N


The last question is in regards to the used vehicles we feature on our eight channels.

This 1997 Mustang GT is on sale now!

Q: Do you guys keep or sell the cars you use in your videos?

– A

A: Thanks for the question, and I’m assuming you’re referring to the older vehicles we feature on our videos.

Usually, we sell them. Every now and then, one of us will buy a vehicle that we used in a video series. A good example would be my purchase of Tommy’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, almost a year ago. Nearly everyone at TFL Studios has purchased a vehicle we’ve featured in a series at one time.

Now that we have TFLbids.com, we sell our cars (and others) there. It’s an auction website that anyone can use to sell a used car.

Cheers!

– N

Speaking of cars we’ve bought…