Ford: Internal Combustion Engines Aren’t Dead Yet

Electric power might be the future, but Ford isn’t throwing dirt on traditional engine designs any time soon.

If you’re at least a little concerned that electric power is taking over the automotive world, we won’t blame you. After all, automakers can only push the internal combustion envelope so far, right? For their part, Ford has done an admirable job wringing incredible power and fuel economy numbers from its engine lineup. But faced with ever-increasing emissions and fuel economy standards, how long can that last?

Well, fear not, lovers of internal combustion. We will in fact see a hybrid F-150 (and possibly an all-electric model) soon. But Ford isn’t turning the page on traditional engine designs just yet. That confirmation comes to us from none other than Ford’s new vice president of powertrain engineering Dave Filipe in a recent conversation with Auto Week.

When asked about the future of Ford’s powertrain offerings, Filipe made their intentions crystal clear. “We’ll have to keep doing both. The internal combustion engine is not going to fade away overnight. There are some really great new technologies that continue to advance and we can help deliver lower C02 and enhanced performance and driveability. We will continue to mature that as we simplify our architectures going forward.”

In fact, Filipe calls electric power merely “another addition to our powertrain portfolio.” Still, electrification remains a big part of their plans. “We have delivered full hybrid electric and partial hybrid electric vehicles and now we are going to accelerate that area and introduce battery electric vehicles.”

Electric power remains in its infancy, however. Filipe admits Ford would like to manufacture its own electric motors. But he left open the possibility of outsourcing as well. Much like how Ford partnered with GM on their new 10-speed transmission, the same situation could play out with EV components.

So it appears, at least for now, we can stop the fear mongering. Because the old reliable internal combustion engine ain’t dead just yet!

Join the F-150 Online forums now!

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.