First-ever F-150 Power Stroke Diesels to Roll into Dealerships in Spring

Engineered to Tow Under Grueling Conditions

Engineering the most efficient F-150 towing machine ever is enabled by F-150’s high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body, introduced in 2015. This revolutionary construction lightened the load by 700 pounds, allowing engineers to invest in additional technologies to further improve towing and payload capability, as well as greater fuel economy, even when towing. For 2018, stronger axles coupled with the fully boxed, high-strength steel frame add further robustness.

The Ford truck team paid particular attention to extreme driving conditions when engineering the all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel, which features a premium mechanical engine-driven fan and dual radiator shutters for improved high temperature, high-altitude performance – a key advantage versus the electric cooling fans used by competitors.

“We know that competing diesels with electric cooling fans have to dial back on power under extreme heat and altitude, so we decided on a viscous-controlled mechanical fan that has the capacity to move much more air across the radiator and intercooler in extreme conditions,” said David Ives, Ford diesel engine technical specialist. “This gives F-150 Power Stroke owners more power and more passing capability in harsh conditions.”

‘Competing diesels with electric cooling fans have to dial back on power under extreme heat & altitude, so we decided on amechanical fan that has the capacity to move much more air across the radiator and intercooler in extreme conditions.’

In more moderate driving and towing conditions, the F-150 engine control system backs off the fan load through a viscous coupler, closing down the two radiator shutters for improved aerodynamic efficiency and reduced parasitic engine loss.

Calibrated specifically for the all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel’s low-end power and torque curves, a standard SelectShift® 10-speed automatic transmission maximizes shift points and gear ratios to optimize power, low-rpm torque and efficiency. This segment-exclusive transmission can non-sequentially select the right gear ratio based on need – for best-in-class performance. To help reduce fuel consumption and vehicle emissions during city driving, Auto Start-Stop also comes standard.

In testing along the legendary Davis Dam in Arizona, F-150 equipped with the all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel engine climbed 13 miles at a 6 percent grade in temperatures in excess of 100 degrees – maintaining consistent power output throughout.