Custom Electrification
There’s a Ford (electric-powered classic) in your Future
Story by John Gunnell, photos courtesy of Ford
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fter World War II, Ford launched a series of ads based on the theme “There’s a Ford in your Future.” The ads showed Ford cars and trucks in a crystal ball held by a hand. Now, the message has changed to “There’s an electric Ford in your future.” And to expand the EV market a bit, classic vehicle lovers of the future may be re-powering older cars and trucks with electric crate motors. That’s the idea behind the Ford F-100 Eluminator, a concept truck that Ford whipped up which has a 1978 F-100 pickup body and an electric engine! The Eluminator started out as a very wellpreserved 1978 F-100 with a stock internal-combustion engine. That power plant was taken out and a 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition battery electric powertrain was installed in the truck. It uses twin, front and rear electric traction motors that, together, produce a combined 480 hp and 634 lb-ft of torque. Ford says it built the Eluminator to showcase the benefits of electric propulsion in motor vehicles. But there’s a second angle to its creation, since the clean-looking concept truck also shows that enthusiasts can order an electric crate motor from Ford dealers right now. The dealership then orders the electric motor through Ford Performance Parts. This “store-bought” Mach-E GT crate motor delivers 281 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The Eluminator bowed to the public at the 2021 SEMA Show. “Ford, today, previews the future of electrified custom vehicles with the revealing of the all-electric F-100 Eluminator concept,” read a press release. “It is a zero-emissions demo truck with an all-new Ford Performance Parts Eluminator electric crate motor.” Ford said customers can also buy motors online at https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9000-MACHE.” 24 Trucks Plus MAGAZINE APRIL/MAY 2022
