7 Ford Truck Concepts

1. Ford F-250 Super Chief

The F-250 Super Chief concept was developed in 2006. Apart from its futuristic appearance, its most memorable feature was its tri-flex fueling system which would enable the truck to drive 500 miles between each refueling. Drivers could switch between the type of fuel being used, either gasoline, E85 ethanol or hydrogen. From a design perspective, the front-end grille was inspired by the Super Chief locomotives.

2. Ford F-350 Tonka Truck

Back in 2002, Ford dreamed up the F-350 Tonka Truck that was far from being just a toy. Equipped with a turbocharged 6.0-liter Power Stroke V-8 diesel engine, it was Ford’s first attempt at pairing diesel with a five-speed automatic transmission. Several years later, the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty and 2009 F-150 incorporated some of the F-350 Tonka Truck’s exterior features.

3. Ford Desert Excursion

The Ford Desert Excursion was clearly modeled after the Excursion back in 1999.  It was envisioned with a Triton 6.8-liter SOHC V-10 engine and oversized wheels fit for any terrain. The rugged interior was made to be waterproof and could seat six. The tailgate was extendable and there was even a mounted removable cooler.

4. Ford Equator

Not to be confused with the SUV concept modeled after the Ford Escape with the same name, the Ford Equator truck concept looks like a very rough design of what would become their F-Series trucks. It had approximately the same wheelbase as an F-150, with the width of a Super Duty. The exterior trim panels were made of Kevlar, making the Equator ready for some serious off-roading. The only Equator that was made was sold off at auction back in 2000 to help disaster relief efforts.

5. Ford Atlas

The 2013 Ford Atlas concept has a few exterior differences, but otherwise it looks pretty close to what we’ve come to expect from F-Series trucks. The Atlas had a 5.0-liter V8 engine that delivered 360 horsepower and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. As good as the Atlas looks, its engine and gas mileage were somewhat disappointing, which is probably why Ford scrapped this concept.  

6. Ford Power Stroke

Back in 1994, Ford marketed the Power Stroke concept as “a suggestion of what tomorrow could bring.” Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m sure I speak for many when I say I’m glad this concept never came to fruition in its true form. The Power Stroke looks like it’s having a design crisis, from the abundant 90’s curves to the anachronism that is the side mirrors. This concept is like the 10th gen F-150’s crazy uncle. Thankfully, it only seemed to inherit minimal influences from the Power Stroke concept.

7. Ford Adrenalin

In 1996, the Ford Adrenalin concept began to set a new tone for crew-cab pickup trucks across the U.S. Its design focused on prioritizing passenger seating space, having room for five and a shortened cargo box. If the Adrenalin looks familiar, that’s because its concept developed into the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, which was discontinued after its 2010 model year. It seems that Ford was way ahead of the game with this concept and design.

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