However, it is still lower than your average tailgate.
Tailgates for your truck have become an integral part the ownership experience. These are no longer just a simple piece of sheet metal that opens and closes. Over the years, automakers have made tailgates more user-friendly by adding a variety of functions. GMC’s MiltiPro tailgate was introduced on the Sierra 1500. Ram’s MultiFunction version is barn-door-style. Ford may be able to surpass both, if their latest patent is ever put into production.
The filing at the US Patent and Trademark Office was made in July 2020, but it was only recently published on January 6, 2022. It shows a trisected file. F-150 A tailgate with a central lowering section and stationary pieces. Similar to the Ram’s trick tailgate but Ford’s design allows for easier access to the entire truck bed. Ford filed a trademark for something called the Flexbed The new tailgate could be called “The Name of the New Tailgate”
The F-150’s tailgate step is still available, but the new design does not remove it. Instead, the handle and step make it easier to climb into truck bed. The patent filing indicates that Ford has added another option to the new design. The bumper step folds out and can be used even when the tailgate closes. This makes it easier to reach the high bedsides. Electronic operation of the tailgate can also be demonstrated by the patent.
Ford’s F-150 was not equipped with a fancy tailgate when it was updated for the 2021 model-year. Ford made the tailgate a functional workspace, the Tailgate Work Surface. This can take C-clamps and not damage the truck body. Ford has a patent that explains how this might affect the tailgate. However, Ford found a way to integrate the tailgate step into the design so Ford may be able offer both. In 2020, reports surfaced that Ford was designing a multi-function tailgate. spy photos were also reported.