Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford Motor Company


It normally is big, loud, and heavy - and has been America's best-selling vehicle for the last 44 years. We are of course talking about the Ford F-150 and now it’s going electric with more muscle than ever before. 

In 2020, Ford sold around 787,000 F-150s despite the Corona crisis and despite a model change in the summer. In better times, the F-150 was already selling more than a million a year.

The Ford Motor Company group from Dearborn near Detroit (Michigan) wants to retain this dominance in the home market, especially in the new era of electric mobility. That's why the truck is getting an electric twin this year.

Ford's F-150 pickup has consistently topped the stats of the world's best-selling cars for decades. The electric version Lightning, which was launched on the US market at the beginning of 2022, has a correspondingly high symbolic character. It offers plenty of space, ample range and is actually priced like a pickup truck.

"For both Ford and the American auto industry, the F-150 Lightning represents a pivotal moment in our journey to a zero-emission, digitally connected future," said Bill Ford, the automaker's chief executive officer, in a statement. “The F-Series has been America's best-selling truck for 44 years, the backbone of work across the country, and a trusted icon for generations of customers. Now we are revolutionizing it for a new generation.”

 

Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford Motor Company


It all sounds just about right because the demand is already exceeding all expectations and could indicate the change of the Americans from the V8 to the electricity age. Ford had already doubled its initial F-150 Lightning production target to 80,000 units per year, but even that became too little as appetite for the truck grew. 

At $39,974 for the base model, which can travel up to 230 miles on a full charge, the F-150 Lightning costs slightly less than the Tesla Model 3, the country's best-selling electric vehicle. Additionally, Ford said the truck's 1,800-pound lithium-ion battery can do something very cool: power up your home.

The F-150 Lightning can be used as an external power source (like a generator), such as on construction sites for the use of various power tools. And if there is a power failure at home, it can also ensure the power supply there for up to three days!

In December 2021, Ford stopped accepting refundable reservations for the truck as the number of preorders neared 200,000. At Ford's original production rate, it would have taken years to fulfill those orders already.

According to Ford, this is the smartest and most connected F-150 they have ever built. Absolutely emission-free, powerful, and with a decent range, they now want to revolutionize the new generation.

 

The Design 

Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford Motor Company


From the outside, the Lightning looks almost like a conventionally powered F-150. A special wheel rim and radiator grille design as well as the LED daytime running lights running horizontally across the entire front of the vehicle are its characteristic features. 

One would actually assume an engine behind the closed radiator grille, but the pick-up actually hides a 400-liter storage space under the front hood, which also has sockets and USB ports. For the time being, the Lightning will only be available in the version with a double cabin, which can accommodate up to five people. 

The biggest difference between the regular and electric variants is the ride height. Furthermore, the connector on the driver's side is another way to recognize the electric model. The electric variant has more ground clearance due to the electric motors.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford Motor Company


As expected with an innovative new release, technology plays a big part in the new truck's performance. Ford has added Onboard Scales, which uses the truck's sensors to estimate payload and tell customers how much they're hauling, and the first Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, which automatically controls steering, throttle, and brake inputs to aid towing.

Similar to a Tesla, Ford has included an update feature known as Ford Power-Up. The automaker claims the software is able to improve the F-150 Lightning's performance, provide high-quality upgrades, update existing features, and add entirely new features with capabilities, all in less than two minutes. 

The Ford F-150 Lightning is just as powerful on the inside as it is on the outside. In addition to the usual ample space, there is a twelve-inch instrument display and a 15.5-inch multifunction screen in the center of the dashboard. Thanks to over-the-air updates, the infotainment should always be up to date and keep the F-150 digitally up to date. It uses the Sync 4 system from Mach E.

Ford is also investing heavily in software, networking and digital services. In the F-150 and other models, drivers will soon be able to use autopilot on the highway, where they can take their hands off the wheel. 

The electric F-150 is more than a normal electric pick-up. With external main plugs for camping or crafts, it is a powerful power bank. In the basic version, the main plug offers 2.3 kilowatts, in the top models' Lariat and Platinum 9.6 kilowatts for the supply of tools, cooling units, or the caravan. 

Ford attaches great importance to the fact that the rustic pick-up retains its well-known robustness and off-road mobility, which has made it so popular with customers all over the world and especially in the USA for decades, despite the electric drive.

 

The Power

Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford Motor Company


Two electric motors power the standard 4×4 system and deliver almost instantaneous torque to all four wheels. In the standard version, the EPA-estimated range is 230 miles, while the performance is specified as 426 hp ( 431 hp ) and 1051 Nm of torque. In the second and more powerful version, the F-150 Lightning should produce 563 hp to 571 hp with the same torque. It should do the sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. 

In order for this tremendous power to get to the ground, the Ford F-150 is obligatory with all-wheel drive and can tow huge trailers. No other electric car in the world can do that at the moment. 

Ford also confirmed that the F-150 Lightning has a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds on the standard model with 18-inch wheels, and on XLT and Lariat trucks with the extended-range battery and Max. targeting 10,000 pounds maximum available towing capacity Trailer Tow Package. 

If nothing is being towed, Ford is targeting a 230-mile range for the standard Lightning and a 300-mile range for the extended-range model. On the go, a DC fast charger can cover 84 miles in 10 minutes and charge from 15 to 80 percent in about 40 minutes.

 

Conclusion

Ford F-150 Lightning

 

Ford F-150 Lightning prices range from around $40,000 to $90,000. The entry-level model is commercially oriented and starts at $39,974 (before tax, before bonus programs). For private customers who value more comfort and additional technologies, Ford offers the better equipped XLT version, which is then available for $52,974. For the top model Platinum, on the other hand, at least 90,474 US dollars will be due.

By 2030, 40 percent of all the Group's vehicles are to be sold as pure electric cars. However, the company has not set a date for phasing out the combustion engine, as its competitor GM does in 2035.

 

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Tankut Basar

Tankut Basar is an ARA (American Rally Assoc.) Racing Driver and an FIA Bronze Category License Holder. His passion for driving began with karting like most racers. He started racing internationally at the age of 22. Tankut loves everything car-related and will keep enjoying the drive until the end. 

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