Ford F-150 Lightning

Rear view

In January 2019, Ford announced the intention to produce a fully-electric light pickup at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.[7]

In July 2019, Ford tested prototype electric test mules on existing F-150 chassis. This culminated in a record-setting demonstration test tow of 1,250,000 pounds (570,000 kg) on rails.[8] Chief engineer for the F-150, Linda Zhang, emphasized at the time that Ford intended to take the "built Ford tough [characteristics of] durability, capability, and productivity and [extend that into] a whole new arena" of electric trucks.[8]

Ford unveiled the truck, and released the model name on May 19, 2021,[9] with production planned for spring of 2022.[5][10] Ford received 69,500 refundable-deposit orders in the first four days after the announcement.[11]

By late May 2021, Ford had begun discussing other electric trucks beyond the F-series, such as the Expedition and Navigator, which are intended to be underpinned by their full-size EV truck chassis, as well as a smaller chassis which will be used for the Bronco, Explorer, and Aviator.[12]

By June 11, 2021, over 100,000 reservations were made, and Ford announced that the company would offer digital services for subscription revenue that will change car sales from a single-time transaction process.[13]

Ford had received more than 200,000 Lightning reservations for a 3-year backlog by the end of 2021.[14][15]

The first pickup was manufactured on April 18, 2022, with first delivery on May 26.[16]

In June 2022, Ford announced its intention to restructure its dealership model, including building an e-commerce platform where customers can buy EVs at non-negotiable prices in an effort to match Tesla’s profit margins.[17] Ford also stated that it would spend $3.7 billion to hire 6,200 union workers to staff several assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri in a bid to sell 2 million EVs a year by 2026.[17]

The base configuration has 452 hp (337 kW), 230 mi (370 km) range, and its smaller battery supports a 2,000 lb (910 kg) payload. The high-end configuration has 580 hp (430 kW), 300 mi (480 km) EPA range, 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) times in the mid-four-second range, and a towing capacity of 10,000 lb (4,500 kg). All models have 775 lb⋅ft (1,051 N⋅m) of torque, full-time 4wd, independent rear suspension, and will initially come in a crew-cab configuration only, with a 5.5 ft (1.7 m) bed.[5] The F-150 Lightning weighs 6,500 pounds (2,900 kg), over-a-third as-much-again as the internal-combustion-engine (ICE) powered equivalent F-150, with most of the additional weight a result of the Lightning's 1,800 pounds (820 kg) battery.[18] The F-150 Lightning was one of several electric vehicles cited by National Transportation Safety Board head Jennifer Homendy as being significantly heavier than ICE-powered models and thus raising the risk of other road users being killed or seriously injured in collisions, alongside products from other manufacturers such as General Motors and Volvo.[19][20] The active suspension provides real-time load weighing function. Like Tesla, the Ford F-150 Lightning is announced to include over-the-air software updates, and a significant software driving aid which will allow limited hands-off highway driving, but fall short of full self-driving.[5] The F-150 Lightning in some trim packages, in concert with the "80A Ford Charge Station pro with Ford Intelligent Backup Power capability," can provide household-oriented V2G power, which can meet the electrical needs of a typical American home for three to ten days.[21] The truck can also supply up to 9.6 kW of power through up to eleven 120V and 240V electrical outlets distributed around the truck.[21]

This electric truck has a standard battery and can travel 230 mi (370 km) on a single charge. EPA range estimates of 230–300 mi (370–480 km)[5] produced by Ford in May 2021 were based on 1,000 lb (450 kg) of cargo carried in the truck. Electrek reported that the range with no load, just a driver and the truck, appeared to be closer to 400 mi (640 km).[22]

The Ford F-150 Lightning was also evaluated to reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds. Maximum available payload is 2,235 pounds (1,014 kg), which includes the 400-pound (180 kg) payload of the "frunk" (which was Ford's interpretation of the front trunk). The new Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg).[23]

The base model is the "commercial-grade Lightning Pro" fleet version while the "mid-series" model is called the XLT. Higher-priced models are known as the Lariat and Platinum.[5]

In MotorTrend testing of an F-150 Lightning Platinum without a trailer and only the driver, the Platinum attained a range of 255 miles (410 km). When towing a 7,218-pound (3,274 kg), 33 ft 11 in (10.34 m) camper, the F-150 Platinum was only able to reach 90 miles (140 km). The test was over a 80-mile (130 km) route with average highway speeds between 64 and 67 mph (103 and 108 km/h), and with the headlights and audio system on and the automatic climate control set to 72 °F (22 °C).[24]

The F-150 Lightning is produced at the new Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan,[9] and involves two other plants: the Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan which will assemble the electric motors and the Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan will produce the batteries.[25]

Trim levels

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro

For the 2022 model year, the F-150 Lightning is available in four trim levels: Pro, XLT, Lariat, and Platinum.[26] The Pro trim is only available with the smaller-capacity battery, and the Platinum only offers the higher-capacity battery, although all other trims include the smaller-capacity battery as standard equipment, but also offer the higher-capacity battery as an option.

• GMC Hummer EV
• Lordstown Endurance
• Plug-in electric vehicles in the United States
• Rivian R1T
• Tesla Cybertruck
• Chevrolet Silverado EV

• Official website