Ford F-150 Lightning: the best-selling pickup truck goes electric

For 44 years the Ford F-150 has been the best-selling pickup in the United States. And thanks to the price Ford has set for its F-150 Lightning, we are confident it will lead the electric pickup segment. Want to know what price we are talking about? Keep reading.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is a showcase of technology born from the brand’s strategic plan, which was joined by the famous Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Its exterior has been differentiated from the conventional combustion version, while following the same design line. The standout feature is the light signature running across the entire massive front of the truck, a huge grille without air intakes and an imposing design.

Its chassis has been reinforced to support the weight of the batteries running along the entire lower part of the truck. Not only that, its body is made of military-grade aluminum of high strength.

Without a conventional combustion engine, the space under the hood has been converted into a boot with a capacity of no less than 400 litres. The truck’s maximum payload is 900 kg, a rather low figure due to the added weight of the batteries.

Towing capacity, when equipped with the Max Trailer Tow Package and the largest battery, is 4,535 kg.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is the most powerful F-150 in history. With a 563 CV motor and 1,050 Nm of torque, it would reach 0-100 km/h in about 4.6 seconds.

Ford has announced that there will be two battery options: one offering 370 km of range and another offering 482 km, both protected by a waterproof cover, resistant to impacts and able to withstand extreme temperatures.

As for charging, Ford says that in 41 minutes the F-150’s battery can go from 15 to 80%, allowing over 80 kilometres of range with about ten minutes of charging. However, charging the battery to 100% will require eight hours.

Major technological showcase

The pickup will feature the SYNC 4A system, accompanied by a huge 15.5-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, cloud connection and, from this month, Ford has started introducing Amazon Alexa as an assistant, as we already reported earlier this week.

The new SYNC 4A system brings novelties such as 360º ambient lighting and the ability to use our smartphone as the truck’s key.

In addition to the new central screen, the instrument cluster is new and specific to this F-150 Lightning, from which many systems can be controlled, including BlueCruise, one of the model’s novelties, which allows autonomous driving without needing to keep our hands on the wheel.

The Ford F-150 Lightning will also feature a sensor system that shows the driver the load being carried and how it will affect the vehicle’s range, providing a very accurate estimate.

Power station on wheels

One of the most revolutionary novelties of the electrified F-150 is the so-called Ford Intelligent Backup Power, a system that can power your home using the truck as the energy source. A wonderful solution that can save you in a power outage, capable of supplying our home for up to three days, or up to ten days if energy is rationed.

Moreover, it will not only serve during blackouts or similar situations: the system can also be used to power the home during peak-cost hours of electricity, while the vehicle is charged during the low-cost night hours.

Another optional extra for the F-150 Lightning is the possibility of equipping up to 11 sockets to connect any kind of electrical appliance.

The Ford F-150 Lightning will become available from 2022 in the USA at the end of the year. The downside? It will not reach Europe. Ford explains that this model’s features are very focused on the American market.

Now to the price, answering the question of how much you will have to pay for an F-150 like this. The starting price of the Ford F-150 Lightning begins at $39,974 excluding taxes (32,726 euros), or $52,974 for the XLT variant (43,219 euros).