Ford F-150 Lightning
America’s bestselling vehicle, the Ford F-150 pickup, goes electric. Introduced in 2022, the F-150 Lightning adds the best qualities of electric-vehicle motoring – including quick acceleration and a quiet ride – without compromising most of what makes Ford’s full-size truck so popular, including its roomy cabin and impressive utility. While it can’t quite match conventionally powered F-Series pickups for towing or hauling duties, the F-150 Lightning is still a great choice for those who need a truck bed on occasion but otherwise just want a comfortable and efficient daily ride.
America’s bestselling vehicle, the Ford F-150 pickup, goes electric. Introduced in 2022, the F-150 Lightning adds the best qualities of electric-vehicle motoring – including quick acceleration and a quiet ride – without compromising most of what makes Ford’s full-size truck so popular, including its roomy cabin and impressive utility. While it can’t quite match conventionally powered F-Series pickups for towing or hauling duties, the F-150 Lightning is still a great choice for those who need a truck bed on occasion but otherwise just want a comfortable and efficient daily ride.
While the F-150 Lightning comes in just a single cab style and bed length (crew cab with a 5.5-foot bed), Ford gives buyers a choice of two different battery packs. The Standard Range battery features a 98-kWh capacity, making it capable of traveling up to 230 miles on a single charge, according to EPA estimates. The Extended Range bumps capacity up to 131 kWh, enabling an EPA-estimated 320-mile range. The larger battery comes standard on the Platinum trim but otherwise is optional.
Ford says that either pack can be charged from 15-80% in just over 40 minutes using a 150-kW DC fast charger. Using a 32-amp, 240-volt Level 2 household charger, the smaller pack takes about 14 hours to charge fully, while the larger pack takes about 19 hours.
Both versions pair the battery with dual electric motors (one at each axle) to drive all four wheels. The Standard Range provides a healthy 452 horsepower, while the Extended Range ups the ante to 580 ponies. The latter delivers enough oomph to speed the truck to 60 mph in under five seconds, ensuring that the Lightning lives up to its moniker.
The electric Ford also employs an independent rear suspension, giving it an even more composed ride than the gas-powered version, which sports a solid rear axle. However, the tradeoff is a slightly lower max towing capacity of 10,000 pounds (vs. 14,000 pounds for the gas-powered truck).
Another pro for the electric version is its large front trunk (aka “frunk”). It takes the space which would normally be occupied by the F-150’s engine and turns it into a useful (and lockable) storage area – enough to carry two sets of golf clubs, according to Ford.
Like all F-150s, the Lightning offers a wide range of equipment levels and features inside the cabin. The base-level Pro trim may feel rather basic with its vinyl seats and floors, but it still provides dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation, and a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Standard driver aids include forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, and rear parking sensors.
To get desirable features such as power-adjustable and heated front seats or adaptive cruise control, buyers must step up to the XLT trim. Meanwhile, the highest trim levels (Lariat and Platinum) offer a host of premium goodies, including leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, a massive 15-inch touchscreen, and Ford’s BlueCruise semi-autonomous driving system.
Ford F-150 Lightning Model Lineup
The F-150 Lightning is an all-electric version of Ford’s full-size pickup truck, the F-150. It’s offered in a single configuration: a four-door, five-seat crew cab (which Ford calls SuperCrew) with a 5.5-foot bed. Maximum payload capacity is 2,000 pounds.
Ford offers the F-150 Lightning in four main trims. At the lower end are the bare-bones Pro and the mid-level XLT, while at the higher end are the well-equipped Lariat and the top-of-the-line Platinum. All versions feature dual electric motors and all-wheel drive.