You know this whole electric vehicle thing is getting serious when Ford announces an electric F-150. Yes, a fully-electric Ford pickup is on the way.
“This is a key moment in the electric revolution,” Kumar Galhotra, President Ford Americas, said during an online presentation.
Ford is betting big on this venture. The F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in North America for more than four decades. Pickup buyers are the last bastion of brand loyalty in the industry.
Ford knows the all-electric F-150 Lightning will have to meet the most demanding customers in the industry.
Accordingly, the F-150 Lightning will not be a poseur. With a target of 563-horsepower and 775 lb.ft. of torque, it will be quicker and more powerful than any Ford pickup in history. AND, it will carry up to 2,000 lbs. and tow as much as 10,000 lbs.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat. Pre-production model with available features shown.
Four-wheel independent suspension and full-time four-wheel-drive will be standard. Power will come from a pair of inboard electric motors. An all-new frame will use the strongest steel Ford has ever used for a pickup.
The third generation Lightning is part of Ford’s $22 billion (US) global electric plan. The battery-powered Lightning will roll off a new line at Ford’s massive and historic Rouge complex in Dearborn next year, likely as 2023 model.
Innovation is the name of this game.
- A frunk, or front-end trunk, is a cavernous space where an internal combustion engine and its cooling system would normally be found. It will offer 400 litres of space, and 400 lbs of payload – enough water-proof room for one checked and two carry-on bags or two sets of golf clubs. The high-tech frunk will be accessed, at bumper height, by a powered open and close lid. It will allow plug-in 120-volt power for tools, TVs, laptops, speakers and even crock pots.
- An optional charging system in your home or garage will be able to sense when electric power from the grid fails and use the massive battery pack in the truck to power the home for up to three days. When power is restored, the system will automatically switch back to charging the F-150.
- An available set of onboard scales will use sensors to estimate payload and how much is being towed. This information will also allow accurate estimates of range before needing to be plugged in.
- A new version of trailer-assist will automatically control steering, throttle, and brake inputs while hitching a trailer.
- Higher trim levels will come with a massive 40-cm touch screen crammed with next-gen infotainment abilities, including the ability to adapt to drive behavior. A 30-cm configurable digital instrument cluster will be standard on all models.
Among the connected, intelligent features is the ability to provide over-the-air software updates, an app that will provide seamless access to the largest charging station network in North America, and the ability to provide power to job sites or campsites.
A cloud-connected SYNC 4 system will allow tracking of charging station locations. The system will accurately estimate remaining charge/distance based on weather, traffic, payload, towing and more.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning’s electric range is 350 to 485 km, depending on battery option
The F-150 Lightning will come in standard and extended range configurations with liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries offering 11.3 or 19.3 kW (input), 10.5 or 17.6 KW (output) batteries.
The Lightning will come with dual onboard chargers. Charge times for getting from 15% to 80% charged with the standard-range battery will depend on the charger, varying from 44 minutes with a 150kW DC charger to 14 hours with the standard/supplied 32-amp, 240-volt unit.
For the extended range battery, times will go from 41 minutes to 19 hours. Obviously, times will be much greater with a simple 12-amp, 120-volt charge from a household wall plug.
Ford says the standard battery will allow a range of up to 350 kilometres and the extended range setup could go as far as 485 kilometres before needing a recharge.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning – a game changer, like the Model A
The Lightning will be available in XLT, Lariat and Platinum trims. Pricing is expected to start at $68,000 for a Lightning in XLT trim.
The F-150 Lightning will carry a 3-year 60,000 km bumper-to-bumper warranty. Electric components will be covered for eight years or 160,000 km.
Two other industry breakthroughs have come from the Rouge facility – the Model A and the Mustang. The F-150 Lightning will likely have an equally significant impact.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Six-foot box, all-wheel-drive, power up/down frunk lid, running boards, LED headlights, LED box lighting, 20-in wheels, Sync 4 with voice recognition and 30-cm touch screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless updates, navigation, push-button start, 360-degree camera, 4G LTE wireless hotspot for up to 10 devices, eight-way power driver’s seat, 9.6 – kW ProPower onboard with 10 120-volt outlets (two in cab, four in bed, four in frunk) and one 240-volt in the bed, Class IV hitch, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, Lane Centering and Speed Sign Recognition, Evasive Steering Assist, Intersection Assist, Connected Built-In Navigation and tailgate work surface.
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES
Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Includes Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning and Dynamic Brake Support), BLIS® with Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane-Keeping System (Includes Lane- Keeping Alert, Lane-Keeping Aid and Driver Alert), Rear View Camera, Auto High Beam headlamps, Reverse Sensing System, Reverse Brake Assist and Post-Collision Braking.
