The Ford F-150 has been the #1 selling vehicle in the U.S for the last thirty or so years. The F-150 mystique and dominance is not just cult like, it is a part of the U.S Automotive culture. Owners of the Ford F-150 tend to continue buying F-150 throughout their life time, until they are elderly and no longer have the need to haul or tow. Those families continue to pass the mystique of F-150 ownership to their children and so on and so on.
Now Ford has decided to go out on a limb and go all in on the F-150 Lightning. Bucking the trend of multi decades of powerful gasoline powered utility and trucks, Ford has decided to use borrowed technology from Rivian to develop its own fully electric utility powerhouse. The irony is that Amazon and Ford have both invested heavily in Rivian. Fords total investment in Rivan is north of 820 million and some say as high as 1.2 billion. Ford has more than a 5% stake in Rivian.
The question is can Ford leverage tech it has borrowed from Rivian and can they convince long time F-150 owners and future generations to make the leap to electric power. So far they have not gotten off to the start they would like due to the current ship shortage. However, once assembly does start to ramp up, it will be interesting to see if the F-150 Lightning brings enough to the table to convince current and future F-150 owners to toss aside their range anxiety and quite frankly the stigma of going from a tried and true gas platform to being ostracized in the utility truck community.
Range:
When compared against other EV trucks such as the Rivian R1T, the F-150 can be had with a standard battery setup that offers and estimated 230 miles of range whereas the standard range for Rivian’s R1T is 300 miles with an optional 400-mile variant. Purchasers of Ford’s F-150 can also choose an available extended range battery that produces and estimated range of 300 miles.
One would think that individuals who opt to purchase the Lightning F-150 are going to likely be current F-150 owners who are willing to take a chance on this truck being their everyday utility vehicle, not necessarily a vehicle being purchased initially for long trips across the country. However, as of this writing Ford says that 79% of its reservations for the F-150 Lightning are from first time EV buyers. It must be noted as with all current electric vehicles overall range can be adversely affected by cold temperatures and age of the battery.
Performance:
In terms of the fun to drive factor, this F-150 Lightning is no slouch. This truck may not be quite as quick as the Rivian but the extended range version will close the distance from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. Ford says their extended range Lightning is in the neighborhood of 563 horsepower and 775-foot pounds of torque.
Platform:
The F-150 Lightning rolls on an independent rear suspension. The advanced lithium-ion battery pack is protected by an exoskeleton acting as a shield for off-road adventures.
Interior:
Ford has done a decent job with the interior, straddling the balance between making it familiar, but functional. Our only knock on the F 150- Lightning is that Ford could have made it look and feel a little more premium, and cost cutting measures are apparent with some of the interior materials choices. This is an area where we’ve criticized other models in Ford’s line up.
On the plus side, the instrument cluster is bright and easy to read and the main control panel is extremely large and very future tech in look. It evokes images of Tesla’s main control screen but with the added touch of having a physical volume knob.
Although it is not important in the grand scheme of things, Ford could certainly do a better job with the steering wheel. It is functional but checks all the boxes when it comes to lack of imagination and wow factor. It’s as if Ford said, ok we’ve got this wheel, lets just figure out how we can fit some buttons on it and left it at that.
Driver Experience:
Unlike the Rivian which is promoted to be more of an outdoor adventure / lifestyle truck, Ford is positioning the F-150 lightning to fulfill the same rugged and tough all-purpose utility vehicle it has always been. We won’t truly know how the F-150 lightning performs until there are actual third-party driving reviews available, but based on what we know thus far things look promising.
F–150 Lightning Party tricks:
Making things much easier for long-haul boat towing and camping trips, Ford had integrated advanced towing and hauling technology. The 15.5-inch control screen allows the driver to utilize the Smart Hitch software to assist in easily loading trailers while practicing safe towing. The large control screen also has PRO trailer back up assist and reverse guidance. This makes pulling into a spot at a camp site or overnight stay at a hotel much less stressful.
It goes without saying this can make towing your gulfstream across country a joy. Once you are at the campsite, Fords 360 degree enhance zone lighting around the vehicle will make it easy to see while you are using your onboard 120 outlets to power additional amenities such as TV, radio and any other electrical convenience you may happen to bring along.
To make sure you get to where you are headed in the most efficient way possible another software feature is `Intelligent Range’ that calculates range and distance to your destination, taking into account weather conditions, towing and payload & towing weight.
Like other electric vehicles that have come before it, the F-150 lightning will also allow you to plan your trip around charging stations that are nearest to your route. Like other EV manufactures, the system software allows for over-the-air updates.
Summary:
The F-150 Lightning is an extremely capable truck on paper. Because the gas version F-150 is already the best-selling truck in America, the F-150 Lightning could be the c-change to clinch a huge portion of the electric market share in the U.S.
With the success of the Mustang Mach-E and the continued waiting list to acquire one, this will further fuel Ford’s momentum. The question is can Ford maintain this momentum through a chip-shortage, highly inflated dealer markups and an unproven platform in the field.
Not only does the F-150 Lightning have the aptitude to be a great utility platform in the field, but it can also serve as a legitimate power source when the weather or circumstances get dicey.
Only time will tell, but things are looking up for the electric utility segment and Ford appears to be leading the way.
Pros:
• Weighs less Rivian’s R1T Large Pack & GMC Hummer EV.
• Has the familiar but updated design that will make previous F-150 owners feel comfortable.
• Capable of acting as an emergency generator for your home for multiple days during power outages.
• Purchasers may qualify for up to $7,500 in Federal Tax Incentives.
• Comes in 4 different variants to suit various needs.
• Largest Frunk of any current electric truck.
Cons:
• Charging network still not nearly as extensive as Tesla’s
• As of this writing, the F-150 Lightning still has not hit showrooms.
• Buyers may have to contend with dealerships who are going to continue to mark up MSRPs of new vehicles. However Ford says it will begin cracking down on these dealer networks.
Update: Ford has closed orders for the 2022 F-150 Lightning. If you are interested in purchasing, you can build out a model and then ask to be updated on your builds availability.
If you would like to configure your F-150 Lightning click the link below to leave Tech 2 Survive and configure your new Off-Road Electric Truck.
https://shop.ford.com/configure/f150-lightning/model/customize/pro?gnav=vhpnav
