14 easy-to-miss details that set the F-150 Lightning apart from Ford's gas pickups
Tim Levin
The Ford F-150 Lightning.Tim Levin/Insider
- I got to check out Ford's upcoming electric pickup truck: the F-150 Lightning.
- It looks a lot like a gas-powered F-150, but with some key differences.
- The Lightning has a front trunk, a new hood, a giant touchscreen, and power outlets galore.
Across a crowded parking lot, you might mistake the upcoming F-150 Lightning for just another gas-drinking Ford truck.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
But once you dig deeper, the traits that set apart Ford's electric pickup become clearer.
The Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider
Up front, you've got a textured black panel instead of a grille - a tell-tale sign that there's no engine under that hood.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
The headlights and taillights have been redesigned with a more angular look.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
The Lightning also gets an LED light bar spanning the entire width of the truck in front.
The Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider
There's a matching LED strip running across the rear.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Lightning badging can be found on the sides of the bed…
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Along with a more subtle logo out back.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
The charging port is under this little door on the front fender.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Ford redesigned the front fenders, hood, bed sides, and running boards for aerodynamics and to fit the new lights and charging door.
The Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider
But that's pretty much it for exterior changes.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Under the hood, the F-150 Lightning has a roomy front trunk dubbed the Mega Power Frunk.
The Ford F-150 Lightning's frunk.
Tim Levin/Insider
It has a handful of power outlets…
The Ford F-150 Lightning's frunk.
Tim Levin/Insider
An extra storage cubby under the floor…
The Ford F-150 Lightning's frunk.
Tim Levin/Insider
… And a removable panel you can use as a storage divider.
The Ford F-150 Lightning's frunk.
Tim Levin/Insider
Stepping inside the Lightning, you can't help but notice the 15.5-inch touchscreen that dominates the dashboard.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
It's just like the one in the Mustang Mach-E EV and has an actual volume knob embedded in it.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Other than that, the cab is pretty much the same as a conventional F-150.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
The Lightning has all the options you can get in Ford's other trucks, like a fold-out work surface and seats that recline 180 degrees.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
That's one of the most notable features of the Lightning - just how much it shares with the F-150s people are already familiar with.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Ford went through a lot of trouble to give the Lightning's bed the exact same dimensions as other F-150s, despite the giant battery hidden underneath the floor.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
That way, F-150 owners can use their existing racks and other accessories on their new EV.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
The Lightning's tailgate has the same built-in work surface found in other 2021 F-150s.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
It also has the same tie-down points that double as bottle openers on either side of the tailgate.
The Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider
The preproduction Lightning I checked out also had an optional step that folds out from the tailgate.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
The EV's bed does have one thing you won't find in other pickups (except the hybrid F-150): 7.2 kilowatts of power available through several outlets.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Preproduction of the F-150 Lightning started in September and deliveries are set to begin in Spring 2022.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
Pricing starts at around $40,000 for a basic work truck but can stretch to $90,000 for a Lightning with a bigger battery and all the bells and whistles.
The Ford F-150 Lightning
Tim Levin/Insider
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