The electric Ford F-150 Lightning debuts next week. Here's what we know about the truck so far.
- Ford will take the wraps off of its electric pickup truck - the F-150 Lightning - on Wednesday.
- There's still a lot we don't know, but Ford has hinted at the truck's capabilities and features.
- The automaker says the F-150 Lightning will be more powerful than any F-150 currently in its lineup.
For years now, we've known that Ford's iconic, best-selling F-150 truck is going electric. Now it's almost here.
On Wednesday evening, Ford will give the F-150 Lightning a proper reveal during an event at its headquarters that will be live-streamed on several digital platforms. That's when we'll get to see the truck in full for the first time and learn about its technical specs, release date, and the like.
The introduction of an electron-powered version of the most popular vehicle in the US is a massive deal - not just for Ford but also for the push toward electrification that's picking up speed globally. President Biden doesn't take the time to get an advanced look at every new EV - or every new American EV for that matter - but he's traveling to Dearborn, Michigan, early next week to preview the F-150 Lightning.
There's a lot about the pickup that we won't know until Wednesday. But some information has trickled out over the last couple of years, too. Here's what we know so far about Ford's debut battery-powered truck coming in 2022.
Drivetrain and performance
According to Ford, the Lightning will be more powerful than any other F-150 in the company's current lineup. That means, at a minimum, it'll best the 450 horsepower put out by the F-150 Raptor, along with the 570 lb-ft of torque generated by Ford's hybrid truck, the F-150 PowerBoost.
Ford hasn't said whether the Lightning will be able to tow more than its existing F-150s, but towing capacity will likely be just as good or better than the company's other pickups. The automaker demonstrated this during a 2019 stunt where it filmed an electric prototype towing a 1-million-pound freight train packed with F-150s.
Rivian, GMC, and Tesla have all quoted blistering 0-60-mph times in the three-second range for their upcoming electric trucks. The F-150 Lightning will probably be quite quick too. That's just the nature of electric powertrains and the instant torque they deliver.
The F-150 Lightning will get its power from two electric motors - likely one mounted at each axle - meaning that all-wheel drive will probably come standard.
Battery and range
There's no word yet on the F-150 Lightning's range, but it'll have to travel at least 300 miles on a charge in top form to compete with rivals. GMC claims the top trim of its Hummer EV will get 350-plus miles of range, and the Rivian R1T promises to offer 400 miles of range sometime down the line.
Like the Mustang Mach-E, the F-150 Lightning will likely come with DC fast-charging capability as standard, allowing drivers to add substantial amounts of range in minutes, rather than hours. A range-extending generator mounted in the bed may come as an option, judging by a 2018 patent filing unearthed by The Drive.
Exterior and design
Expect the F-150 Lightning to have some unique design cues that differentiate it from its gas-powered siblings. Teaser images from Ford show an unbroken LED light strip in the shape of an upside-down U, running from the bottom-left corner of the grille to its bottom-right corner.
The F-150 Lightning will probably boast some kind of fully or partially closed-off grille that's found in most EVs.
Interior, cargo space, technology, and other features
Most of the battery-powered pickups coming to market take advantage of their flexible electric platforms to offer nifty features that wouldn't be possible in a combustion-engine vehicle. And the F-150 Lightning surely has a few tricks up its sleeve, too.
Ford has said that customers will be able to use their electric truck to power equipment at job sites or while camping. The company also said the truck will have a "giant" front trunk - but no surprises there. We'll have to wait and see if Ford put a drain in the frunk so customers can use it as a cooler like it did in the Mustang Mach-E.
The largest screen currently offered on the F-150 measures 12 inches, and it's possible Ford will equip the F-150 Lightning with an even bigger display to follow the trend set by Tesla.
The truck will most likely come loaded with all of Ford's latest and greatest tech features. And it will almost certainly be able to run BlueCruise, the company's most advanced driver-assistance system that will allow for hands-free driving on some highways when it's released later this year.
To learn more about the F-150 Lightning, you'll have to tune in to the truck's reveal at 9:30 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, May 19.