Ford F-150 Lightning – the new electric pick-up truck
F-150 retains the top position among the sales leaders in the United States for almost half a century, so it was decided to create a small electric truck within this range, not experimenting with its appearance. The result was the Ford F-150 Lightning, an electric pickup, which is the most conservative of all similar vehicles on the US market. Which is quite a positive fact.
Ford F-150 Lightning equipment
Curiously, this is not the first vehicle to have Lightning in its name. As an experiment, the company produced Ford F-150 with the same prefix, which by its dynamic characteristics could be attributed to the category of sports cars. Then, it had a gasoline-powered engine, but now its new namesake has under the bonnet a big 400-liter luggage carrier for loads up to 180 kg, 4 power outlets, 2 USB ports and a cover with an electric drive.
Despite the fact that the electric pickup is based on the standard version F-150, it differs from it. First of all, the novelty has a stronger frame, which needs to withstand the weight of the battery. Gasoline-powered Lightning has an uncut axle, while the new model has an independent rear suspension.
The interior of the cars is also different. The electric car can be equipped with Sync 4A, a media system with a vertically oriented large tablet (15.5 inches) replacing most of the buttons on the front panel. The system can be updated remotely and controlled by voice.
The electric pick-up is available exclusively with 4 doors and a 1.68m long loadspace compartment. There are two versions to choose from. Both have all-wheel drive and electric motors (one per axle). The Standard Range version has a total engine output of 432 hp and 1051 Nm. Its payload can reach 907 kg and it can travel up to 370 km on a single charge. Exact information about battery capacity is not available, but it can be assumed that it will be around 90 kWh.
Specifications of the second version
The second version of the Extended Range has a longer range, about 480 km, and the engine output is 571 hp, and this despite the same torque. It can carry a smaller payload (up to 816 kg), but it has the option of using a larger trailer. In the Extended version its mass can reach 4.5 tons, and in the Standard – 3.5. Empty pickup can reach 100 km in 4.5 seconds.
As an option, you can order an electronic system with multiple sensors that allow you to know how full the vehicle is, and based on this information to recalculate the mileage on the available charge. In addition, the BlueCruise autopilot is available for a fee, with which the steering wheel can be taken out of the hands while driving on the motorway.
It takes 14 hours to charge the battery to its full capacity using the simple home terminal, compared with 19 hours for the standard version. And if you use a DC power source, i.e. a special column with 150kW of power, it should take just over 40 minutes to charge the battery from 15 to 80%. At the same time, the electric pickup itself is capable of supplying current to both household appliances and the house as a whole, for example, in the event of a power outage, but its power can not exceed 9.6 kW.
The launch of the new Ford F-150 Lightning on the market is scheduled for spring next year. Moreover, Hummer and Tesla have also planned release of their novelties designed for mass consumers for 2022. The cost of “Lightning” will start from 40 thousand dollars, as well as the Cybertruck, and it will be necessary to pay 53 thousand dollars for average modification XLT. Orders for Ford F-150 Lightning are already being taken. A converted plant in Dearborn near Detroit will be used for production of this electric pickup.