Overview
Ford hasn’t kept the upcoming F-150 Lightning a secret, evidenced by the company’s million-pound towing stunt. The Lightning shares much of the regular F-150’s body and cabin but swaps that truck’s gasoline-powered V-6 and V-8 engine options for a pair of electric motors and one of two different battery packs. The Standard-Range battery is said to deliver up to 230 miles per charge and the Extended-Range juice pack is aiming for 300 miles. But by the time the 2022 F-150 Lightning reaches the market, it won’t be the only all-electric pickup truck. GMC’s Hummer EV SUT is close to its launch, and a rival truck from upstart Rivian may also beat Ford to the punch. Neither of those trucks, however, have the strength of the F-150 name behind them, and the electric version of America’s favorite truck will surely be an impressive piece when it goes on sale sometime in spring 2022.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
All F-150 Lightning models come standard with two electric motors and all-wheel drive. With the Standard-Range battery, the motors combine to make 426 horsepower but with the Extended-Range battery the horsepower rating rises to 563; peak torque is an impressive 775 lb-ft with either setup. Performance should be brisk, but we’ll have to wait until we can strap our test gear on to find out exactly how quick the new truck will be. Ford has also submitted patents for a removable range extender motor disguised as one of those aftermarket, bed-mounted toolboxes. The motor would kick in to recharge the battery in the event there’s no charging station nearby. So far we haven’t seen the real-life version of such a concept, but it could join the F-150 Lightning at launch as an add-on option.
Range, Charging, and Battery Life
With the smaller of the two battery packs, Ford claims a driving range of 230 miles per charge; upgrading to the larger pack boosts driving range to 300 miles. Buyers will be able to charge their F-150 Lightning at home via 110- and 220-volt outlets but the truck is also capable of juicing at public DC fast-charging stations, and Ford says it can charge from 15 percent to 80 percent of battery capacity in 44 minutes. Ford also engineered the F-150 Lightning to serve as a backup generator and says a fully-charged truck can supply up to three days of electricity for the average household in the event of a power outage.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA has not released fuel economy ratings for the F-150 Lightning but those estimates are usually made public close to when a new vehicle goes on sale. When we get the chance, we’ll subject the F-150 Lightning to our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test and update this story with results. For more information about the F-150 Lightning’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.