The Ford F-150 Lightning could change how you look at electric trucks

It's electric The Model T of EVs? by Robin Bea Updated: Feb. 20, 2024 Originally Published: May 20, 2021

When you think about what people expect from a Ford F-150 pickup , a few things probably come to mind: power, capacity, toughness . Near the bottom of the list, you might find fuel efficiency.

That’s what makes Ford’s new F-150 Lightning such a surprising turn for the truck-maker, and why it may change the conversation around electric vehicles.

Rather than asking buyers to compromise anything for their electric truck , Ford is pushing to make the Lightning everything you’d expect from an F-150 and then some.

“If they’re not moving the game forward, we’re not doing it.” Ford's general manager for battery electric vehicles, Darren Palmer.

Ford is also aiming for a wide audience of both pickup drivers looking for their first EV and electric converts who’ve been waiting for a truck.

Features like the F-150 Lightning’s range estimate seem tailored to existing EV drivers sick of the anxiety around running out of juice before they hit a charging station .

The Lighting will track drivers’ habits — from speed to how much they crank the AC — to deliver energy use profiles. It will even collect data in the cloud to improve estimates across the board.

F-150 drivers will be happy to know the Lightning has a weight and towing capacity on par with Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine.

Then there are features that separate the F-150 Lighting from every other truck out there.

Rather than anything as predictable as an engine , the F-150 Lightning has a water-resistant storage space big enough for two golf bags under the hood.

It’s also got USB and 110-volt power plugs, which, as Palmer tells Inverse , makes it “ the best tailgating truck ever made. ”

If you’re not keen on making parking lot margaritas, the F-150 Lightning’s battery can power an entire house for days.

That could be a lifesaver in areas with regular power disruptions , or after a storm knocks down a power line.

With the consumer-focused XLT model starting at $52,974 , the F-150 Lightning won’t win on price alone.

The hype for electric trucks is real among EV enthusiasts, but whether that translates to the broader market is still a mystery. For the Lightning to really strike, Ford will have to overcome the notion that EVs are inherently less “tough” than gas guzzlers.

The F-150 Lightning debuts in spring 2022, when we’ll see if there’s a future for trucks that are “ Built Ford Smart .”

The Ford F-150 Lightning could change how you look at electric trucks

Ford is also aiming for a wide audience of both pickup drivers looking for their first EV and electric converts who’ve been waiting for a truck.

The Lighting will track drivers’ habits — from speed to how much they crank the AC — to deliver energy use profiles. It will even collect data in the cloud to improve estimates across the board.

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