563-HP 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Turns America’s Top Seller Electric

Ford knows what American buyers want, and it’s the F-series. It’s hoping that the F-150 Lightning, the new electric version of the best-selling vehicle in America for 39 years, will have what it takes to convince more people to switch to an electric vehicle. Ford’s electric pickup looks similar to its gas-powered counterpart, should reach 60 mph quicker than any other F-series truck available today, and is targeting a driving range of 300 miles. By the time it goes on sale in the spring of next year there will likely be many other electric truck competitors, but the Lightning is poised to be a more mainstream choice than forthcoming models from GMC, Tesla, and Rivian.

You may notice that the electric F-150 takes its name from V-8–powered street trucks from the ’90s and early 2000s. But the new model is less of a revival and more of a fresh start for the previously performance-focused nameplate.

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The F-150 Lightning’s design is less flashy than other electric trucks such as the GMC Hummer EV or Tesla Cybertruck. Its grille, which can be configured in three ways depending on trim, has a light bar above it that connects the headlights. The taillights also have a connecting light bar, but only on the higher trims. The F-150 Lightning is only available as a SuperCrew model with a 5.5-foot box, and it’s an inch longer and 1.7 inches taller than the similarly equipped gas F-150. Its wheelbase and width are identical.

Batteries, Range, and Performance

Two lithium-ion battery packs are available: a Standard Range pack, which is targeting a 230-mile EPA-estimated range, and an Extended Range battery that provides a claimed 300 miles of range. Ford hasn’t disclosed either pack’s capacity, but we’re estimating 115 kWh and 150 kWh. The powertrain setup with the smaller pack is rated at 426 horsepower, while opting for the bigger pack increases the electric motors’ total output to 563 horses. Every F-150 Lightning has a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup. Both configurations have 775 pound-feet of torque, 205 more than the F-150’s new PowerBoost hybrid V-6. Ford says the F-150 Lightning will reach 60 mph in the mid-4.0-second range with the bigger pack. The quickest F-150 we’ve tested so far is the 2017 F-150 Raptor, which hit the mark in 4.9 seconds, and the 2001 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning took 5.2 seconds.

Unlike the standard F-150, which uses a live rear axle, the Lightning employs an independent rear suspension setup. Thanks to this change combined with a lower center of gravity, the Lightning should be one of the best-handling pickups. We’ll know for sure when we test it.

Ford says that a 150-kilowatt DC fast charger can add 54 miles of range in 10 minutes to the larger battery or charge from 15 to 80 percent in 41 minutes. When plugged in to Ford’s standard 80-amp home charging station, the F-150 Lightning can supply up to 9.6 kilowatts to the home during power outages. Once the power is back on, the truck automatically switches back to charging. Ford says the truck can power homes for roughly three days if equipped with the larger battery pack.

Gas powered F-150s have an available generator that Ford calls Pro Power Onboard, and the Lightning uses a similar system. Instead of sourcing power from the gas engine, in the Lightning it simply drains the battery. It provides either 2.4 kilowatts of power on the base model or a combo of 2.5 kilowatts in the frunk’s outlets and 7.2 kilowatts in the cab and bed on the top two trims. The battery’s status can be checked in the FordPass app, and it’ll send an alert when the charge dips below 33 percent. You can set it up to automatically stop supplying power when there isn’t enough range to make it to the nearest charging station.

Same Truck Capabilities

The F-150 Lightning will tow up to 10,000 pounds (4000 less than the highest gas-powered F-150) when equipped with the Extended Range battery, and it has a max payload of 2000 pounds with the smaller battery pack. Drivers can see how much they have loaded in the truck with Ford’s onboard scales, which display on the touchscreen, and the estimated driving range when hauling and towing adjusts based on tongue weight. There’s also a new Pro Trailer Hitch that automatically backs the truck up to hook up a trailer.

The front trunk has a volume of 14 cubic feet and can hold 400 pounds of stuff, and there are four electrical outlets and two USB ports in there. It also has a basin in the floor that features a drain, and Ford says that it can be used to store food and drinks.

Similar Interior as Gas F-150, but Bigger Screen

Like the gasoline-powered F-150, the Lightning’s interior features big screens, including a 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.0-inch touchscreen that comes standard on the XLT. The higher trim levels have an even bigger 15.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen that’s powered by Ford’s Sync 4A infotainment system and has a physical knob at the bottom like in the Mustang Mach-E.

There are four drive modes: Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and a Towing mode. A fake propulsion sound can be pumped through the cabin. We’re not sure yet what the Lightning’s will sound like, but the Mach-E ‘s features a faint V-8 rumble in its Unbridled mode.

Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free technology, which works on 100,000 miles of highways in North America, will be available on the F-150 Lightning. Ford is calling its over-the-air updates Power Ups, like Super Mario Bros. There’s no Mega Mushroom, but they’ll update existing features, add more, and could even improve the truck’s performance.

The F-150 Lightning will be on sale in the spring of next year with a base version starting around $42,000 and the XLT at $55,000 (the MSRPs are $39,974 and $52,974, plus a yet-to-be-announced mandatory delivery charge). Pricing for the other trims is still TBD, but we expect the Lariat to come in around $59,000 and the Platinum around $70,000. Ford says the price will approach $90,000 fully loaded. Reservations can be made now for $100. The Lightning will be built at Ford’s new Rogue Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan.

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