FORD LIGHTNING

FORD PREVIEWS ALL-ELECTRIC F-150 LIGHTNING TO SOUTH FLORIDA MEDIA

Ford was on hand this week (July 14) to give a handful of automotive media members an overview and brief look at its new all-electric version of its popular F-150 pickup truck.

With the latest in technology and powertrain the company promotes it as the “smartest, most innovative F-150 that Ford has ever built,” and the 30-plus media members would have to agree after a brief spin on Miami’s Rickenbacker Causeway.

The Lightning is the fastest F-150 ever built with the dual electric motors (one in front, one in the rear) giving it a zero-to-60 mph clocking in the mid 4-second range when equipped with an extended range battery. It simply ate up afternoon traffic that included a couple of electric passenger cars on the six-lane causeway.

It is available in four trim levels ranging in price from $40,000 to $90,000 according to veteran Ford engineer Dapo Adewusi, vehicle manager for the F-150 who connected with the South Florida media via Zoom. All feature a comfortable, crew cab that can easily accommodate five passengers.

The base Pro, XLT, and Lariat models all come with a 98-kWh battery pack  as standard with a larger 131-kWh available as an option and the top-of-the-line Platinum trim getting the larger pack. With the standard-range pack horsepower is rated at 452, the extended range pack 580. Both have a torque punch of 775 pound-feet.

The advantage with the extended range battery pack over the standard range is about 90 more miles of driving availability (up to 320 on a full charge) and increased towing capacity — 10,000 pounds with a towing package over 7,700 pounds for the standard range.

The extended range pack also comes with other advantages. The available Blue Cruise system (optional on Lariat models, standard on Platinum) provides a hands-free driving system that is based on charts of 130,000 miles of divided highways across the U.S. and Canada to adapt your driving experience to the routes you most commonly use. It adjusts your steering, acceleration, and braking to take the stress out of long hauls.

Two different Pro Power Onboard generator systems also are offered to exterior power for tools, systems, and appliances. The top-dog Lariat and Platinum trims get the larger 9.6 kW pack that has a 240V outlet in the bed a couple more 120-volt outlets than the 2.4 kW system found in Pro and XLT model. You can even use it to charge up other electric vehicles or for home appliances during power outages.

Adewusi said Ford already is in the process of shipping Lightning models to showrooms around the country.