Ford F-150 Lightning – electric pick-up gets a name

Ford’s massive F-150 normally employs the services of a V6 or a V8, but the full-size pick-up is going all electric. We’ve known about the zero-emissions truck for more than two years, but with the reveal date now set for May 19 in just over a week’s time, we finally get a name – the F-150 Lightning.

This, um, electrifying moniker was previously used on a performance version of the F-150, developed by the Special Vehicle Team (SVT, now Ford Performance) and powered by a thumping great V8. While enthusiasts will likely lament yet another repurposing of a sporty Ford nameplate, the new Lightning will at least live up to its heritage, with president and CEO Jim Farley saying that the truck will be even quicker than its forebears.

In fact, with twin electric motors, the Lightning is claimed to produce more horsepower and torque than any F-150 currently on sale, meaning that it should comfortably eclipse the 430 hp and 773 Nm of the range-topping 3.5 litre PowerBoost hybrid V6.

As you’d expect from an electric model, the truck will also be capable of delivering the fastest acceleration in the lineup and tow heavy trailers. The latter was demonstrated when a prototype towed 10 rail cars carrying a whopping 42 F-150s (weighing a total of over one million pounds, or 454,000 kg) in 2019.

A previous teaser showcased the Lightning’s unique lighting (geddit?) signature, consisting of a daytime running light strip that outlines the entire width of the front end and framing the closed-off dual-bar grille. The truck will also bear a new “Lightning” badge on the sides of the rear bed.

With the Lightning, Ford will be entering a hotly-contested market that will also feature an electric Chevrolet Silverado, the Hummer EV and the highly-anticipated Tesla Cybertruck. It will also compete with the Rivian R1T with which it might share certain hardware, given the partnership between Ford and Rivian.

More details will be revealed when the F-150 Lightning debuts in an online presentation on May 19, broadcasted from Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. The truck will be built in the city at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Centre, near where the regular F-150 is being built.

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