Seven months after President Joe Biden declared, “This sucker’s quick!” we’re getting more details about the Ford F-150 Lightning, including information about its extended range battery.
Goes Faster, Farther
You might remember back in May; the American president got a sneak peek at Ford’s new electric truck, taking the F-150 for a spin in front of assembled reporters. And as for his claim about its capability, his remark was right on the money. Ford estimates that the F-150 Lightning can zip from 0-60 in 4.4 seconds, making it the fastest F-150 in the lineup.
And in a recent live stream event, the automaker revealed more details about the truck, including updated information regarding its available battery options and range.
The Standard Range 98kWh battery is good for 230 miles, while the 131kWh Extended Range battery pack bumps the capability to 300 miles. And Ford’s numbers are reportedly based on a 1,000-pound payload. That means that the actual range (sans payload or towing) could extend even farther.
Which Lightning Trims Get the Extended Range?
The Standard Range battery is available on every trim except the Platinum. The 300-mile Extended Range pack is optional for the XLT and Lariat trims and standard on the Platinum. It is not an available option on the Pro trim.
How Does the F-150 Lightning’s Performance Stack Up?
Of course, the F-150 Lightning is not the only all-electric truck being offered. So, how do Ford’s numbers compare to the rival Rivian R1T?
The Rivian R1T pickup will offer a single battery option in its initial release: a 135kWh pack capable of 314 miles. The truck maker says it will later offer a larger 180kWh pack boosting the pickup’s range to 400 miles on a charge. It is rated to tow up to 11,000 pounds and does 0-60 in 3 seconds.
By comparison, the F-150 Lightning has a payload capacity of 2,000 pounds (including 400 pounds in the drainable “frunk”) and tows up to 10,000 pounds.
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Some other tidbits that came from the live stream include:
- Ford’s hands-free highway driving technology, called BlueCruise, will be optional on the lower three trims and standard on the Platinum.
- SYNC 4 with a 12-inch touchscreen is standard on the Pro and XLT models. The Lariat and Platinum trims upgrade the system to SYNC 4A with a large 15.5-inch touchscreen.
- The Lightning’s Mega Power Frunk is standard across the board. The Pro and XLT trims include a 2.4 kW Pro Power Onboard, upgradable to 9.6kW. The increased capacity is standard on the Lariat and Platinum pickups.
Lightning will Strike Showrooms in 2022
Since its introduction in May, Ford has been taking reservations for the F-150 Lightning. Given the fact that the Ford F-150 is the most popular truck on the road today, it’s no surprise that the Lightning has over 200,000 reservations.
No official pricing has been released from the automaker yet, but $100 will get you on the pre-order list. Ford will start taking official orders starting in January 2022.