The F-150 Lightning Has Debuted! Check It Out:
The Ford F-150 EV will have an appropriately electrifying name because it will revive the Lightning moniker, according to a Ford document obtained by Car and Driver. The paperwork allegedly referred to the F-150 Lightning along with the automaker's other EVs like the Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit van.
Ford originally used the Lightning branding on the high-performance version of the F-150. The first generation arrived for the 1993 model year using a tuned 5.8-liter (351-cubic-inch) V8 making 240 horsepower (179 kilowatts). The second iteration really turned things up in the 1999 model year. It boasted a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 making 360 hp (268 kW) originally and 380 hp (283 kW) as of the 2001 model year.
Gallery: 2023 Ford F-150 BEV Spy Photos
The electric F-150 will enter production in the first half of 2022. The latest spy shots tell us that it uses an independent rear suspension. There's a beefy electric motor with half shafts for routing power to the back wheels. Reinforcements or protective panels underneath the truck are likely for shielding the batteries.
Another motor in the front provides the all-wheel-drive capability. Rumors point to Ford aiming for a 300-mile range for the electric truck and maybe even as much as 400 miles with an upgraded battery pack.
More F-150 EV News:
The new Lightning's style should be generally similar to the existing F-150. Although, an earlier teaser indicates the EV gets a different face with a prominent LED strip running beneath the hood and angling sharply downward at each corner.
Ford seems to have high aspirations for the electric F-150's sales because it is already boosting planned production by 50 percent. This requires adding 200 more jobs to the expanded River Rouge plant, in addition to the original 300-worker expansion there.
Source: Car and Driver