The Ford Motor Company this week unveiled an all-electric version of the best-selling U.S. vehicle on the market, the F-150 pickup truck.
The F-150 Lightning will begin selling in mid-2022, as part of Ford's 2023 model year lineup. The trucks will have equivalent hauling, towing and storage capacity as their internal combustion counterparts, plus additional cargo storage space in the front — i.e., the "frunk" — where a traditional engine would otherwise be.
President Joe Biden, who has touted investment in electric vehicles as one part of an aggressive infrastructure plan, took a spin in one of the new trucks during a Tuesday event a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan — a day ahead of the vehicle's official announcement date. The president seemingly enjoyed himself, telling reporters, "This sucker's quick!" after flooring it around a test track.
While previous battery electric vehicles such as those made by Tesla have often been sold as luxury cars, the Lightning is reaching for the midrange vehicle market. Though the vehicles can be heavily customized, increasing the price, the base model Lightning comes in at $39,974 before any tax credits are applied.
The new truck is Ford's third battery electric vehicle, after its Mustang Mach-E, which began selling in the 2021 model year, and its electric Transit van, which will begin selling in the 2022 model year.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE