There is a debate about which battery-electric pickup truck to go with. Rather, which one works for your needs when you rather skip the gas station altogether.
We have been championing the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning Lightning lately. It is as close to a regular pickup truck in terms of the way it is constructed and designed.
Just like the “normal” internal combustion F-150, the Lightning is built on the same frame with the same cab and bed components. From afar, you might mistake this with other F-150 models. However, there are some marked differences.
Up front, there is no grille. Just a plastic panel that replaces it. The LED headlamp units are different, as well. You will find a thick light bar framing the front “grille.” Instead of a hood, the front trunk opens with an electrically operated shell that opens to the bumper. To recharge, just open up the door on the front fender
Just like the regular F-150, the SuperCrew cab has large doors to enter and exit the cabin. The five-and-a-half-foot box rounds out the basic exterior styling.
Our Flash tester came with dark-finished 20-inch alloy wheels and running boards. Inside the bed is a 9.6-kilowatt Pro Power Onboard module that can power a worksite, as well a campsite or a sports tailgate.
Stepping inside also offers the same basic cabin design as found in normal F-150s. The instrument cluster is a fully digital screen that has specific readout for the EV system, including range, state of charge, and a power meter. The console has a retractable shifter, for you can you flip over the armrest to create a desk to work off of. The Lightning adds a large 15.5-inch infotainment touchscreen powered by Ford’s SYNC 4A architecture.
The F-150 Lightning has one of the largest four-door cab in its class. The front seats are large and comfortable. The faux leather/vinyl-like Active-X upholstery make things even more livable. Rear seat room is excellent for up to three adults to sit back there. You can load up to 14.1 cubic feet in the front trunk, with a hidden storage large enough for a charging cable.
The F-150 Lightning Flash comes with two electric motors – one for each axle. Together, they put down 580 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. A direct transmission powers both motors creating a standard four-wheel drive system. Power is strong and throttle response is superb.
Our Flash tester also has a maximum tow rating of 10,000 pounds and a payload rating of 1,913 pounds.
Energy comes from the standard 131-kilowatt-hour extended range battery. Ford states that you get up to 300 miles of range on a full battery in the Flash model, we were able to muster 273 miles from a 100-percent charge.
Because of a heavier curb weight, we found a more solid structure from the body-on-frame construction of the Ford F-150 Lightning. As a result, the ride quality was nice. It can be a bit floaty, yet there is a lot more body control and balance on the road. You may find some roll and lean when going through some evasive maneuvers. However, the F-150 Lightning exhibited a lot of control overall.
We found the steering to be fine, while yielding a large turning radius. On-center feel is on the soft side. The braking system was great with excellent power and response from the pedal. It turned in solid stops in normal and panic situations. Our tester was also equipped with the Blue Cruise hands-free driver assistance feature.
There are five 2025 F-150 Lightning trim levels. Pricing starts from $49,780. Our Flash tester came with a sticker price of $74,685.
The Ford F-150 Lightning remains the only EV of its kind with the way it is constructed. Competitors currently include the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck, and the upcoming Ram 1500 REV.
The number of F-150 Lightnings seen on the road are growing. There are plenty of reasons why, including the traditional cab/bed-on-frame construction, and an expanding network of public fast-chargers available to Ford customers. If you’re looking for “normalcy” in an electric pickup truck, the F-150Lightning is your clear choice.
