2024 Ford F-150 Lightning
Electric vehicles are a topic of a lot of discussion. What is the best to create one and maintain the capabilities of its internal combustion powered cousins. In particular, pickup trucks.
This is why a lot of attention was paid to the F-150 Lightning early on. We had to see if it works exactly like a normal internal combustion-powered pickup truck of its size class.
One can mistake the exterior design with a normal F-150. The cab and bed are exactly the same. 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.
There are distinct differences between normal F-150s and the Lightning. The front end has a plastic panel where the grille used to be. It also uses specific set of LED headlamps, light bar, and taillamps to distinguish the Lightning further. Specific badges also appear throughout the truck body.
Because there is no internal combustion powerplant, the hood opens into a front trunk. The hood is extended down to the bumper for easier loading of luggage. On the driver side front fender, the charging power is behind a door.
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 cabin 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.
Ford has one of the largest four-door cab in its class. The front seats are large and comfortable. The cloth-like upholstery, called Active-X 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 7,700 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 254 miles from a 100-percent charge. We also observed a rating of 2.1 miles per kilowatt-hour.
Because of a heavier curb weight, we found a more solid structure from the body-on-frame construction of the 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. Regeneration of energy was also great, which can be measured by the Braking Coach readout on the instrument cluster.
One feature that should be mentioned on our tester was the available Blue Cruise. It is a hands-free driving assistance technology that is turned on through the adaptive cruise control system. It worked very well on compatible stretches of highway enabling the driver to remove their hands off the wheel, while locking the F-150 Lightning within the lane at the set speed.
There are five 2024 F-150 Lightning trim levels. Pricing starts from $54,995 for the PRO model, which is available only to commercial customers. Retail customers are offered the $62,995 XLT trim. Our Flash tester came with a sticker price of $81,245.
There has been no price increase for the 2025 F-150 Lightning with all five trim levels available.
The F-150 Lightning is unique because of its traditional pickup truck construction. Yet, it is joined by a choice of other fully battery-electric pickups, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck, and the upcoming Ram 1500 REV.
Being a unique vehicle has its advantages. The Ford F-150 Lightning is one idea of what an electric pickup truck is supposed to be. Its capability and familiarity are the reasons one should consider one.
