Electric Ford F-150 to revive Lightning name – report
The Lightning nameplate is set to make a comeback on the F-150, with the upcoming release of the electric pick-up.
Ford may be about to bring back the Lightning nameplate, previously reserved for performance variants of the F-150.
According to US publication Car & Driver, the Ford F-150 Lightning will be the name of its all-electric pick-up, slated to go into production by mid-2022.
The Lightning badge first appeared on the F-150 in 1993 as a competitor to the Chevrolet 454 SS pick-up. Together with chassis, suspension, interior, and styling tweaks, the Lightning gained a 5.8-litre V8 putting out 179kW. A HSV Clubsport from the same year produced 185kW.
In September 2020, Ford confirmed the upcoming electric version of its ute would have more power than any F-150 ever sold, eclipsing the current F-150 Raptor which offers 336kW and 692Nm from its 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.
However, the language used by Ford at the time suggested the claim was retrospective – hinting that the Blue Oval may be planning something even bigger. In August 2020, sources suggested the F-150 will eventually get the 560kW-plus 5.2-litre V8 from the Mustang GT500 in order to compete with the V8-powered Ram 1500 TRX.
It's expected the electric Ford F-150 Lightning will drive all four wheels from two electric motors, with a range of roughly 500km. Late last year Ford patented a small removable range-extender for the tub of the pick-up with the appearance of a tool box.