2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro: US$40,000 electric work ute breaks cover

Hot on the heels of the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning's debut last week, Ford has taken the wraps off the entry-level, commercial-focused version of its electric ute: the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro.

While it offers the same body, interior and powertrains as the 'regular' F-150 Lightning, the commercial-focused F-150 Lightning Pro targets business fleets and work buyers with a slimmed-down list of luxury features, and an attractive starting price: US$39,974 (AU$51,300) before government incentives and Ford bonuses.

The Pro's sharp starting price places it just US$3324 more expensive than an entry-level, petrol-powered F-150 equipped with the same dual-cab SuperCrew body and 5.5-foot-long (1676mm) tray as the Lightning, and US$16 cheaper than a base Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus – a vehicle that costs just under $68,000 drive-away in Australia.

The aforementioned figure applies to vehicles equipped with the Standard Range battery pack, which uses two electric motors (one on each axle) to develop 318kW and 1051Nm, and cover up to 370km on a charge, according to Ford's estimated claims.

MORE: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning: Electric pick-up revealed with 483km range, 420kW

Opting for the larger Extended Range battery ups the price to US$49,974 (AU$64,200), but bumps outputs to 420kW and 1051Nm, cuts the 0-100km/h sprint time to the "mid four-second range", and increases the estimated driving range claim to 483km.

A 32-amp onboard charger is fitted to the Pro as standard, allowing for a 15 to 100 per cent charge in 14 hours with the smaller battery, or 19 hours with the larger pack. 48- and 80-amp charging units can be optioned, shaving the 15 to 100 per cent time to as low as 8 hours.

A 150kW DC fast charger can allow 15 to 80 per cent charge in 44 minutes with the Standard Range battery, or 41 minutes with the larger Extended Range option. A 10-minute stint is said to add 66km or 87km to each battery respectively.

Depending on the variant, Ford claims a maximum braked "targeted" towing figure of 4536kg, and a maximum payload of 907kg.

Other differences between the Lightning and Lightning Pro include black bumpers and door handles, a simpler closed-off grille which lacks the more expensive model's full-width LED light bar, and a shorter standard equipment list.

"Easy-to-clean" vinyl wraps the seats, while other interior niceties include a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen with Ford's Sync 4 infotainment system, a 12-inch 'productivity screen', and an array of driver assistance features including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep assist.

For more details on everything the standard 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning offers, click here to read our full reveal story.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro will go on sale in the US in the northern spring of 2022. A lack of factory right-hand-drive production means an Australian launch for the F-150 range has been ruled out.

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