Just when you think you can’t be surprised anymore by an electric vehicle, along comes the Ford F150 Lightning. This is an American pickup truck that does everything electric pickup trucks should do plus a whole lot more. The wow factor can be seen in abundance from tip to toe. If you want to hire an electric vehicle with a big heart and soul, then you won’t go far wrong with the Ford F150 Lightning.
First Impressions
Seeing the Ford F150 Lightning initially, the first thing that hits you is the size. I’ve seen some big pickup trucks before, but this is on a whole different level.
There is a deep, aggressive looking grille which really catches the eye at the front. This is softened by the lovely rounded edges and the light bar which extends the length of the vehicle. At the rear of the Ford F150 Lightning you will see the huge bed of the truck which can hold an incredible 1,495 litres. Access to the load area is assisted by a step which you can drop down once you open the tailgate. This is most definitely needed for a pickup truck of this size.
Nice Features Outside
As you look at the side of the vehicle you will notice a small keypad on the front doors. These are a clever inclusion which allows anyone with the code to access the vehicle. This feature is particularly useful if you need to access the truck and don’t have the keys on you. It is safe for children to access the vehicle to get out of the rain, for example, as the Ford F150 will not start without the key being present.
It’s not just the load area of the truck which has buckets of room. The frunk in itself is a pretty incredible area. With an extra 400 litres of space, the frunk has more room than some car boots do.
Delve into the frunk and you will find some pretty amazing features inside. There is a further space inside the frunk, for example, which is designed to be used as an ice storage area and includes a drip drain at the bottom. Another unusual feature, which is apparently more common on American vehicles, is an anti-kidnapping button. Hopefully you will never need to use it, but it is nice that it is there. There is also a light in the frunk for greater visibility. It’s a small point, but a fantastic one.
Jumping Inside the Ford F150 Lightning
If you think the outside of the Ford F150 Lightning is pretty spectacular, just wait until you get inside the truck. This is a seriously premium level pickup. It is both luxurious and practical in equal measure.
The seating is plush vegan leather and is sumptuously comfortable to sit in. There is an uncluttered dashboard with a very large infotainment system taking pride of place in the centre. A console, we might add, that has been copied over from the Ford Mustang Mach-e. And why not? If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
There are plenty of charge points to be found in the front and the back of the cabin, as well as wireless charging pad for mobile devices. There is a great amount of storage in the cubby hole underneath the centre armrest. You will be spoilt for room in the cabin as there is just so much of it. Both the front and rear of the cabin have copious amounts of leg and head room. The front seats can even be fully laid back for anyone wanting to have a nap (although hopefully you won’t do this while driving).
Tech Talk
As already stated, the infotainment system in the Ford F150 Lightning is borrowed from the Ford Mustang Mach-e. However, this infotainment system has a few vehicle specific applications.
The main centre screen is pretty big (it would have to be in such a large truck) and the graphics are simply sensational. As clear as a Caribbean sea and simple to navigate through. This, as stated, is pretty much the same as you would find in the Mach-e. There is the same excellent satellite navigation and access to entertainment. However, there are a few more items included here. For example, you are able to turn on 360 degree lighting which is perfect for camping trips. This is another nice touch which accents the truck as an outdoors living vehicle.
Other items around the front of the truck are also fabulous. There is a button for electronically opening the sliding rear window which is situated above the infotainment system.
There are charge ports absolutely everywhere all over the truck, including in the cargo area and in the frunk. This includes an array of 3-pin plug sockets as well as USB-C outlets, which are becoming the norm these days.
Let’s Talk About Specs, Baby
When you look at the spec numbers that this truck produces you will notice just how astonishing the Ford F150 Lightning truly is. A truck this big should, in theory, not be outperforming classic Supercars. But that is exactly what it does.
Starting with the range, this epic pickup truck has a fabulous range of up to 320 miles on the WLTP scale! This is thanks to a huge 131kWh battery that powers the vehicle. Four motors, one for each wheel, help give the F150 some serious propulsion. At 4 seconds for a 0-60mph time, this vehicle is only slightly behind the Rivian R1T when it comes to acceleration. It is mind-numbingly quick!
Boosted charging means that the Ford F150 Lightning can charge at speeds up to 155kW. This means that you can get from 15-80% charge in around 40 minutes. Remember that it is a very large battery.
