The Ford F-150 Lightning is easily one of the most anticipated EVs to come out in 2022. Along with the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T, it's helping pave a new path for EV trucks.
Unfortunately, we haven't been able to see much hands-on with Ford's latest power generator on wheels, apart from a test drive by President Joe Biden. Well, Michael S. Palmer from Ford Truck Enthusiasts was able to go for a ride-along in the new Lightning and uploaded unedited footage of Ford's new EV on an autocross track.
To see the unedited track run, skip over to the 14:41 mark.
On an autocross track, we can see the Lightning haul across the straights, only hearing the "woosh" of the air running past it. Impressively, given that it's a large vehicle well off the ground, there's relatively minimal body roll. Sure, it's not as tight as a low-rung sportscar, but it nimbly handles corners with minimal understeer. Well, minimal for a truck of this size and weight. We're definitely interested to see how the Lightning would perform on track with stickier sport tires.
Beyond the track footage, Palmer also shows off the various trims the Lightning comes in. Of all the models shown, we feel that Lariat will be the one to get. While it's the most expensive, it does include the twelve-inch screen found on the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Granted, the Lariat will go into the $90,000 range.
Ford also had a cutaway of the Lightning available, showing off what's under the chassis. We see the motors in the Lightning, which are different from the Mach-E. With the eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty, Ford has made it so the battery can be easily replaced in case it degrades too quickly.
Ford can also test out different cells within the battery pack apparently, helping replace individual cells instead of the entire pack. Those that opt-in for the extended range battery, which costs an additional $10,000 for 70-miles of range, will get a dual charging system. That means that when charging, the electricity splits itself, meaning an 80-amp charger can charge the Lightning in eight hours versus ten.
We're still only scratching the clearcoat on the Ford F-150 Lightning. Be sure to check back for our full review as soon as we can get our hands on one.
