Ford confirm F-150 Lightning range, first pickups should be on the road next month

Ford has confirmed the battery range for its upcoming F-150 Lightning pickup truck, and the numbers better than they expected.

The basic model will get you 370 km on one full charge. The uprated versions have a more durable range, with the elite model reaching 515 km before needing a recharge.

The top-of-the-line model has a range of 30 km more than what Ford initially expected. However, it still doesn’t match the GMC’s Hummer 530 km range. Nor does it come close to GM’s bold claims that the Silverado EV will have a range exceeding 600 km.

But, Ford has kept efficiency in mind with the F-150 Lightning. The truck has an MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent for EV range) rating of 70, much better than the 43 from the Hummer.

The cheapest F-150s are expected to be sold in the US for $40000. The premium model will cost upwards of $90000 (all USD).

As for towing, Ford says the platinum F-150 Lightning is good enough for 4.5 tonnes, which is more than what the petrol variant can do, while less than the diesel equivalent.

Ford’s deliveries for the first F-150 Lightnings are on schedule, and we should see the first ones hit American roads as early as next month.

It’s welcome news for customers, given how the current state of the world has forced most of the automotive industry to drastically scale back their operations. EVs are no exception, with nickel prices skyrocketing amid the Russian/Ukraine war.

Ford initially expected to produce 40,000 F-150 Lightnings each year. They have upped that target to 150,000.

Orders and reservations of the model are currently at 200,000.

“The reality is clear: People are ready for an all-electric F-150 and Ford is pulling out all the stops to scale our operations and increase production capacity,” Ford’s president of the Americas & International Markets Group Kumar Galhotra said.

“With nearly 200,000 reservations, our teams are working hard and creatively to break production constraints to get more F-150 Lightning trucks into the hands of our customers.”