Ford F-150 Lightning Gets Increased Power, Payload Ratings
The Ford F-150 Lightning, which officially entered production in late April, will be more powerful and capable of hauling heavier loads than initially advertised.
Ford has confirmed that models equipped with the standard-range 98kWh battery generate 452 horsepower instead of 426 horsepower, while those featuring the extended-range 131kWh battery are now rated at 580 horsepower instead of 563 horsepower. In both cases, peak torque is still 775 pound-feet.
- Also: Ford CEO Confirms Second Electric Pickup to be Built in the U.S.
- Also: Ford F-150 Lightning Series Production Now Underway
Maximum payload is improved, as well. It is up from 2,000 pounds to 2,235 pounds on select models. As for towing, the F-150 Lightning can pull 7,700 or 10,000 pounds depending on the battery.
As previously reported, other specs have been revised since the launch of the electric pickup last year. The longest range available is now 515 kilometres according to Natural Resources Canada. It remains at 483 kilometres in Platinum trim or 370 kilometres with the smaller battery.
Incidentally, the F-150 Lightning’s Intelligent Range feature collects key vehicle data to determine how much electrical energy drivers are using in real time. This includes traffic speed, ambient temperature, available battery energy, plus driver habits, climate control use and route topography, not to mention information from the Onboard Scales.
“Whether you’re towing with a gas-powered or electric truck, range degradation as a percentage is basically the same—determined primarily by overall cargo and trailer weight at low speeds and by the aerodynamic profile at higher speeds,” says F-150 Lightning chief engineer Linda Zhang.
She also notes that drivers can simply in-put their trailer information into Trailer Profile, then enter their destination into the navigation system or on their smartphone via the FordPass app. A feature called Power My Trip will automatically map their towing route using Intelligent Range and provide charge points along the way, if needed.
Ford stopped taking reservations for the F-150 Lightning after hitting 200,000. The automaker claims it is ramping up production to a planned annual run rate of 150,000 in 2023—provided supply chain issues are resolved quickly. A single F-150 Lightning needs about 1,700 chips, or eight times the number required by a standard F-150.
