Though it's not the first all-electric pickup truck to arrive on the market this year (that honor belongs to the Rivian R1T), the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning should be a smash hit given its $39,974 starting MSRP for the entry-level Pro model, which goes up to $90,874 for the luxurious Platinum. Ford obviously has Rivian pegged on price, but with rumors circulating regarding the Lightning's driving range, the Blue Oval finally revealed the official EPA-estimated numbers. And they are great!
As-anticipated, the entry-level F-150 Lightning Pro SR (short range) will go 230 miles on a charge with its smaller 98 kWh battery pack. This is also true for the XLT SR and Lariat SR. Ford will offer a larger 131 kWh battery delivering significantly greater range.
Ford says the Lightning Pro ER (extended range), which is only available for fleet customers, will travel 320 miles on a charge. Ditto for the XLT ER and Lariat ER, which are available to private buyers. Ford initially predicted these models would go 300 miles, so the final EPA estimates are 20 miles higher. Opting for the most luxurious Lightning Platinum, which only comes with the larger battery, nets a 300-mile range. Like the other extended range variants, the Platinum outmatches its initial 280-mile estimate by 20 miles.
"We are laser-focused on continually improving our energy consumption efficiency for Lightning and the team is really happy to deliver these results for our customers," Linda Zhang, chief program engineer for F-150 Lightning, commented regarding the better-than-expected range.
These range numbers will make the F-150 Lightning highly competitive with other EVs on the market, both trucks and SUVs. The Rivian R1T will offer a massive 180-kWh battery pack with over 400 miles of range, but that truck is extremely pricey starting at $95,000. The Chevrolet Silverado EV arrives next year sporting a 400-mile range as well, though it will likely have a much larger a battery than the Lightning. In terms of efficiency, Ford is right where it needs to be.