How does 500+ hp sound?
Saying the Ford F-150 Lightning is hotly anticipated is a little bit of an understatement. America's most popular truck is going electric, and buyers are chomping at the bit to get in the driver's seat. We'll be getting in the driver's seat too, but for now, those thoughts are embargoed. What isn't embargoed is some fantastic news for prospective customers.
Ford told us that the Lightning will give "customers more power and capability than they expected from their trucks." The Blue Oval says that both the standard and extended-range battery packs will deliver more power than originally targeted when the truck was revealed in May last year.
"We were seriously focused on raising the bar on this truck, including after we revealed it, so we can deliver more for our customers," said Dapo Adewusi, F-150 Lightning vehicle engineering manager. Let's start with the big one. The extended range Lightning will produce 580 hp, up from Ford's original 563 hp target. As for the standard, that'll now produce 452 hp, up from 426 hp. No matter which version of the Lightning you have, you're getting the same 775 lb-ft of torque, which is unchanged.
Back in March, Ford also said that the Lightning will be able to drive further than expected, at least according to the EPA. That includes a 20-mile increase for the XLT and Lariat trims, which with the extended range battery now net an estimated 320 miles of range.
Payload is huge with truck buyers, and it's clear Ford knows this. You don't make one of the most successful trucks in America without knowing that. Ford says that properly equipped Lightning models will be able to haul an extra 235 lbs. That brings total capacity up to 2,235 lbs. Which is a lot.
In the coming days, we'll be learning more about the Lightning, but the news also makes us curious about the Ford Mustang Mach E. Will these obvious improvements in Ford's batteries soon translate into an even better and faster Mach E? Given how modular electric platforms are, it's fairly likely. We'll have to wait and see.
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