10 Things You Should Know About the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning ・ Photo by Ford

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning will be the first F-150 with an electric powertrain. This isn’t a hybrid; it's a fully electric vehicle.

That means no gas engine and electric power not just for your truck, but even for your home. Here are 10 things you need to know about the all-new 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.

Powers Your Home

The Ford F-150 Lightning isn’t just an electric truck — it’s also an electric power source. If your home loses power when the F-150 Lightning is plugged in, Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power will automatically start powering your home. As soon as you're back up and running, the system switches back over to charging up your F-150.

There’s nothing you need to do to make this happen. It’s an automatic process that can offboard 9.6 kW. Fully charged, that works out to full home power for up to three days. In addition, 11 outlets located throughout the truck can be used for power when you’re on the go for everything from a television to speakers to power tools.

Photo by Ford

Performance Inspired by the Mustang Mach-E

The all-electric Mustang Mach-E took the Mustang name in a whole new direction, much like how the F-150 Lightning takes the F-150 in a whole new direction. Ford took what it learned during the development of the Mustang Mach-E and used that knowledge in the development of the F-150 Lightning. That included creating a “wow” factor through impressive performance figures.

The F-150 Lightning posts a 0-60 mph time in the mid-4 second range, making it undeniably quick. It also has an available extended range battery that has a targeted 775 lb-ft of nearly instantaneous torque. That’s more than any Ford F-150 ever, and it makes driving the Lightning a unique experience that you won’t get in any other truck.

Photo by Ford

Hands-Free Driving

Fully autonomous vehicles are still the cars of the future, but the F-150 Lightning will offer a hands-free driving system called BlueCruise. This will work on highways throughout the United States and Canada and will fully take over driving to help reduce driver stress. It will make heavy rush hour traffic and long road trips less wearying by removing the need for the driver to keep his hands on the wheel.

Although this is a hands-free system, the driver still needs to sit behind the wheel and pay attention. In the interest of safety, BlueCruise ensures the driver is awake and alert with a driver-facing camera that’s able to determine if the driver is watching the road even while wearing sunglasses.

Photo by Ford

Ford’s Largest Battery Ever

Power for the F-150 Lightning comes from the largest lithium-ion battery pack Ford has ever used in a vehicle. There are two different battery options depending on how much range you want out of your truck. The standard range battery targets an EPA-estimated range of 230 miles and has an 11.3 kW single charger. The available extended range battery targets an EPA-estimated range of 300 miles and uses a dual charger for the fastest charging time possible.

Ford aimed to reduce the environmental impact of the battery in the F-150 Lightning by creating batteries with high energy density and low cobalt usage. It actually has more cell energy but with reduced cobalt content compared to previous Ford battery designs.

Photo by Ford

Charging Made Easy

Ford makes charging easier with a standard mobile charger that can be used at a 240-volt outlet to gain 21 miles of range per hour, or at a 120-volt outlet for 3 miles of range per hour. Those who choose the standard range battery can upgrade to a 48-amp Ford Connected charging station that adds 19 miles of range per hour. This will take your F-150 Lightning from 15% to 100% in 10 hours, which is basically overnight.

The F-150 Lightning with the extended range battery has dual onboard chargers. At an 80-amp charging station, it can add up to 30 miles of range per hour taking the Lighting from 15% to 100% in just eight hours.

Photo by Ford

Largest Public Charging Network in North America

One reason people are reluctant to make the switch to an electric vehicle is the availability (or lack thereof) of charging stations on the road. There are gas stations on every corner, but charging stations are less common. Ford takes the worry out of charging your F-150 Lightning by providing access to more charging stations in North America than any other automaker.

Available charging stations are easy to find with real-time updates right on the infotainment screen or through the FordPass smartphone app. The app also offers public charging payment capability. Reducing worries that you’ll run out of juice, the vehicle estimates how much range you have left, accounting for weather, traffic, payload, towing, and more so you’re not caught off guard.

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The First F-150 With SYNC 4A

The Lightning is the first F-150 to offer SYNC 4A, which is the latest version of Ford infotainment. It’s ideal for the 15.5-inch tablet-style touchscreen available on the Lariat and Platinum trims and is the largest screen in any full-size pickup. The system uses natural voice controls, cloud-connected navigation, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to make it easy to use.

It accommodates the creation of driver profiles so your specific preferences are saved and ready whenever you drive. SNYC 4A can also pick up on your driving habits, like stopping for coffee every morning, so it can make suggestions. Wireless software updates will keep the system up-to-date and can be completed in under two minutes.

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Mega Power Frunk Holds Lots of Cargo

Unlike vehicles with gas powertrains, electric vehicles don’t need the space under the hood for an engine. Instead, that front trunk, or "frunk," is ideal for holding cargo. While the frunk in a sedan or SUV tends to be smaller, the dimensions of the F-150 mean there’s a huge amount of space under the hood for holding cargo.

Ford calls it the Mega Power Frunk, and it’s the largest front trunk among all electric vehicles. This lockable storage space is ideal for holding all your cargo with room enough to hold two bags of golf clubs. Within the frunk, there’s a secondary smaller cargo area that includes drain plugs, making it perfect for wet, muddy clothes.

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As Tough as the Others

The F-150 Lightning is electric, so there are big differences between it and the rest of the F-150 lineup. However, what doesn't differ is its toughness. The Lightning was subjected to the same tests that the rest of the F-150 lineup has endured to ensure that it’s capable of getting you through the day. Whether that day includes fun and recreation or time at the job site, the F-150 Lightning is up to the challenge.

F-150 trucks run the equivalent of 7.4 million customer miles in testing that includes endurance and strength challenges. Vehicles are also tested on a variety of road surfaces, with some so rough they use robots instead of human drivers, to ensure your F-150 exceeds your expectations.

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An Affordable Electric Vehicle

Electric vehicles are being introduced at a steady rate. While some are affordable, many are priced for luxury buyers. The Ford F-150 Lightning boasts advanced technologies including hands-free driving, an efficient battery, the capability of a truck, and a well-equipped interior, but it doesn’t come with a high starting price. This truck is intended to be something well within reach of all truck buyers with a starting price of just $39,974.

While pricing for the full lineup has yet to be announced, a starting price under $40,000 makes this truck an affordable proposition. Combine that price with the fuel savings of driving an electric vehicle and the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is a value-minded concept.

Photo by Ford