Ford F-150 Lightning Gets Longer Range, More Colors, Options
Ford today announced that the online order banks will open next Thursday, August 18, for the 2023 F-150 Lightning. The new truck will be able to drive further than a 2022, and there will be more Ford Lightning options boxes to tick. The big news for the new truck, aside from the price increase, is the range boost. The EPA now says the range of the F-150 Lightning is 240 miles, up from 230, for the standard battery.
Which trim levels get the longer range?
Starting in the fall, the trucks that are built with the standard battery pack will get the new range estimate. The standard battery pack comes on the Pro, or work truck version, XLT, and Lariat trim levels. Ford did not give details about the extended battery pack, which currently has an EPA estimate of 320 miles per charge. The extended range version has 580 horsepower, while the standard battery has 452 horsepower. In the release, Ford did not specify if the new standard truck will have more power in its news release.
The new 2023 F-150 Lightning gets new options packages
The 2023 Ford Lightning options packages are also growing. You can now order Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, which will automatically drive the truck to make hitching trailers easier. Pro Trailer Assist is now standard with the Tow Technology Package that is available on the Pro, XLT, Lariat, and Platinum trims. You can order one in new colors, including Avalanche Gray, and Azure Gray.
What is the FordPro Special Service Vehicle Package?
The package includes “police-grade heavy-duty cloth front seats,” Ford said, as well as built in steel intrusion plates and available roof-mounted warning beacons. So, basically, it’s a cop truck. Police need special equipment, and the instrument panel now has a reinforced top tray for easy mounting of equipment, rear vinyl seats, and vinyl flooring. But the Lightning is incredibly quick, which could make it one of the most popular pursuit vehicles for police departments.
The price of the F-150 Lightning is going up
The new truck will be more expensive. The new MSRP for the Lightning starts at $46,974 for the Pro trim, which is a significant increase from $39,974 price of the 2022. The 2022 XLT started at $52,974 and the 2023 starts now at $59,474. The most expensive version, the Platinum Extended Range, is now $96,874.
Ford is now delivering Lightnings to all 50 states
Ford Lightnings are now in all 50 states. The company said that it has sold 4,400 F-150 Lightning trucks as of August 3. Many of those early trucks, however, were flipped at a huge profit by folks who put in their reservations early. Ford is cracking down on dealers that are overcharging for Lightning trucks and threatening to pull allocations from dealers that are gauging buyers of the popular truck.
