Even Ford Underestimated the F-150 Lightning
As with most products, sellers often exaggerate how great new vehicles are. It’s easy to assume Ford was doing that with its new electric F-150 truck. Overestimated horsepower, towing capacity, and now with EVs, driving range. However, we’re as surprised as you that Ford did the opposite this time. Ford officials underestimated how powerful the F-150 Lightning was.
What did Ford underestimate about the electric truck?
According to KBB, Ford has revised its horsepower and payload estimates for the F-150 Lightning. Both versions of the pickup are more powerful than the automaker announced to the world. Previously, the company said the standard-range powertrain Lightning Pro would produce 426 horsepower. Now, Ford says the truck can get up to 452.
Additionally, the extended-range version in higher trims, like the Platinum, was rated for 563 horsepower. However, Ford underestimated this version of the electric truck too. The automaker revised its numbers, stating that the extended-range F-150 Lightning can make 580 horsepower.
As a result, increased horsepower means increased capability. Now, the Lightning’s payload capacity is better than Ford initially thought. With a standard-range truck, owners can haul an additional 235 pounds, raising its total to 2,235. That puts the electric F-150 right in the middle of its gas-powered counterpart. Standard F-150s can carry anywhere from 1,840 to 3,325 pounds.
You can’t buy a Ford F-150 Lightning
It’s too little, too late for the F-150 Lightning. Even with its underestimated power, the electric truck sold out so quickly you can’t buy one anymore. It’s only officially been available for a short time, but customers bought every last one. With the global chip shortage looming, Ford is struggling to keep up with demand for its most popular models. If you think these power improvements are enough to warrant a purchase, think again.
Ford sold the F-150 Lightning through a reservation system where buyers would pay a $100 refundable fee to claim a place in line. They receive an invitation to order their truck when their time comes. KBB says the American automaker sold three years’ worth of reservations within a few months of announcing the new model. For 2022, the order books closed last week but will reopen for the 2023 model year soon. Additionally, the company is working toward building extra production capacity to meet the demand for the new EV.
There’s a second Ford electric truck coming
Ford will release a second electric truck in the next few years. CEO Jim Farley teased the new model without actually revealing anything. There are plenty of possibilities as to what it could be. A Ford spokesperson said the new model “will be a next-gen electric truck, different from F-150 Lightning.” It’s going to be an all-electric Ranger, which is getting an entirely new design for the 2023 model year. However, there could be an F-250 or Maverick in the works.
Did you underestimate the Ford F-150 Lightning?
Think again if you passed on ordering Ford’s new electric truck because of its horsepower or payload capacity. Even the automaker underestimated the Ford F-150 Lightning. Ford realized it didn’t give its own first electric pickup truck enough credit after its release. Now, extra horsepower and a few hundred pounds of payload capacity are available with every Ford F-150 Lightning model.
