The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning has had a long road going through development, but at last, Ford has formally begun production of the F-150 Lightning and celebrated the occasion with a massive launch event at the company’s hometown of Dearborn, Michigan. The Lightning promises to bring some innovations to consumers, and here are three key things you should know about the Ford F-150 Lightning.
F-150 Lightning Supercharging Ford’s EV Plans
The F-150 Lightning will begin production at Ford’s all-new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, located within the massive Rouge plant complex. The Electric Vehicle Center took 19 months for Ford to complete, and it comes with its fair share of innovative solutions. A prominent one is that the center does not use a vast network of conveyor belts to move parts from one part of the facility to the other and instead uses a fleet of Autonomous Glide Vehicles (aka robots) to move the Lightning from one workstation to the next.
Ford claims that these vehicles help improve the quality check process and allow inspectors to look over the trucks for any potential problems quickly. As a bonus, if one is spotted, Ford does not have to shut down the entire line like in a traditional plant, and it can isolate a particular workstation to remedy the problem. Similar production methods have been rolling out in other slices of the EV landscape, but the adoption of such practices by Ford is a sign that the company is learning from its rivals and has taken notes on how to add some of these techniques to their plants but give them their own distinct identity.
Familiarity Expected To Play Prominent Role In F-150 Lightning Sales
A vital aspect of any EV offering is that it has a look that’s distinct and familiar enough for customers to recognize it immediately. The F-150 Lightning is bucking the trend in the EV truck segment. Unlike some of its rivals which favor a radical suit of clothes, the F-150 Lightning carries over much of the core styling theme that we have seen in ICE-powered F-150s, with the profile and even essential elements of the front and rear end styling carrying over.
The Lightning makes minor revisions to the F-150 layout to accommodate its electrified hardware. The front fascia swaps out the front grille for a panel and new headlights that incorporate a unifying lightbar. The truck’s rear features a small spoiler, and the rear lights also benefit from a lightbar of their own. A highlight that we like here is the Mega Power Frunk which replaces the engine and allows owners to have a massive amount of storage space which can also be washed out and drained to not only facilitate cleaning but also allow the space to serve as a cooler on hot summer days. These features and the general styling theme contrast rivals like the Rivian R1T and the Chevrolet Silverado EV, which are adopting a more sci-fi look that sacrifices real-world norms to draw attention.
When Can I Buy One?
Today’s launch also means that the wait to buy one is just about over. Like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the company will reserve the first wave of Lightnings for reservation holders with over 200,000 already logged up to this point. The company has bumped up its production numbers for the Electric Vehicle Center several times to accommodate this demand.
“America’s real transition to electric vehicles starts now,” said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. “F-150 Lightning is just the beginning of our ambitions for growth and leadership in digital, electric vehicles. We continue to expand our EV manufacturing footprint across the U.S., including the start of site preparation at BlueOval City, which will enable us to meet the ever-increasing customer demand for our exciting EV line-up.”
The F-150 Lightning will also pack the performance to back up its hype, with the truck capable of hitting 60 mph in 4.5 seconds while also having the ability to charge other EVs or even power your home with the onboard power generator. The first wave of trucks will be commercial-focused Pro models and have a base price of $40,000 before any credits, fees, and potential dealer markups are mixed.
After the Pro models have a chance to get acclimated in dealer lots, the rest of the Lightning family will gradually flesh things out and look for the full rollout to be completed over the next few months, with the company revealing that it will begin shipping trucks out of EVC in a few days.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.