For decades, the pickup truck market has been cornered by the Big Three U.S. automakers: Chrysler, GM and Ford. Among the top sellers are the Toyota Tacoma, Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado and, of course, the Ford F-150. Not only is Ford’s F-Series America’s best-selling pickup, it also holds the title for most popular vehicle in the country.
While Ford and its F-Series maintain a strong grip on the automotive market, the industry is changing and the manufacturing giant is making big moves to stay on top. With consumers shifting towards more eco-friendly modes of transportation, there’s a growing demand for electric vehicles. Plenty of automakers have stepped in to fill that demand, including Ford, with the introduction of the newly redesigned and electric Ford F-150 Lightning: the first all-electric version of America’s best-selling pickup truck.
Ford F-150 Lightning overview
The F-150 Lightning is Ford’s debut electric pickup truck and a battery isn’t the only thing that sets the Lightning apart from the rest of the F-Series. Here are the unique features included in the Ford F-150 Lightning:
- Dual motors
- AWD
- Two battery pack sizes (131 kWh & 98 kWh)
- Up to 320 mile range
- 775lb-ft of torque
- Towing capacity up to 10,000 lbs
- Payload capacity up to 2,000 lbs
- Ford Intelligent Backup Power
Ford F-150 Lightning interior
Besides ditching the engine, another big departure from the classic F-150 is the interior of the truck. The interior of the F-150 Lightning sports a more modern take on the classic F-150 design. It’s not a total overhaul though—longtime F-150 drivers will still feel right at home in the new electric iteration of the vehicle. Drivers will notice special touches like premium trim on parts of the dash and door panels, reclining driver and passenger seats and most notably, the new vertical user interface display. The 15.5” touchscreen display includes all the controls and navigation a driver could need, packed into a sleek and user-friendly interface.
The Ford F-150 Lightning interior can change dramatically depending on which trim you choose. For example, the work truck grade has a mechanical shifter and vinyl seats while higher-end models include leather seats with heating and ventilation, a 360-degree camera, optional exterior lighting and more.
Ford F-150 Lightning price
The Ford F-150 Lightning is available in four different models: Pro, XLT, Lariat and Platinum. Each model builds on the previous with new features and optional add-ons including battery pack upgrades, larger wheels, truck bed lighting, improved audio systems, greater horsepower and more.
Ford F-150 Lightning Pro: Starting at $39,974
Ford F-150 Lightning XLT: Starting at $52,974
Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat: Starting at $74,474
Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum: Starting at $96,874
Ford has designed each version of the F-150 Lightning to meet the needs of any and every driver. The Lightning Pro comes standard with vinyl seats and manual transmission, making it an ideal work truck. As you work your way up to the Platinum, the truck becomes more luxurious without losing any of its power.
Watch: Here’s How the Cheapest 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Compares to the Fancy Model!
Why is the Ford F-150 Lightning so popular?
The prestige of the original F-150 truck is a large part of the Lightning’s high demand, but that’s not all. A cultural shift towards more environmentally-friendly transportation, rising gas prices and government incentives for a reduced carbon footprint make electric vehicles a hot commodity. In addition to that, one area that has been lacking in the EV market has been work trucks and rugged vehicles with serious towing capacity. While there are other electric vehicles on the market with some impressive towing power, Ford’s electric pickup truck offers a classic vehicle trusted by workers all over America at a more accessible price point than most of the competition.
The Ford F-150 Lightning could be the tipping point for electric vehicles at large. When a brand as powerful as Ford fully commits to electrifying not only their most popular vehicle, but one of the best-selling vehicles in the world, other manufacturers are likely to follow suit. Having already made a commitment to 2023 and 2024 models of the Lightning, it’s clear that Ford is serious about its leap into the electric vehicle market.
Buying a Ford F-150 Lightning
Placing your order
When you’re ready to begin the buying process, your first destination won’t be a dealership. Instead, you’ll head to Ford’s website and start by choosing the exact truck that you want. Because of the high demand for this new vehicle, dealerships don’t have any inventory ready to sell, so each truck is made to order (this also applies to the Ford Mustang Mach-E). While you will have to wait for your truck to be built and shipped, you’ll be getting the exact vehicle you want down to every last detail—and you’ll avoid dealership fees and markups that you might have paid had the vehicle been sitting on a dealer’s lot.
For more information read our guide on ordering direct from the manufacturer.
Securing your vehicle and payment options
In order to secure your vehicle, you’ll have to make a small payment up front. Ford makes this easy by only requiring only a $100 deposit that will later go towards your truck payment. Making your first payment doesn’t mean your Lightning instantly goes into production. Your initial deposit buys you a place in line until the factory can produce your vehicle.
Note: Once it’s time for your truck to be built and shipped, you must start making payments or you’ll be placed back at the end of the waitlist. To help with payments for their electric vehicles, Ford has introduced special payment options for the F-150 Lightning and Mach-E.
Working with your local dealership
Even though you placed your order directly through Ford, dealerships aren’t totally out of the picture. Once you’ve started your order with Ford and built your vehicle, you’ll be paired with a local dealership in your area where the vehicle will be delivered. This dealership will also act as your main point of contact for production and shipping updates and it’s where you’ll go to complete the paperwork required to process your order.
Ford F-150 Lightning production and delivery times
You’ve designed your truck, placed your order and signed all the paperwork. Now what? Instead of the instant gratification that comes with driving off the lot in your new ride, you’ll have to wait while your brand new truck is built and delivered to your local dealership. There’s no sugarcoating it—wait times for early adopters of the Lightning have been lengthy. Pre-orders for the vehicle placed in May 2021 have been arriving about 16 months later. On the bright side, timelines are being rapidly reduced as Ford ramps up production with new plants to meet demand. The dealership you work with to complete your order will be able to give you timeline estimates and updates throughout your vehicle’s production.
Ship your Ford F-150 Lightning
If you’re looking to purchase a Ford F-150 Lightning and need to have it shipped, consider Montway Auto Transport. Montway’s nationwide carrier network has the experience and equipment to safely transport electric vehicles to all 50 states. Learn more about how auto transport works and get started with a free instant quote, or speak with a shipping advisor at 888-666-8929.