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Report: Ford F-150 Electric Adopting Lightning Name

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Ford F-150 all-electric prototype | Report: Ford F-150 Electric Adopting Lightning Name
The Ford F-150 all-electric prototype
Photo: Ford

With production set to spark up in mid-2022, we should be getting our first glimpses of the all-electric Ford F-150 any ol’ time now. When that day comes, it may very well be introduced under a familiar name: the Ford F-150 Lightning.


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Car and Driver on Friday reported that a source familiar with Ford’s dealings obtained a document that names the F-150 Lightning alongside the Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit. Ford swiftly declined to comment on speculation, telling C&D “we’re excited to introduce the all-electric F-150 very soon.”

F-150 Lightning would (kind of) revive a fan favorite

Ford fans will recall that the Lightning name originally belonged to the 1993 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning, a performance-focused street truck from the Special Vehicle Team. The OG SVT F-150 Lightning got a 240-horsepower 5.8-liter Windsor V8, Monroe Formula GP shock absorbers, and a mid-seven-second 0-60 mph. Safe to say, it was pretty wild.

Ford offered the Lightning through 1995, then brought it back again for the 10th-gen F-150 from 1999 to 2004. In its latest iteration, the 2004 Ford F-150 Lightning ramped up the focus on speed even more. Thanks to a 5.4-liter supercharged Triton V8, the last SVT F-150 Lightning clocked in with a 148-mph top speed and a 5.8-second 0-60. Bananas? A whole bushel full. No wonder this thing is a cult favorite.

Photos: The classic Ford SVT F-150 Lightning

  • 1993 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
  • 1999 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
  • 2002 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
  • 2004 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning

You might think that Ford taking a name associated with a high-performance street truck and applying it to an EV would ruffle some feathers. But commenters on C&D’s report are surprisingly on board. One praised Ford for “finally taking a second to think about what they’re going to name something.” Another called the choice a “capital idea,” and another said Ford has finally hit on an EV name “that actually makes sense.”

Another consistent thread: derision for the Mustang Mach-E name. One commenter said that they like the F-150 Lightning name in this instance because it “doesn’t destroy the heritage” the way Ford *checks notes* has thoroughly and completely wiped out the 50-something-year legacy of the most popular sports car on the planet today. You really get the sense that these might be the same people who get super mad on the internet about casting choices in comic book movies because it rUiNS mY cHiLDhOoD.

What’s in store for the electric Ford F-150?

Set to go on sale by the middle of next year, the Ford F-150 Lightning should hit right as the electric truck revolution hits full swing. Ford will have plenty of competition from the jump with the GMC Hummer EV, which launches later this year in limited quantities, and the upcoming electric Chevrolet Silverado. Ford and Tesla have already come to slaps about the latter’s Cybertruck, so you can look forward to more of that, too. We’re all excited about the promise of more “jokes” from Elon Musk, to be sure.

As for what the electric Ford F-150 will be able to do? An early demonstration promised unparalleled towing power, and the truck will likely also offer a range of more than 300 miles on a full charge. Ford is promising the most power and fastest acceleration of any F-150 available today. That means it’ll top the 450 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque delivered by the F-150 PowerBoost and could run a sub-five-second 0-60.

If that’s the case, then the F-150 Lightning may well and truly live up to the name of the beloved street truck. Worst case scenario? Ford can back off the Lightning moniker and go with option 1A: the Ford F-150 Electric Boogie-Woogie-Woogie.  


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