On April 26, 2022, Ford announced the launch of its electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan. By 2023, the annual production capacity of the assembly line will reach 150,000 units.
First, let’s take a look at the brief parameters of the Ford F-150 Lightning:
- Vehicle dimensions of 5,885 * 2,030 * 1,960 mm with a wheelbase of 3,683 mm;
- Non-load-bearing body, liquid-cooled ternary lithium battery, supporting up to 150 kW DC fast charging;
- All-wheel drive, torque up to 1,050 N·m; Standard capacity battery pack with an EPA range of 370 km, dual-motor power of 318 kW; long-range battery pack with an EPA range of 483 km, dual-motor power of 420 kW;
- The whole vehicle is equipped with 4 power output ports, supporting external discharge power up to 17.6 kW, which can “power a house for three days”;
- Optional Ford BlueCruise driver assistance package, capable of hands-free driving on highways.
The Ford F-Series pickups have been America’s best-selling trucks for 45 consecutive years. In order to electrify the production of the F-150 Lightning, Ford has invested more than $1 billion in the transformation and upgrading of the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. Since its launch, the F-150 Lightning has received over 200,000 pre-orders, with three-quarters of the users being first-time Ford buyers.
Ford plans to deliver more than 2 million electric vehicles annually by 2026, accounting for about one-third of the company’s global sales. By 2030, the sales proportion of pure electric vehicles is expected to increase to around 50%.On March 2, 2022, Ford announced that it will split its electric vehicle and fuel vehicle business units. The three departments, including electric vehicles, fuel vehicles, and commercial vehicles, will operate independently and be responsible for their own profits and losses by 2023. Ford hopes that the split will reduce resistance to electrification from within the company.
Technical-wise, the F-150 Lightning has a larger platform than the Mach-E, which means Ford’s pure electric vehicle lineup has the potential for “size expansion.” In the Chinese market, the F-150 Lightning may be able to take root with pure electric MPV and full-size SUV models, presenting a different face. Previously, Ford showcased its first batch of pure electric vehicle lineup at a press conference. Hopefully, Ford’s actions are quick enough to change the current situation in the competitive Chinese new energy vehicle market, which relies solely on the Mach-E and lacks exclusive charging and service networks. Models like the Mach-E also need mass production to reduce costs and increase the competitiveness of Ford’s pure electric vehicles.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.