HOUSTON — We all know that Texans love their trucks. Ford is hoping you’ll also love its electric version of a Lone Star State favorite.
“We grew up in Texas with our dads driving F-150s,” said Rob Beaird with Ford Motor Company. “You drove them to high school football games. When a vehicle like this goes electric, you know that’s a big game-changer.”
The Ford F-150 is the most popular truck in Texas. That’s why Ford included Houston on a roadshow that rolled through on a very windy day.
Reporter Tiffany Craig asked for a test ride at the event and Ford said yes. She jumped in the passenger seat.
“Let’s do it,” she said. “How does it go so fast? I’m breaking a sweat.”
The truck can get up to 60 mph in around 4.4 seconds. It can tow up to 10,000 pounds and is really quiet.
Kate Abou-Chakra with Evolve Houston came out for a ride in the Lightning too. Evolve Houston is a coalition working to make transportation cleaner.
“This is the first time that I’m seeing an F-150 Lightning in the flesh,” she said. “The interior is impressive in the F-150 Lightning with their display screen and the spacing inside of it.”
The starting price is around $40,000 for the base truck. A top-of-the-line electric truck can run as high as $90,000.
Depending on the powertrain, it can get from 230-300 miles on a charge. Beaird points out that the battery could also come in handy with unpredictable weather.
“During the winter storm, there were a few Texans who had the hybrid version and they were able to plug into the onboard generator and power their house,” he said.
Pre-orders for the Lightning are expected to open in December 2021. Deliveries are on the calendar for the Spring of 2022.