The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is going to change the way you think about electric-powered trucks. Most people hear the term “electric vehicle,” and their first thought is that the automobile is not as powerful as the gas or diesel versions are. Ford has created a work truck that is electric powered and is just as strong, tough, and fast as the versions with combustible engines. What is so different about the Ford F-150 Lightning? There are many things that this truck can do that similar electric-powered trucks cannot do. Here are just some examples of what this truck can do for you.
Overnight Charging
You never have to start the day without a full charge on the battery. Ford has worked to create a powerful battery in an easy-to-access front trunk. All you have to do is plug the truck in each evening when the workday is over, and when you get back in the vehicle the following day, it will be fully charged and ready to go to work.
It Works As a Power Supply
You can leave the heavy generator at the office because this truck is a fully functioning power source. You always have the power you need for your tools and necessities. Ford calls this their Pro Power Onboard feature. The truck has four outlets that power 120V devices, and it has one outlet located in the bed that can provide the power of a 240V outlet.
To make the power generator that is always with you even more useful, the manufacturer designed it to create a customizable energy reserve so you will always have plenty of power to go home when the workday is over. The extended-range battery on this new work truck can power tools on a job site for as many as three days and still get you to work each morning and home each night.
In addition to the Pro Power Onboard generator, the Lightning also has Ford Intelligent Backup Power. This feature can allow your Ford Lightning to power your entire home for up to three days when the battery is fully charged, or you can stretch that ability to up to ten days if you are rationing power. You aren’t likely to find any other model that can provide that kind of capability on the market anytime soon.
Increased Accuracy of the Range Estimate
Ford has designed an Intelligent Range as a feature of this work truck. Intelligent Range does not just tell you how far you can travel on the amount of charge that the battery system has. This feature of the Ford electric-powered truck can compare the past behaviors of the driver, the crowdsource data that other Ford vehicles have shared, the conditions of the roads, and the weather conditions of the day. All of that data is evaluated, so the range calculations provided by the truck are more accurate and precise.
The driver can use the power my trip feature on the truck to learn precisely how much charge the vehicle must have to travel from their location to the location they wish to visit. Power My Trip will tell the driver the estimated time it will take to charge the vehicle given its current level of charge and give you an overview of charger locations, so you always know where to go to get more power. This truck is estimated to be capable of traveling 230 miles on a full charge. That provides enough distance for workers to travel to job sites, supply centers, and travel to and from home.
Driver Assist and Safety Assurance
The 2022 F-150 Lightning is going to increase the safety of the driver and occupants of the vehicle. The additional protection will reduce possible accidents and possibly reduce the cost of insuring the car and your workers. One of the major accident causes is when a driver drifts out of their lane and strikes an obstacle or another vehicle. The Lightning will have a Lane-Keeping System that alerts the driver if they are about to drift out of the lane they are currently driving in. This is especially great in work trucks because a person that has labored all day is more likely to have this type of accident.
You can also get BLIS with Trailer Coverage, which will be helpful for those days you are towing something large. The BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) feature will alert you if there is a vehicle in any of your truck’s blind spots, so you don’t accidentally hit anyone when changing lanes. This is especially useful when your view maybe a little more impaired due to towing a trailer.
Don’t forget about the usefulness of the Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking. This system will alert you if you are getting too close to the vehicle in front of you and will automatically apply the brakes if necessary. This feature also detects pedestrians you might not see crossing the street.
Full-Size Spare Tires
The 2022 Lightning will have a full-sized spare tire. Ford manufacturers realize that the smaller tires intended to get the vehicle to a repair center are not always practical on work trucks. Work trucks need the availability of a full-size tire to get where they are going and not interrupt their workday.
BlueCruise
Ford is dipping its toes into the autonomous driving field with the new BlueCruise feature. Using a variety of cameras and radars around the vehicle, the Lightning can gain enough input from the road and driving conditions around you to allow you to drive hands-free on over 100,000 miles of Blue Zones roads.
Optimized for Work
The Ford Lightning is still designed so that you can get work done. On the inside, you have an available workspace that is perfect for you to set up a laptop to work on or for you to just use when taking your lunch break. The Pro Power Onboard feature is stored in the frunk, so your bed remains clear for all that you are hauling. You can turn your tailgate into another workspace to set up your tools on or layout your blueprints. Finally, if you find yourself working into the night, don’t worry; the Lightning features Enhanced Zone Lighting so that you can light up the full 360-degree area around your truck.
Tax Incentives Are Being Offered.
There are possibilities of companies who purchase the all-electric work truck getting tax incentives on their federal taxes. The exact amount and requirements for the incentives vary, but your Ford dealer will know what you are available to receive. This is a huge incentive to pick up one of these trucks soon because these incentives may not last forever given the rapid production of even more electric vehicles.
It is a Ford F-150
One of the key differences of the new 2022 Lightning is the fact that it is designed and built by Ford, one of the most successful truck building companies in the business. That means all of the confidence you have in the Ford brand can be applied to the latest vehicle models they have created. This electric model is built Ford tough, designed to work hard, and built to provide the dependability that Ford trucks have always had.
