Featured Image: From Ford.com’s webpage
The big EV news of the week is the Ford F-150 Lightning. I was going to add it to Cleantech new of the month. It’s so big, I think it needed it’s own post. Why is it big? Ford has been the leader in selling light passenger trucks for 40 years. For Ford to switch their iconic and best selling vehicle to an electric powertrain, it’s a monumental shift in the acceptance of electric vehicles. Even Elon Musk congratulated Ford on the achievement, which is in line with Tesla’s goal to accelerate sustainable energy.
This is not an ordinary, let’s take a gas vehicle and convert it to electric. The F-150 Lightning was designed from a clean sheet to take advantage of being electric.
Here are some of the top things I like about the F-150 Lightning, so much so I am debating putting down a reservation. To be fair, I’d put down one for the Cybertruck too, and see which one I like better. We need to replace our leased minivan, and I’m evaluating electric options. I may have to wait for the VW ID Buzz.
Reason #1: The price
At a starting price of less than $40,000 for a commercial model, before federal rebates, this is price competitive with a gas model. Electric vehicles will have lower fuel and maintenance costs.
Reason #2: The frunk
The front trunk, also known as a frunk, or Mega Power Frunk is huge! You can put 8 concrete bags of 50 lb (22.6 kgs) into the frunk. This is the largest of any production ready electric vehicle. Plus, with a power liftgate, it can open up or close down from your phone! The frunk is drainable. That means you could use it as a huge cooler, let the ice drain out when it melts, and wash it out.
Reason #3: Power parts galore
From the website, there are multiple power ports in the frunk, cab, and bed. There is 9.6 kW of exportable power. This is going to make it easier for a lot of people who need electric tools for work or go camping.
Reason #4: Vehicle to Home
Ford calls this Intelligent Backup Power. If you have the proper home disconnect transfer switch, so that your house is not hooked up to the grid when the power goes out, the F-150 Lightning can power your house. At 30 kWh a day and extended battery, this is enough to power your home for 3 days. This will be handy in areas where the power goes out often from storms or natural disasters.
Other things will be new to people buying EV’s for the first time, and they’ll appreciate the F-150’s instant torque, fast acceleration to 60 mph, all wheel drive, big touchscreen in the middle, over the air software updates, phone as a key, and hands free highway driving using BlueCruise. As a Tesla owner these features are already known and appreciated. I’m glad Ford is spreading these features to a wider audience. The competition is heating up between Tesla, Rivian, and Ford for electric passenger and light commercial trucks. I’m sure GM and Stellaris (owner of Dodge) are not too happy at the moment.
Here are some good links on the F-150 Lightning.
Link 1: Cleantechnica: The Ford F-150 Lightning Is A BIG Win — 3 Core Questions Remain
Link 2: Cleantecnhica: The Ford F-150 Lightning’s Mega Power Frunk Will Be A HUGE Consumer Attraction
Link 3: Vox: The new Ford F-150 Lightning is not the electric vehicle we’ve been waiting for
Link 4: The Verge: Ford CEO Jim Farley on building the electric F-150 — and reinventing Ford
What are your thoughts on the F-150 Lightning?
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Thanks for reading!
Warmest regards,
smilingdad
smilingdad 