Ford's next-generation F-150 Lightning ditches a pure EV format in favor of a gasoline-backed extended-range electric truck that promises massive range and towing capability.
Fordβs F-150 Lightning production line has fallen silent, and its employees are now building more gas and hybrid trucks. The automaker continues to retreat from the big bet it made on Americans embracing full-size battery electric pickup trucks, and will focus instead on cheaper vehicles, hybrids, and range-extended electric vehiclesβor EREVsβinstead, it announced today.
One of those EREVs will be the Lightingβs replacement. With a gasoline generator that just charges the batteryβseries hybrid fans rejoiceβthe next Lightning comes with the towing ability that Ford says its customers consider βnon-negotiable,β and up to 700 miles (1,126 km) of range.
βOur next-generation F-150 Lightning EREV will be every bit as revolutionary. It delivers everything Lightning customers love β near instantaneous torque and pure electric driving. But with a high-power generator enabling an estimated range of 700+ miles, it tows like a locomotive. Heavy-duty towing and cross-country travel will be as effortless as the daily commute,β said Doug Field, Fordβs chief EV, digital and design officer.