After confirming the long-teased electric Ford F-150’s name as “F-150 Lightning” last week, Ford has released a host of details about their all-electric pickup truck. Coming on the heels of the 2021 F-150 redesign, the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning shares most of its styling and many other features with the rest of the lineup. Visually, it’s “just an F-150” for the most part, which is refreshing compared to EVs that look different just to… look different.
Looks aside, let’s dive in to the information Ford provided and see how the electric F-150 Lightning stacks up.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Trims, Cab, Bed, and Dimensions
For now, every F-150 Lightning will come as a SuperCrew cab configuration (four full doors) with the shortest 5.5′ truck bed. Wheelbase of every F-150 Lightning is listed at 145.5″ and overall length at 232.7″ – no real changes from the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid we drove earlier this year.
Ford mentions a “commercial-oriented entry model” but won’t flat-out call it an XL trim. Past the commercial model, Ford is offering the electric Lightning variant of F-150 as an XLT, Lariat, or Platinum.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Horsepower, Torque, Range, and Charging
Four-wheel drive is standard on every 2022 F-150 Lightning, with one electric motor on each axle. Horsepower figures are dependent on which battery you choose, though both standard- and extended-range options produce the same 775 lb-ft of torque. Power is targeted at 426 horsepower on the standard-range trucks and 563 horsepower with extended range. 0-60 time is targeted at a ridiculous-for-a-truck time of mid-4 seconds, about a second faster than an F-150 Raptor and just a touch slower than Ram’s insane 1500 TRX.
While 426 horsepower is probably fine for most buyers, the higher-powered extended-range F-150 Lightning will appeal to road-trippers with 300 miles of range between charges. The standard-range F-150 Lightning will cover a decent 230 miles before needing more juice. Keep in mind, those figures are rated with the truck unloaded.
The F-150 Lightning supports DC Fast Charging at speeds up to 150 kW, which is one of the faster charge rates compared to other EVs on the market today. However, faster charging is coming (and here, in more expensive EVs like the Porsche Taycan) at speeds of 350 kW or more. Regardless, Ford claims you can go from 10% to 80% charge in about 41 minutes on the extended-range trucks. Standard-range models will take another three minutes to accomplish the same 80% state of charge.
If you don’t need to get all the way to an 80% state of charge, ten minutes at a DC Fast Charging station will add 54 miles to the extended-range F-150 Lighting, or 41 miles on the standard-range model.
Owners will typically charge at home, and going from 15% to 100% can be accomplished in about ten hours on the standard-range trucks, or eight hours on the extended-range models that use the optional 80-amp home charger.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Towing and Payload
Ford didn’t skimp on the tow rating and payload figures with the F-150 Lightning. Again, extended-range variants offer “more” – in this case, with tow rating. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is rated for 10,000 pounds of tow capacity with the extended-range battery, and 7,700 pounds with standard-range.
Payload, by comparison, is higher on the standard-range models, at 2,000 pounds. Extended-range trucks lose two hundred pounds for an 1,800 pound rating, undoubtedly due to a slightly heavier battery pack between the frame rails.
It’s worth noting that Ford didn’t release range estimates while towing at or near maximum capacity. Rivian disclosed their R1T and R1S models will see range cut in half when towing their stated maximum. We expect the F-150 Lightning to take a similar hit, and will attempt to confirm this when we speak to members of the Lightning team next Monday.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning-Specific Features
Electric vehicle packaging allows for some creativity. Given the F-150 Lightning’s batteries are between the frame rails, the space normally occupied by a gasoline engine has been repurposed as a frunk. The 400-liter frunk is power-operated and can hold 400 pounds of payload. It features four electrical outlets, two USB charging ports, and drain plugs in case you’re using it as a quasi-cooler.
Beyond the frunk, Ford has adapted their Sync 4A infotainment software to the F-150 Lightning. While the gas-powered F-150s offer a 12″ touchscreen, Ford has snagged the tall 15.5″ touchscreen from the Mach-E and slapped it on the dash of the F-150 Lightning. At first glance, I’d wish for a bit tighter integration, although I did enjoy the screen in the Mach-E. Thankfully, Ford has kept the trailer brake controller as a physical set of buttons and a slider – important for quick adjustments on-the-go or full braking in an emergency situation.
As in the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid, the F-150 Lightning offers Pro Power Onboard, a “generator” system (can we call it a generator if the Lightning is all-electric?) that provides up to 7.2 kW of power from bed-mounted outlets. And unlike the F-150 PowerBoost, the F-150 Lightning can officially backfeed your home with power in the event of a power outage.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Cost and Availability
That not-an-XL “commercial-oriented entry model” of F-150 Lightning will start at $39,974, and the lowest consumer-tier XLT trim will start at $52,974. Those MSRPs do not include any federal or state tax credits, of which Ford is still eligible for the full $7,500 from the feds.
Every 2022 F-150 Lightning will be built at Ford’s Rouge Assembly Plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Reservations can be placed now for $100, and trucks will start arriving in Spring 2022.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Basic Stats
| Standard-Range | Extended-Range | |
| Torque | 775 lb-ft | 775 lb-ft |
| Horsepower | 426 HP | 563 HP |
| Range | 230 miles | 300 miles |
| DC Fast Charging Time, 10% – 80% | 44 minutes | 41 minutes |
| Tow Rating | 7,700 pounds | 10,000 pounds |
| Payload Rating | 2,000 pounds | 1,800 pounds |
