Manoli Katakis 
Ford engineers and marketers openly told MC&T that there’s little incentive for the company to produce a pickup truck that solely focuses on street performance, as seen with the Ford F-150 Lightning of yore. Similar remarks have come from officials at Stellantis when asked about a street-performance truck based on the Ram 1500 TRX. Ultimately, high performance truck customers want the duality of ample power and performance for the street – which both the Ram TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor have – while being capable of taking that same power and performance to sandy dunes, rocky trails, and muddy clearings. Yet the Ford F-150 Lightning name appears primed for a comeback.
F-150 Lightning Name Confirmed In Leaked Document?
According to Car & Driver, the upcoming Ford F-150 EV will come with the Lightning name branded on it, foregoing other names such as E-150 and F-150 Electric. And, like the F-150 Lightning from the 1990s, this purely electric pickup truck is bound to leap off the starting line with the incredible vigor that electric vehicles have become known for. The all-electric F-150 is expected to launch as soon as next year, just behind the Rivian R1T (summer 2021) and Hummer EV (late 2021).
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Details
While Ford Motor Company hasn’t officially confirmed use of the Lightning name just yet, the electric Ford F-150 has been teased and detailed in multiple ways up to this point. Ford CEO Jim Farley even hinted at the price of the upcoming F-150 EV, saying it won’t go after the $100,000-plus truck market, as seen with the Hummer EV pickup truck, and noted that Ford’s upcoming electric vehicles will fall between $20,000 and $70,000. A Cox Automotive survey also pointed to strong anticipation for the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, claiming buyers want it more than they want the Tesla Cybertruck. Adding to that is the fact that Ford officially announced that the company will increase its capacity to build the upcoming electric F-150, which will be assembled exclusively at the Rouge truck plant in Michigan.
Now, various leaks and spy photos shed even more details. For example, camouflaged prototypes of the electric Ford F-150 elude to its center console being a massive touchscreen a la Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV, while other photos have caught glimpses of its independent rear suspension. A patent drawing also hinted at a possible “toolbox” style range extender for the truck, while another teaser photo from Ford may have hinted as a possible off-road variant. The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning will also differentiate itself from the gasoline and hybrid F-150 pickup trucks with a unique LED lighting signature pattern, a solid grille insert, and other minor tweaks.
