Ford F-150 Lightning 2022 Review

There are a couple of reasons why we reckon Americans are flocking to the F-150 Lightning. Firstly, because it’s a big ute that doesn’t guzzle the gas like it’s fossil-fueled friends.

The second is the fact that it can power your home for up to 10 days during a blackout. The third is it’s quicker off the line than the old F-150 Raptor.

Saving the planet isn’t even fourth, that’s reserved for the frunk (front truck) that can swallow 400 litres of gear – and herein lies the beauty of the Lightning; Ford’s first-ever zero-emissions truck makes sense – not just to climate activists but to working men and women who will choose it regardless of its lack of emissions.

In Australia, the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning would deliver the guilt-free motoring that many, mostly urban-dwelling, ute owners clearly yearn for – as we’ve seen with the rush of orders for the Tesla Cybertruck that’s still nowhere in sight.

Ford’s ground-breaking full-size all-electric ute is not yet confirmed for our market, but if there’s enough demand (and supply), a conversion through the US auto giant’s new right-hand drive manufacturing facility in Victoria – which will next year begin churning out right-hook combustion-engined versions of the F-150 – could become feasible.

The F-150 Lightning nameplate has already been trademarked for our market, and Ford Australia has also facilitated for us to grab a Lightning off the Michigan assembly line for our first drive, so the signs are good.

Currently, the US range kicks off with the work-ready Pro and expands to include the XLT, Lariat and range-topping Platinum model grades.

The cheapest Pro is priced from a very reasonable $US46,974 ($A72,330), with most American buyers eligible for a further $US7500 ($A11,700) EV subsidy – dragging its price down to around what we pay for a mid-spec V6-powered Ford Ranger.

For that money you get the standard-range 98kWh battery that gives a US EPA-verified range of up to 386km, plus dual electric motors that provide all-wheel drive and pump out 337kW and 1050Nm of torque.

Must-have items include the $US1000 ($A1600) Max Trailer Tow pack that adds extra battery cooling to boost the EV pick-up’s hauling capacity to 3500kg, although models with the bigger 131kWh extended battery up this to 4500kg.

The $US1950 ($A3000) Tow Technology Package is also worthwhile, adding a 360-degree camera, electric-fold mirrors, trailer back-up assist, trailer brake controller, trailer reverse guidance and on-board scales.

Speaking of payloads, the all-electric F-150 can haul 181kg in its frunk and up to 1014kg on its 2219mm-long bed – not bad, but not especially good considering its size.

As standard, the Pro version is equipped with LED headlights, 18-inch all-terrain tyres, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a rear-view camera, blind spot detection, a six-speaker sound system and a 12-inch infotainment unit that runs Ford’s SYNC4 operating system and works with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sat-nav is also included.

One cheeky addition is Ford charges $US500 ($A780) for the Lightning’s charging cable.

The $59,474 ($A92,600) XLT, meanwhile, adds the option of the Extended Range Battery, which is far from cheap at $US21,500 ($A33,500) but helps boost total power to 433kW and increases the maximum distance between top-ups to 515km under US testing guidelines (which are more lenient than the European WLTP regime).

Choose the XLT and Ford adds fixed running boards, gets the 360-degree camera system as standard, eight-way electric seats and sports a fold-down centre console that can be used as desk space for a laptop.

The Lariat rockets the F-150 Lightning spend to $US74,474 ($A116,000) with the standard battery.

For that, you also bag a powered rear tailgate, 20-inch alloy wheels, a larger 15.5-inch infotainment system, a powerful eight-speaker B&O sound system, 10-way power-adjustable leather seats, a 9.6kW on-board charger (in place of the standard truck’s 2.4kW charger), a tailgate step and adaptive cruise control with lane-keep assist.

Those who want the most luxurious take on the all-electric Ford pick-up are steered directly toward the $US96,874 (A150,800) Platinum.

That introduces the bigger battery as standard, includes huge 22-inch alloy wheels, enables you to use your phone as a key, gets a powerful 18-speaker sound system with a subwoofer and adds other extras like rain-sensing wipers, heated and ventilated 10-way leather seats and the option of fold-flat seats that allow you to sleep while charging.

Ford’s semi-autonomous BlueCruise control is also standard on the Platinum, along with the Max Tow pack and Tow Tech Pack that are optional on lesser grades.

Ford predicts owners and operators of the F-150 Lightning should see a 40 per cent saving in servicing and maintenance costs compared to combustion-powered models – and that’s before fuel costs are considered.

The F-150 Lightning also only needs servicing every 30,000 miles (48,280km).

In Australia, the F-150 Lightning would be covered by Ford Australia’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty that would be further bolstered by an eight-year/160,000km cover for the battery pack.

Despite looking pretty much identical to the regular 3.5-litre V6-powered pick-up, just the doors and bed lining carry over for the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.

Beneath the cab, Ford’s engineering team was forced to start from scratch with the ladder-frame chassis that, one engineer admitted, is scalable but still might be too large to shrink down to Ford Ranger size.

And it’s important to not underestimate just how big the F-150 Lightning is.

Measuring in at an imposing 5911mm long, the Lightning is more than 600mm longer than the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class limousine and that explains why, with the biggest 131kWh battery pack installed, the all-electric truck tips the scales at a mammoth 2989kg.

Luckily, the dual-motor set-up is more than a match for the mass. We drove the most powerful version that produces the full 433kW of power. It’s also worth noting that, whatever battery is on board, torque is capped at a monstrous 1050Nm.

Off the line, Ford claims the big truck launches from 0-97km/h (60mph) in just 4.3 seconds, making it comfortably quicker than the 523kW/880Nm RAM 1500 TRX (4.5sec) that briefly ruled the segment for acceleration.

Top speed, meanwhile, it limited to 180km/h – 10km/h less than the TRX.

The Lightning only comes as a four-door dual-cab. The Regular (two-door) and SuperCab (rear half-door) body styles are not offered with the EV, and there’s no plan to introduce them in the near future.

Making up for the smaller 1.5-cubic-metre tub (it’s a relative thing) is the huge power-operated frunk that offers an additional 400 litres of space but also contains small drain holes that enable you to hose it down at the end of the day.

It’s that attention to detail, and a refusal to abandon its workhorse roots, that remind you the Lightning was created for those who’ll use the EV both for business and pleasure, just like any other F-150.

Within the cabin, as you would hope, there’s loads of space and more legroom than the current utes on our market.

We also love its utilitarian design, use of denim material on some versions on top of the doors and clever features like the fold-flat gear-shifter that makes space for a small desk.

The 180-degree lie-flat seats are also a nice touch.

Behind the wheel, there’s an excellent view of the road ahead that helps you grapple with the sheer size of the F-150.

Shrinking its dimensions further is the effortless performance available that can initially be a little disconcerting, especially since the thrust barely tapers off above 150.

More reassuring is when you eventually tire of indulging in the odd traffic light grand prix, escape the city limits and find a country road, the heavyweight battery-electric Ford truck isn’t the dynamic dunce you might think.

Using double-wishbone front suspension and independent trailing arms and a coil-sprung rear-end, the F-150 Lightning’s three-tonne kerb mass is mostly placed low in the chassis, so when you dare to tip the truck into a bend, there’s less body roll than you expect.

Pick up the throttle and the big Ford even feels rear-driven, indulging in micro-drifts.

It’s worth mentioning now that pushing on has a devastating effect on the range.

Same goes for when towing, according to one owner we spoke to, who saw range from a full charge drop to just 240km when towing the maximum 4500kg.

Another moaned that this fell even further to a paltry 160km, but then admitted they were cruising at “more than 120km/h” – which sounds pretty impressive in our book.

Related reading:
How does the F-150 stack up?
Ford F-150 confirmed for Aus
All-electric Ford Transit Custom locked in for Australia

Another drawback of the F-150 Lightning is charging speed, with the big batteries only capable of being topped up at a rate of 150kW, which means a 15-80 per cent charge takes around 44 minutes for the standard power pack using a DC charger and 41 minutes for the extended-range battery.

Three years ago, when the wedgy Tesla Cybertruck emerged and whet the world’s appetite for a global zero-emissions ute, it felt like Ford was caught napping.

Fast-forward to today and the Blue Oval is now leading the full-size all-electric ute market with the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.

Next year, Ford will ramp up F-150 Lightning production to more than 150,000 units, but that’s nowhere near enough to satisfy demand, according to executives, and after driving it we can see why it’s been a smash-hit.

The F-150 Lightning offers ultra-low running costs, plenty of toughness, and levels of performance, refinement and comfort never before seen on a full-size pick-up truck.

Of course, its reign at the top could be short-lived, with the Chevrolet Silverado EV just months away from launch, and all-electric rivals from the likes of RAM arriving shortly after that.

Tesla Cybertruck production is expected to finally start by mid-2023, while other dedicated electric pick-ups such as the Rivian R1T are also in the mix.

It poses the question: Would the new breed of zero-emission pick-ups succeed in Australia?

The short answer is: It’s hard to tell. Full-size pick-ups are still too large to park in most urban city centres and offer few advantages, other than towing, over a Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger.

Our lack of EV charging infrastructure also hampers the business case for trucks like the battery-electric F-150, and it doesn’t help that the Lightning would share few components with the local F-150 right-hand drive conversion program underway.

But we’re not giving up hope of it ever being sold Down Under.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is a deeply impressive truck and a true pioneer that deserves to make its mark on the Australian landscape, just as it’s doing in America right now.

How much does the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro cost?
Price: $US46,975/$A72,330 (plus on-road costs)
Available: To be confirmed
Powertrain: Dual permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 433kW/1050Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 131kWh lithium-ion
Range: 515km (US EPA)
Energy consumption: 49kWh/161km (US EPA)
Safety rating: Not tested