5 Ford F-150 Lightning takeaways for contractors
Ford’s announcement of the 2022 F-150 Lightning created an enormous buzz throughout the pickup world, and for good motive. That is the primary main producer to leap into the electrical car ring with a full-sized pickup – and never simply any pickup, however the best-selling and massively well-liked F-150.
EV expertise remains to be evolving shortly. It should take a while to know simply precisely how a lot of what Ford introduced in its introduction occasion will actually come to fruition, however what we noticed suggests there are many potential advantages for contractors. From a base value properly inside attain of most patrons to the capability to be used as a backup generator, the F-150 Lightning Professional – focused instantly at fleets and companies – guarantees good issues for patrons within the building sector.
Listed here are 5 factors that caught our consideration, and which might be more likely to be of curiosity to contractors:
A cargo capability of two,000 kilos and towing of as much as 10,000 kilos is focused.
How a lot can the F-150 Lightning haul?
Proper off, it have to be famous that Ford has not formally verified any of the efficiency numbers supplied throughout the launch, but when its expectations are met when the F-150 Lightning Professional is able to hit the streets then patrons will not have any drawback with getting their tools from level A to level B.
Two variations of the Lightning Professional, each providing always-on 4-wheel-drive, might be obtainable – the bottom car targets 426 horsepower, a 2,000-pound capability and as much as 5,000 kilos of towing, prolonged to 7,700 kilos with an optionally available Max Trailer Tow package deal. The prolonged vary mannequin is aiming at 563 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque, and has the potential to tow as much as 10,000 kilos.
You may add to that some new space for storing for tools and supplies the place there was once an engine – the Mega Energy Frunk affords a hefty lockable, watertight area that may handle as much as 400 kilos. All of that is present in a package deal that Ford has mentioned will carry the identical sturdiness as another F-Collection providing: high-strength metal body, military-grade aluminum, and extra elements and shields to guard the electrical motors and batteries.
Two battery choices give the F-150 Lightning completely different vary estimates, as much as 300 miles.
What’s the vary of the F-150 Lightning?
Ford says its telematics information reveals most fleet and business homeowners drive lower than 174 miles in a typical day, so the vary and charging choices that include the F-150 Lightning make sense for these customers.
The bottom mannequin will include an estimated vary of 230 miles, whereas the prolonged vary battery will give as much as an estimated 300 miles for longer drives. As well as, the truck comes with a complimentary 32-amp Ford Cell Charger that provides small and medium-sized companies a great begin for arranging their charging infrastructure. An 80-amp Cost Station Professional comes with the prolonged battery; when mixed with the onboard twin chargers, this allows reasonably priced in a single day charging utilizing AC energy quite than requiring costlier DC set up.
A quickly rising charger community – together with Ford’s personal cost station choices – offers drivers loads of alternative to high up, and the elimination of fossil gas burning engines means a 40 % discount in upkeep prices, Ford estimates.
A number of variations of Ford Professional Energy Onboard can be found to run all the pieces from chargers to energy instruments and extra.
How can the F-150 Lightning energy my job website?
In a distant website and want entry to some juice to run some tools? Like its predecessor, the hybrid F-150 launched in 2020, the 2022 Lightning Professional comes with Professional Energy Onboard – a built-in AC energy supply that comes customary with 2.4 kilowatts of energy obtainable by way of customary plugs within the frunk, the cabin and the mattress. A 9.6-kW model provides two extra 120V and a 240V outlet within the mattress. Customers can run lighting, small home equipment, energy instruments and far more from the truck’s energy provide.
Energy attracts from the battery, and vary is routinely adjusted so customers do not overdo it – fleet managers can set the cost degree at which energy is routinely shut all the way down to hold vehicles from being stranded.
In energy loss emergencies, the F-150 Lightning has the flexibility to fill within the gaps. The obtainable Ford Clever Backup Energy permits the truck to dump 9.6 kW of energy, which can be utilized to energy lights, home equipment, and so forth in a home that is misplaced energy.
The SYNC 4 system affords entry to quite a lot of instruments for drivers to handle their F-150 Lightning.
What expertise instruments come on the F-150 Lightning?
On such a technologically superior truck it is no shock that there are new instruments that transcend what we’re used to in car expertise. A type of options is the Clever Vary system, which pairs with the electrical system to trace the true distance that may be managed on a cost – an adaptive monitoring system tracks quite a lot of key components to make sure that drivers know precisely the place they stand relating to vary. Terrain, climate, cargo and trailer load are all a part of that calculation, and work by way of Ford’s Energy My Journey cloud-based characteristic and the put in SYNC 4 12-inch color LCD contact display and 12-inch productiveness display. Onboard scales can be found to assist monitor payload and fine-tune that vary calculation much more.
Fleet managers can get a have a look at how their automobiles and drivers are performing by way of a spread of telematics readings. EV-specific information like kilowatt-hour consumption, cost velocity and others, assist give a snapshot of car well being; in-cab driver teaching, distant car pre-conditioning and extreme incident notifications are all obtainable as properly, amongst different options.
Ford has projected the Canadian retail value of the F-150 Lightning Professional will begin at $58,000.
How a lot will the F-150 Lightning price?
One of many greatest roadblocks for EVs has been price. Ford has positively finished its greatest to deliver the value level of the F-150 Lightning Professional in at a degree that can appeal to patrons in each the business and client ranges.
The bottom F-150 Lightning Professional for the business market will are available in at about $58,000 Canadian – which, when in comparison with base mannequin gas-powered F-150s, shouldn’t be that a lot greater. Federal and provincial EV rebates (nonetheless to be decided) could possibly deliver that value down much more, making the electrical model much more aggressive. The business XLT mannequin will begin at round $68,000 and include a lot of added options in comparison with the bottom mannequin.
