Area gets first hands-on look at electric pickup

The first thing you notice when you climb into the cab of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning is what you don’t notice.

Other then the many whistles and bells that come with the high-end package on the model recently delivered to Medford Motors, the feel is the same as climbing into the cab of an equally equipped gasoline-powered F-150.

This is intentional, explained Ryan Lemke of Medford Motors, noting there is a reason the F-150 has been the best selling pick-up truck in the U.S. for more than four decades.

Rather than going for a futuristic reimagining of what a pickup truck is, Ford stuck with what works in making a full sized all-electric truck. At first glance it would be easy to miss the Lightning from within a group of other F-150s.

Externally, the most obvious difference is with the absence of a true front grill, since there is no reason for air to flow through into what would be the engine compartment in a standard pickup. Other differences become more apparent the closer you look. The fuel door conceals a charging port, a bank of outlets is located in the payload bay with the theoretical ability to power a home during a blackout. Lemke, notes that actually doing that would require a wiring upgrade in a home. However, he noted it is more than enough for a worksite, tailgate or most recreational needs.

Then there is the “Frunk.” As an all-electric model, the power doesn’t come from an engine burning fuel, but from a bank of lithium ion batteries mounted between the frame rails on the underside of the vehicle. In addition to giving the Lightning a much lower center of gravity than comparable pickups, it also frees up the space that would be taken by the engine to become a secure storage compartment. The Frunk measures 14.1 cubic feet and has a carrying capacity of 400 pounds. In addition, it has four 120-volt outlets and two USB ports. Below the floor of the Frunk there is another compartment which can be used for extra storage or even as an ice chest, with a built in drain.

The challenge for pickup owners has always been the trade off of the useful payload space in the truck bed, versus the need for secure, weatherproof storage. The Frunk solves that concern.

The heart of the Lightning is of course that it is an all-electric vehicle which operates off of batteries. These batteries are protected by their own exostructure that acts as a shield when going off road and include an advanced liquid heating and cooling system to help maximize battery life.

According to Lemke if something does happen where a battery goes bad, technicians can pull out of the bad section and replace it with a new one. The battery then goes back to Ford where it is reconditioned. Lemke noted that based on Medford Motors experience with hybrids over more than decade, they have had very few issues with batteries going bad.

The battery powers dual electric motors, one on each axle. Unlike gasoline motors which build up to their peak output, when you step on the accelerator of the Lightning it is there instantly pushing you into your seat and leaving your stomach behind as you go from a standstill to highway speeds in a startling short period of time.

Battery range is a major question for many looking at the Lightning. Lemke explained that the truck has about a 300 mile range on a full charge. This varies due to driving conditions and temperature. Since the Lightning uses the same sort of regenerative breaking as hybrids to put energy back into the batteries when slowing down, the range in-town is actually higher than on the highway.

Lemke said there are still some questions about usage in real-world conditions as far as when fully loaded and towing and the amount of range reduction during frigid temperatures.

Lemke explained that there are multiple charging options with the most cost-effective is through home charging on a dedicated 240-volt outlet. This is the same sort of outlet for a electric dryer or range. People can also choose to upgrade to a 240 volt/48-amp charge station which enhances charging speeds or a 240 volt/80 amp wall box which is included with the extended range battery models.

According to Lemke, the Lightning allows you to schedule it charging time to take advantage of non-peak hours. In addition, the climate control features allows you to set when you would typically leave for work and if hooked to a charger, your truck cab, seat heaters and steering wheel heaters would be turned on and ready when you got in the vehicle.

While home charging will be most convenient for day to day use, charging while traveling is a major concern Lemke has been hearing. Ford’s answer to this through the BlueOval Charge Network which is the larges public charging network in North America. Plugging in a route, such as for a cross-country trip, will show suggested charging station with the recommendation to charge when the batteries are at about 25%, much the same as you would begin looking for a service station when your gas tank started to hit that level. Lemke explained that there are three different levels of charging stations with the fast charge option allowing the batteries to go from zero to 80% charges in 45 minutes — about the time to stop and have a meal. He also noted that many hotels are installing charging stations for people staying there. While these may not be as fast, they will get the batteries charged overnight. Lemke also noted that as electric vehicles gain in popularity, the number of charging stations will increase with major service station chains having announced plans to add charting stations to their locations.

He also noted that some employers in larger areas have installed charging stations at their workplaces as an added benefit.

According to Lemke interest in the Lightning has been high considering the rural nature of the area. He said they have had a number of orders placed for it, but as with most vehicles they are seeing delays between when a vehicle is ordered and when it is available to be delivered. Those supply chain issues exist regardless of model. While the model they have at the dealership is the Platinum level, he expects the most popular options will be the comparatively more basic models and those used as fleet vehicles for employers with central garage areas where they can be recharged overnight.