Calling all contractors! This year, Ford Motor Company launched their first all-electric pickup truck. The 2022 F-150 Lightning comes in four trims: Pro, XLT, Lariat, and Platinum. Although the Pro is the most affordable of the bunch, it’s currently only available with an extended-range battery for fleet customers. In this post, we’ll focus on the XLT, which offers many more features made for the construction site.
What Is It?
The F-150 Lightning shares the same body as the famous F-150 pickup truck, but it’s traded in the gas tank for a battery pack. The cabin is also fairly similar, with a few fresh additions. This includes an extra-large infotainment display, spacious front-cargo bay, and large front trunk (frunk). Taken together, though, this still makes the F-150 Lightning a great contractor truck.
In terms of performance, the Lightning XLT has two electric motors, all-wheel drive, offers 775 lb.-ft of torque, and 452 horsepower. With the optional extended-range battery, horsepower jumps to 580.
Although the F-150 Lightning isn’t the first all-electric truck on the market, its starting price is the lowest in the game—and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the iconic F-150 name behind it.
Construction Site Capabilities
It’s clear Ford made the F-150 Lightning XLT with contractors in mind. Whether you keep your projects local or are constantly on the road, the Ford Lightning is well-equipped to handle whatever you need to get the job done.
Remote Power
With a fully charged extended-range battery, Ford claims the Lightning XLT can serve as a backup generator, capable of powering an entire house for up to three days (depending on power consumption rates). For contractors, this means the ability to power equipment on a remote job site.
Towing Capacity
The Lightning XLT’s towing capacity starts at 5,000 lbs. and goes up to a maximum of 10,000 lbs. with the Max Trailer Tow Package. The truck can take an additional 2,000 lbs. in payload, so it’ll have no trouble carrying the equipment and materials you need for almost any job.
Range & Battery
At full capacity, the standard XLT battery offers a range of up to 370 km (98 kWh). For an additional $10,000, you can add an extended-range battery pack, boosting the range to 514 km (131 kWh). Although it’s an added expense, this battery extension will prove its worth on those days you have to visit multiple remote sites.
With the Power My Trip feature on Ford’s mobile app, FordPass, you can find the most fuel-efficient route between your job sites. This feature also shows you how far you can go between charges, so you can easily avoid range anxiety.
The standard Lightning battery can go from 15 percent to 80 percent in roughly 36 minutes when connected to a DC Fast Charger. For the extended-range battery, this’ll take about 44 minutes.
Other Features
The F-150 Lightning XLT offers a host of other features (both standard and optional) for contractors and auto enthusiasts alike to enjoy.
Standard
- Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and in-dash navigation
- 360-degree camera
- automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
Optional
- adaptive cruise control with hands-free driving
- power up/down tailgate
- rain-sensing windshield wipers
- heated cloth seats
Pricing & Availability
At the time of writing, the F-150 Lighting Canadian price starts at $68,000 for the XLT. The final price can climb past $110,000 for the Platinum, depending on which features you request.
Because of such high demand, there’s limited availability for retail orders of the 2022 F-150 Lightning in Canada. You may find some models at your local dealer, but due to sparse inventory, most Ford Lightning fans may have to wait for the 2023 lineup. Check out the listings on ontariocars.ca to see if any F-150 Lightnings are being sold near you. For more tips and news about electric vehicles, check out our blog.