Ford aims to strike big with its new F-150 Lightning pickup truck

American multinational automaker Ford Motor Company recently revealed the name of its new electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning.

Sources close to the matter stated that the pickup truck will debut on 19th May in Dearborn, Michigan. The launch event will be streamed online and held across 18 high-profile public spaces, including Las Vegas Boulevard and Times Square in New York City.

It is worth noting that the Ford F-150 is the most famous truck (and vehicle) for over 40 years in the United States, so its awaited electrification is of great significance.

Ford had previously used the name Lightning for street performance trucks in the early 1990s. Although the F-150 Lightning will make its debut later this month, it will not be available for purchase until 2022.

Although Ford has not yet disclosed the electric pickup truck's exact specifications, it has revealed a few key details, including its over-the-air software updates, hands-free driver-assist options, mobile power generation, and dual electric motor configuration.

The automaker also revealed its plans to set up a new manufacturing plant in Michigan worth USD 700 million to produce the F-150 Lightning.

Moreover, the company plans to invest USD 22 billion in the production of over a dozen electrified models (including gas-electric hybrids and EVs), boosting its high-tech offerings, sources cited. The automaker’s electric and hybrid F-150s are just a part of its EV campaign.

Ford has also invested more than USD 500 million in Rivian, an electric truck startup, and is collaborating with them to develop a Lincoln EV. Moreover, the firm has allied with Volkswagen to utilize the German automaker’s battery technology in an electric vehicle that is set to hit the European industry in 2023.

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https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/10/22428653/ford-electric-pickup-truck-f150-lightning