Ford's Electric F-150 to Revitalize the Name "Lightning"

Ford is going old-school with its next-gen electric pickup – the battery-powered F-150 will carry the ‘90s moniker “Lightning.”

The OG F-150 Lightning was already progressive for its time – in the early ‘90s, a bevy of automakers, including Dodge, Chevy, GMC, and later, Ford, tried to change the perception of pickup trucks as all function and no form.

But the early examples, like the GMC Syclone, went too far in the opposite direction – all form and no function. The Syclone sported a 280 horsepower, 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine and could go 0-60 mph in about 4.6 seconds. The downside? Its towing capacity was a mere 2,000 lbs. By contrast, F-150s at the time could tow 2-3x that (or more).

The 1993 F-150 Lightning, designed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team, aimed to be the best of both worlds, and it largely succeeded. The Lightning was a touch slower than the Syclone, needing 7 seconds to reach 60 mph, but it was a lot beefier, able to tow up to 8,400 lbs.

Not much is known about Ford’s electrified F-150 Lightning, but it’ll presumably carry over more than just its forebear’s name. You’d think Ford was aiming higher than just a nostalgia trip.

Car and Driver expects it to start around $70K and come out by the middle of next year. The modern Lightning will be revealed to the world this Wednesday, 5/19.