F-150 Lightning deliveries begin with even more horsepower, payload capacity, plus real-time range estimates while towing

As first deliveries of Ford’s highly-anticipated F-150 Lightning begin this week, the American automaker has announced the all-electric pickup will arrive with more horsepower and higher payload capacity that originally promised. Furthermore, Ford announced new cloud software that more accurately estimates the F-150 Lightning’s range while towing in real-time. The more it’s used, the more precise it can become.

If you’re reading this, there’s a very feasible chance you’ve heard of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Based upon mere probability, there’s a decent chance you’re a reservation holder, so we’re not going to dig into its whole backstory like we usually do; we trust you’ve been doing your homework.

Like yourself, we’re tired of all the talk and its high time to explore the action, and there’s plenty to cover this week. One year after first unveiling its all-electric F-Series pickup to the world, Ford has finally begun F-150 Lightning deliveries.

When Ford confirmed the EPA range of the standard $40k F-150 Lightning at 230 miles and 68 MPGe, we were also anticipating a range for the extended battery model around 300 miles as advertised. We recently learned, however, that Ford will instead be delivering 320 miles of range in the XLT and Lariat trims, albeit at a significantly higher price of at least $72,500.

With this welcomed announcement, Ford underpromised and overdelivered… at least on paper. It’s not done either. With the start of F-150 deliveries, Ford is promising additional specs that are better than anticipated, alongside some new tech for those planning to do significant towing.

Surprise! F-150 deliveries arrive with even more power

Those lucky first F-150 customers have now been met with an additional bonus, as Ford has revealed updated specs for both the standard- and extended-range versions of its F-150 Lightning. More specifically, the electric pickups arrive with more horsepower and additional payload capacity.

Here’s how they inevitably stack up compared to what was originally promised last May:

F-150 Lightning vehicle engineering manager Dapo Adewusi spoke to the added performance and the goal to continue improving from here:

We were seriously focused on raising the bar on this truck, including after we revealed it, so we can deliver more for our customers. And our drive for continuous improvement will get a big boost when we start getting feedback and ideas from customers when they receive their Lightnings.

Ford introduces Intelligent Range to streamline towing trips

As if the news above wasn’t enough, Ford has introduced a new tool integrated into first F-150 Lightning deliveries to target a common worry amongst EV truck owners – towing range anxiety.

All 2022 Ford-150 Lightning deliveries will arrive with Intelligent Range – a cloud-connected data system that compares your truck’s energy use against a multitude of sources and accurately updates estimated range in real-time. Data includes Ford trucks that have towed on similar roads and/or with similar sized trailers.

This Ford-exclusive technology also takes driving conditions into account such as traffic speed, ambient temperature, climate control in the EV, and even the owner’s specific driving habits. What’s most promising about Intelligent Range, is that the more it is used across Ford’s vehicles, the more refined the system can become, offering more accurate and specific estimates as time goes on. F-150 Lightning chief engineer Linda Zhang spoke:

We know many F-150 Lightning customers will be first-time electric vehicle owners who expect that familiar Built Ford Tough capability along with robust towing. That’s why we created smart technologies to help take the worry out of towing long distances by giving customers more reliable and accurate range calculations, and then automatically locate charge points along the way, if needed.

Combined with FordPass Power My Trip, new F-150 Lightning customers who receive deliveries can use the software to not only find charging locations, but Intelligent Range will remember past Trailer Profiles (trailer data entered into the system) and find the best place to charge if it determines you’ll reach low range while towing along your trip.

Everything surrounding the electric pickup continues to sound better and better on paper. Now that F-150 Lightning deliveries have begun, we are very interested to hear feedback from your lucky consumers who are able to get your hands on one in 2022. Let us know what you think!