This week I bring you a really cool full-sized pickup, the all-new 2024 Ford Lightning Flash, a completely electric truck. This package is new for 2024 and I think the Blue Oval boys are trying to improve the value proposition for those wanting to make the transition to electric. Ford already offers the PowerBoost, a very successful hybrid variant of the F-150, and there are 3 all-gasoline engine choices as well, so they’ve really covered all the bases.
Let’s talk about this Flash package. It appears to me as if Ford has taken the popular XLT package and combined it with many of the popular features of the Lariat trim. It’s a very loaded pickup, but with cloth seats and no moon roof. Talking to one of the CarPro Ford dealers, they are taking the Flash and adding aftermarket leather to the interior to make a higher-line truck for a lot less than the upper trim levels, and I think this is a great strategy. Aftermarket leather is actually nicer than what is offered from the factory in my experience.
Powertrain
Let’s talk about what powers it: two electric motors draw power from a 131-KwH battery pack that produces 580-horses and an incredible 775-pound feet of torque. It is important to note my review truck has the extended-range battery, which is standard equipment on the Flash, but is a very expensive option on the other models. The battery has a range of 320-miles and takes you from 0-to-60 in under 4 seconds. The two electric motors-one in front and one in back-provide the Flash with 4-wheel drive capability, again at no extra charge.
Exterior
This truck looks pretty much like any F-150 except for the massive LED lighting that surrounds the grill. New for 2024 on the Flash is a new grill design, redesigned front fenders, and a re-do of the charging port door.
This attractive truck in Iconic Silver looks terrific with 20” dark carbonized gray alloy wheels and meaty tires. I love that the truck doesn’t scream “look at me, I’m electric!”.
Interior
Moving to the inside, the Flash is very clean and well-laid out. The cloth heated seats are very comfortable with 10-way power adjustment for the driver, while the passenger has power adjustments too, just not as many as the driver. As you sit, there is a colorful easy-to-read, large gauge cluster that is highly configurable from the heated steering wheel. I have this one configured to show a digital speedometer and the battery range, the two most important things to me.
The focal area of the interior is a massive 15-and-a-half-inch screen that is mounted vertically, not unlike a large iPad. From there you can enter the apps for drive modes, towing, the smart hitch, onboard scales, lighting, the Pro Power Onboard system, parking assist, Intelligent backup power, seat settings, and you can put it in valet mode. There is a large, round volume knob at the bottom which to me looks a little strange, but it certainly is easy to operate. Let me be honest here, it is information-overload until you are used to it. I spent an hour on this screen before driving the truck and I’m not sure I found everything it will do.
The screen also runs the B&O sound system, navigation, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, an exceptional 360-degree review camera system, there is a dedicated page to the battery usage and range, there is Auto Hold, a towing page, it will direct you to public charging stations, it will do over-the-air updates when there are some, and oh so much more!
The center console houses the gear shifter, has a wireless phone charger, USB and USC ports, a 12-volt and 110-power outlet just to the right, and a couple of cup holders. In what is in my opinion the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen in a truck is with the push of a button you can make the gear shifter fold down, then from the backside of the massive center console, you can flip it forward to make a really slick workstation for a laptop or a nice picnic table to eat on when you have to eat on the go.
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The back seat is massive and has storage underneath to hide valuables. It folds up from the bottom to create a huge load floor, and it has large air-conditioning vents, a 12-volt and regular 110-power port, a couple of USB-Cs, and a fold down armrest with cupholders. Back seat passengers will be very comfortable no matter how large or tall they are.
Standard Equipment
This Flash Edition comes extremely loaded with a long list of standard features: Automatic headlights, power removable tailgate with fold down step and grab bar, power heated mirrors, power adjustable pedals, rear window defroster, 8-speaker B&O sound system, cross-traffic alert, Class IV trailer hitch, FordPass connect, front parking sensors, a programmable keypad on the door to lock and unlock the truck, the cell phone charger, Ford’s terrific backup system called Pro Trailer Assist, and I didn’t even list everything.
Safety
On the safety front, there is adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, pre-collision assist with automatic braking, post-crash alert system, and a host of airbags.
Cool Features
Frunk
The F-150 Lightning has some cool features I must point out. The first is the frunk, the front trunk. It opens and closes with a button on the key fob or on the dash, features a drainable ice chest and has 14 cubic-feet of cargo area that you can place up to 400-pounds on. It is entirely waterproof. There is also underneath storage for valuables, and this is where the charging cord stays.
Power Tailgate
As noted previously, the tailgate is power, and you can raise or lower it from the key fob or also on the dash. Usually trucks just lower the tailgate, not raise it. The tailgate when down has a measuring tool and cutouts for putting drinks, your cell phone, etc. In the bed is tie-down hooks, and plenty of lighting.
Pro Power Onboard
Inside the bed and also the frunk is the Pro Power Onboard with 9.6 kW power outlets to plug-in tools or whatever else is needed. The bed outlets have a 240-volt plug-in that will allow you to run lights to your home in the event of a power outage. Ford says it will run an entire house for up to 3 days. There is no need to carry a generator with you ever again, and you can use the power outlets even when driving. Another really great feature.
Onboard Scales
Another useful feature is the onboard scales. You can put 1,823 pounds of cargo in the bed and from the main screen on the dash, it will show you exactly how much weight you have OR the tongue weight of your trailer to make sure you are not overloading your truck.
Blue Cruise
My review truck also has Blue Cruise, Ford’s self-driving technology. This feature allows you to operate your vehicle hands-free while you are monitored by a driver-facing camera to make sure you’re keeping your eyes on the road while driving on prequalified sections of divided highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones that make up over 130,000 miles of North American roads. If you are not on an approved road, the system will not engage.
1-Pedal Driving
On the drive modes page, you can turn on 1-pedal driving. I know a lot of people don’t use it and find it annoying, but I actually like it and have used it all week. In short, this feature allows you to drive with just the accelerator pedal. As soon as you let off the gas pedal, the truck starts to slow down and will come to a full stop without touching the brake pedal. While the vehicle is slowing down, the electric motor acts as a generator, converting kinetic energy from the vehicle's forward motion into electricity. This electricity recharges the battery while the vehicle is braking.
Using this feature takes a little practice, but once you have the hang of it, it’s terrific and other than emergency stops, you’ll likely never hit the brake pedal again AND you can extend your battery range.
Options
Options total $4,900 and include: Pro Power Onboard ($1,200), Max Tow Package ($1,100), trailer brake cord ($500), and $2,100 for a 3-year subscription to the Blue Cruise self-driving system, so if you don’t think you’ll use it, that’s a quick two grand savings.
Towing, Ride and Drive
Although electric, this is a very capable truck that will tow 10,000 pounds, although the effect on battery range is fairly significant, but I do address this below. I can tell you this, the acceleration of this truck is insane, and it drives and rides like a dream, thanks primarily to the independent rear suspension system on the Lightning. Payload in the bed doesn’t seem to have a big effect on range according to tests I’ve seen, but the aerodynamic drag from a high- profile trailer does seem to have an adverse effect.
One issue I usually notice with EVs is interior quietness, since there is no engine noise to drown out the exterior sounds, but this is not an issue with the Lightning Flash, it is whisper quiet.
Charging
Charging time is really good with a DC fast charger, you can achieve a 15%-80% charge in just 38 minutes. You can get that same 80% charge on a Level 2 charger like I have in my garage in 13 hours. Don’t even try it with just a 110-outlet, it would literally take days.
MSRP
MSRP on this loaded pickup is $80,490 before the $7500 federal tax credit and any state incentives that may apply. There is also a slew of Ford incentives that can be had to reduce that price way down, and there are terrific lease incentives also.
Verdict
In summary, this truck won’t work for everyone, but it is impressive and has some wonderful features. Best of all, never visiting a gas station again is a strong motivator, especially with current gas prices. As I recommend to all first-time EV buyers, strongly consider leasing since we have NO idea where the electric market is headed.
TOWING NOTE:
Trailer Towing Effect On Range
I was not able to tow anything with my review Lightning this week and was asked numerous times how towing would affect the battery range. A website called www.Electrek.co tested the Lightning a couple of years ago by pulling a 23-foot Airstream travel trailer that weighed in at about 6,000 pounds.
Their conclusion was that when towing, the battery range dropped roughly by 50%. This is about what I expected. So, you can expect to need to charge when towing about every 160 miles and if towing the full 10,000-pound limit, range would fall by more than half. This prospect presents another issue…using a charger while towing a trailer, since most chargers are single pull-in parking places in parking lots, which would leave the trailer sticking way out behind the truck impeding traffic.
My conclusion: The Lightning would only be an effective tow vehicle for short distances, and not something you would want to use on a cross-country trip. As noted above, payload in the bed doesn’t seem to have a big effect on range since there is no drag from the wind.
To view larger photos see the slideshow below on CarPro.com.
- What I liked most: The power, the great ride and handling, and the gazillion features you can explore on the big screen.
- What I would change: Not much if I wanted an electric pickup now that the value proposition is so much better
- MSRP: Base price $73,495, as equipped $80,490.
- Fuel Economy: Rated at 78 City MPGe/63 highway MPGe/70 Combined MPGe.
- Official Color: Iconic Silver Metallic.
- Odometer reading when tested: 1,100 miles.
- Weight: Approximately 6,597 pounds.
- Length-Width-Height: 232.7” long/80” wide with mirrors folded in/78.3” high.
- Spare tire: Full-sized
- Fuel Tank Capacity: Charging port on driver’s side front fender.
- Towing Capacity: 10,000 pounds.
- 2024 F-150 Lightning Flash in a few words: A much-improved value and a really great truck to drive, extremely enjoyable.
- Warranty: 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper, 5-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty with roadside assistance, 8-year/100,000 miles on electric components.
- Final Assembly Location: Rogue Electric Assembly Plant, Dearborn, MI.
- Manufacturer’s website: Ford.
