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- The Lightning is Ford's all-electric F-150 variant and is scheduled to hit showrooms soon.
- The video demonstrates the F-150 Lightning's limited-traction capabilities and highlights the benefits of electric power.
- Ford doesn't mention the impact of the cold on the F-150 Lightning's advertised 230-mile and 300-mile ranges.
As Ford’s all-electric pickup inches closer to your driveway, the automaker offers up footage of the upcoming F-150 Lightning undergoing rigorous winter tests in frigid Alaska.
Every new car needs cold testing, but showing off this high-profile EV in the snow could reassure upcoming customers: It shows what the F-150 Lightning can do when traction isn’t ideal.
Using a combination of electric motors and locking differentials, Ford’s F-150 Lightning—as seen in the video above—can manipulate wheel speed and help claw for traction. It’s unlikely the average driver will think about how this truck reacts to wheel-slip, but it’s important that it can.
Almost more important than low-traction testing, bitter cold weather is hard on EV batteries. Unfortunately, Ford hasn’t released how the cold affected range or battery performance, but it’s safe to say it will, negatively.
Stay tuned to learn how the cold will impact the F-150 Lightning’s 230 miles or 300 miles of range. That said, it should be reassuring to prospective buyers that the F-150 Lightning seems to handle the limited traction well and power through the cold.
The F-150 Lightning is set to go on sale soon—this spring. Along with Chevrolet’s electric Silverado and Ram’s upcoming 1500 electric rig, the F-150 Lightning could be a tipping point for the perception of electric vehicles.
Of course, only if it’s good.
Do you think you’ll have an F-150 Lightning in your driveway? Let us know your thoughts below.
