Now that Ford Motor Co.’s electric truck has been on sale for more than a year, the automaker has learned a few things: Like what people want and how much they’re willing to pay. So, Ford has bundled together some of the best tech it offers, added in the extended-range battery and priced it just under $70K. It’s called the F-150 Lightning Flash.
Let’s take a closer look at what this new trim includes.
F-150 Lightning Flash based on XLT
Rather than building this on a flashier trim (couldn’t resist), the F-150 Lightning Flash starts with the XLT, which is one level up off the base. It’ll include the 320-mile extended range battery and a standard 15.5-inch infotainment screen. The current screen in the XLT is 12 inches.
What’s interesting, is the current XLT with the extended-range battery starts at $69,995 – the same starting price for the Flash. Similar to the current XLT trim, this new trim has the power tailgate, tailgate step and work surface, Tow Technology Package and a heat pump to optimize energy consumption. As a part of the bundle, however, it adds a B&O sound system, the 15.5-inch display and wireless charging pad – none of which are currently available on the XLT.
BlueCruise Available
Another big add for the F-150 Lighting Flash is BlueCruise availability. This is the hands-free highway driving system. Previously, this was only optioned on the Lariat trim and above, but now the Flash will be equipped with the 1.2 version, which includes lane-change assist and has continuous improvement via software updates.
There is also a new subscription plan that allows customers to activate BlueCruise at any point during ownership – whether it’s at the point of purchase or for a month at a time.
The bottom line
The F-150 Lightning Flash adds some features you can’t currently get on the XLT trim and maintains the line on the extended-range battery pricing. So, looks like a win-win for me. It will be a 2024 model, and customers can begin ordering it online via Ford.com in early 2024. Keep in mind, these new Lightnings will also have access to the Tesla charging network, which makes the range anxiety a little easier to swallow – especially considering the cold-weather range drop.
