Ford has revealed a model of its new F-150 Lightning electrical pickup truck aimed particularly at business prospects. It’s known as the F-150 Lightning Professional, and it begins at $39,974 for a model with an estimated 230 miles of vary. Prolonged-range variations of the truck, that are anticipated to get 300 miles on a full battery, will begin at $49,974.
Very like the retail model of the electrical F-150, the Lightning Professional stands to win Ford a variety of enterprise so long as the corporate executes nicely when the truck begins transport in 2022. Fleets everywhere in the nation are already contemplating a swap to electrical autos, both to get forward of zero-emission pointers on the state or federal stage, or in an try to make the most of what needs to be a decrease whole value of possession with electrical autos. Ford claims the Lightning Professional may lower upkeep prices as much as 40 p.c over eight years and 100,000 miles of use in comparison with a 2.7L EcoBoost F-150.
A number of electrical pickups are coming to market over the subsequent 12 months or two, together with Tesla’s Cybertruck, the GMC Hummer EV, and the Rivian R1T. However virtually none are geared particularly in the direction of business fleets. One of many solely examples is the electrical pickup truck being developed by Ohio startup Lordstown Motors. That truck is meant to enter manufacturing later this 12 months, however it should begin at round $52,000, and the corporate doesn’t have wherever close to the observe file of a longtime automaker like Ford. Paired with the E-Transit van, the Lightning Professional provides Ford a potent one-two punch within the battle to affect the business market.
There aren’t a variety of apparent variations between the Lightning Professional and the retail variations of the electrical F-150 that Ford revealed final week. Just like the retail model, it solely is available in a four-door SuperCrew cab and 5.5-foot mattress configuration. Consumers can select to equip the Lightning Professional with the usual or prolonged vary battery. The usual vary model may have a max 7,700-pound towing capability when geared up with the optionally available towing package deal, whereas the prolonged vary can pull as much as 10,000 kilos. Each variations use a dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup, with the usual vary truck maxing out at an estimated 426 horsepower, whereas the prolonged vary model could make round 563HP.
Each Lightning Professional vehicles have onboard energy obtainable, which might run electrical instruments or different equipment, although patrons should pay extra for further shops (together with a 240 volt plug within the mattress) and better whole output. The prolonged vary choice additionally comes with an 80-amp charging station that may just about assist refill a truck’s battery in a single day. All variations of the business truck include the large, waterproof entrance trunk, which has 14.1 cubic ft of storage and its personal set {of electrical} shops.
There’s one huge distinction between the business and retail variations, although: the Lightning Professional will include Ford’s business telematics software program, which makes it simpler for fleet homeowners to maintain tabs on the situation, charging standing, or well being of their autos.
“It’s truly complimentary for purchasers, and it provides insights similar to: what’s your odometer [at]? What warning lights and diagnostic hassle codes are there? And we’re going as far as to supply preventative and proactive prognostics,” says Alex Purdy, the pinnacle of connectivity on Ford’s enterprise operations facet. Purdy says Ford even provides a knowledge service that works with another third-party fleet telematics software program companies may have already got up and operating.
Ford’s fleet software program may also assist operators sort out among the extra unconventional points that may crop up as they swap to electrical autos. As an example, some employees take their fleet autos dwelling at evening, refill the fuel tank on their very own, and get reimbursed by their employer. Ford may assist set up dwelling chargers for these employees, Purdy says, however the firm has additionally written into the fleet software program a solution to let employers reimburse employees for the price of at-home charging.
“These are the sorts of issues that make Ford totally different,” Purdy says. “We are saying that we all know how folks use their autos, and it appears like a hole factor — it’s not truly hole on this case in any respect, as a result of there are distinctive challenges with making an electrical automobile, related, helpful, and adoptable by business prospects.”
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