Ford F-150 Lightning Dominated Harsh Towing Conditions During Testing
Ford flexes the awesome capabilities of F-150 Lightning pickup trucks; reveals the remarkable feats the EV achieved during testing on some of the harshest towing routes in the US.
The Ford F-150 Lightning made its world debut to much fanfare, and the electric pickup truck continues to impress us. Earlier this month, we reported that F-150 Lightning surpassed even Ford’s best estimate with 320 miles of EPA-estimated driving range. The company recently also revealed the amazing feats the electric pickup trucks achieved during testing.
Ford engineers put electric pickup through a grueling testing process to better assess the vehicle’s towing capacity and performance. The team drove the trucks to some of America’s most challenging towing routes to demonstrate their extraordinary capabilities. During the summer, the electric truck was driven up to Davis Dam in Nevada. The F-150 Lightning also took on TFLtruck’s Gauntlet in the winter by climbing an 8-mile stretch on the I70 freeway in Colorado.
Linda Zhang, Chief Engineer, F-150 Lightning, shared her thoughts on the performance of the electric trucks. “This F-150 Lightning is built for tough, and this is how you know. We’re out here testing just to make sure that the trucks are just perfect before we go into production. So that our customers know that they have the peace of mind that this truck can get them through any kind of weather,” said Zhang. She further adds, “it was effortless, the vehicle performed flawlessly.”
Ford F-150 Lightning performed in locations where temperatures hit 118-degree Fahrenheit during summer and drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.
At 7 degree incline, the EV climbed 11,158 feet above sea level in Colorado. The electric vehicles were doing the same 10,000 lbs trailers in both scenarios. The pickup trucks also maintained expressway speeds during testing. The all-electric powertrain of the Ford F-150 Lightning churns out 563 HP of maximum power and 775 lb-ft of peak torque.
However, extreme temperatures can drastically affect the performance and range of EV batteries. Therefore it is pretty reassuring to see the electric pickup trucks complete these daunting journeys with ease. It is also worth noting that both pickup trucks were equipped with Ford’s Tow Technology package, which is a $1395 optional extra, and Max Trailer Tow package, which costs an additional $825.
Image Source: Ford