2022 Ford F-150 Lightning: Specs & Details

Last Updated: May 20, 2021

2022 F-150 Lightning At Steeda

For years, the name “Lightning” has been associated with the supercharged V8 short bed and single-cab setup in the F-150. This had been made for over a decade (1993-2004) and was the standard for the sport truck craze. With 380 horsepower on tap, it was seriously quick for the time. However, the Lightning moniker was retired in 2004 with only one lukewarm attempt since then to bring back Ford's sport truck heritage in 2014 - The 3.5L EcoBoost-powered Tremor.

After nearly 20 years, Ford has decided to bring back the legendary Lightning name for the F-150, albeit with some major changes over the original. Adjusting with the times, Ford decided to use the Lightning name appropriately in one sense - turning the Lightning into an electric platform. While this decision has a lot of people on the fence about the model, Ford made sure to keep the F-150 Lightning's performance history relevant. As Ford took this major step with the F-150 as a model, they made a point of bringing the F-150 as a model into the future so it can not only stay relevant, but be a promising vehicle for years to come.

With the F-150 being the best-selling vehicle in all of America, Ford was sure it would need to make the truck beat expectations set by critics and fans. As one of the first electric pickup vehicles on the market, Ford decided to set the bar high regarding tech, durability, driving, and overall usability.

Technology Speed Usability Tech Specs Rendering More Photos

2022 F-150 Lightning High Tech

2022 F-150 Lightning: High Technology

The Lightning was heavily designed by the technological advances made throughout the past few years. With brands like Rivian and Tesla bringing their electric trucks to the market as competition, Ford focused heavily on upgrading the technology both inside and out. Fitted with a similar interior screen and display as in the Mach-E, the Lightning shares the Blue Cruise capability as well which means autonomous driving is possible when available. Additionally, Ford has set up the F-150 Lightning to receive over-the-air updates for the truck, keeping it up-to-date with new features as they are developed.

The F-150 Lightning has been fitted with enough tech on the outside to match the inside, too. Throughout the Lightning, there are different plugs and ports for keeping your devices all charged and connected. Under the “hood” of the truck sits four different outlets, two USB charger setups, and enough power to run multiple devices at the same time. Along with the charging capabilities in the frunk, The Lightning has an automatic scale system installed as well, allowing the driver to monitor exactly how much weight they are towing at any given time. All of these features together allow the Lightning to be one of the most advanced trucks on the road anywhere.

2022 F-150 Lightning Rolling Shot

2022 F-150 Lightning: High Speed

With the name Lightning, Ford knew they had to give the truck serious performance for the enthusiasts. Trucks like the first and second generation Lightning have a major following, so Ford focused heavily on performance, even with the truck prioritizing being a mass-production truck for everyone. For the performance enthusiast, Ford made the Lightning the quickest accelerating F-150 including the Raptor at 4.4 seconds 0-60mph. The truck does this through a combination of the 563 horsepower figure, 775lb-ft of torque, and perfect 50-50 weight distribution. These figures put the acceleration as faster than a stock S550 Mustang GT and more than double the power of the 2004 Lightning. These figures put the truck at close to S197 GT500 acceleration figures (4.1 Seconds 0-60, 550 horsepower) which makes this the quickest accelerating truck under $70,000 on the market currently.

The F-150 Lightning features four drive modes which are Normal, Sport, Offroad, and Tow/Haul. Rated at a 10,000 pound towing rating, the Lightning is more than capable for most towing applications. To combat heat issues in the batteries and both electric motors, Ford integrated a liquid cooling system which will improve towing and reliability. Using Ford's new fast-charging grid of 63,000 chargers nationwide, the Lightning will also be able to charge to 80% in less than 45 minutes For off-road use, the Lightning is reinforced from underneath and has been designed for harder driving.

2022 F-150 Lightning On The Job

2022 F-150 Lightning: High Usability

Ford designed the new F-150 Lightning with usability and durability in mind, making the truck usable in both everyday situations and in some cases - emergencies. Using technology from the hybrid assisted F150, Ford has built up a system called Intelligent Backup Power which is able to power a household in case of electrical failure. When at full capacity, the truck will be able to power an entire home for three days and, when rationed out, for ten days of use. This is especially useful when power systems fail in order to provide heat, cooling, and other functions which in some cases can be life-saving.

Additionally, the Lightning is able to keep items sealed in it's waterproof frunk that regulates temperature as needed. As a result, the F-150 Lightning is capable of dealing with deep water situations if it encounters them while keeping the driver and passengers comfortable and safe in temperatures of -40 fahrenheit too.

2022 F-150 Lightning Aerial Shot Night

2022 F-150 Lightning: Tech Specs

Category	Statistic
Horsepower	Up To 563
Torque	775
Range	Up To 300 Miles
Charge Time (15%-80%)	As Low As 41 Minutes
Length	232.7 in
Height	78.9 in
Width	96 in
Clearance	8.9 in
Seats	5
Front Cargo	14.1 cu ft
Bed	52.8 cu ft
Max Towing	10,000 lbs
Wheels	18 inch, 20 inch, 22 inch
Approach Angle	25.4 deg
Departure Angle	24.2 deg

2022 F-150 Lightning Rendering Sub-Header

2022 F-150 Lightning: Drag Truck Rendering

Steeda Rendering (Click To Download)

While the Lightning is impressive on paper, many people were left wanting more. Although the new F-150 Lightning has dramatically more power and performance than the final one in 2004, many enthusiasts want the new truck to resemble the older. While the current Lightning comes only as a crew cab with five seats, we can't help but wonder how it could look as a short bed single cab truck like in the past. With all-wheel drive, the new /lightning may not be the burnout machine it had been before, but fitted with four drag slicks it would hook immediately down the strip. Additionally, a shorter wheelbase could cut some of the over 5,000 pound weight down as well, making it faster off the line. Bringing the truck closer to the ground will not only shave some weight off too but also give the already low center of gravity an even lower standpoint. Put that together and there is a proper successor to the short setup Lightning of the past.