Ford US will lastly reopen orders for its F-150 Lightning electrical pickup for the 2023 mannequin 12 months, following an eight-month hiatus as a consequence of overwhelming demand.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning has had quite a lot of small specification modifications, together with extra vary for standard-range battery fashions.
The Blue Oval says that F-150 Lightning Professional, XLT and Lariat fashions fitted with the standard-range battery which can be constructed from the Northern Hemisphere autumn (September – December 2022) onwards will provide an estimated vary of 386km (240 miles) in EPA testing.
This vary determine for standard-range battery fashions is up 16km (10 miles) from the 2022 F-150 Lightning.
Claimed vary for the extended-range battery fashions stays the identical at 482km (300 miles).
One other addition for the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning is the provision of the Professional Trailer Hitch Help which robotically controls steering, throttle and brake inputs to make hooking up a trailer simpler.
This function is customary within the Tow Expertise package deal, which is obtainable on Professional, XLT and Lariat trims, and customary on sure Lariat trims and the flagship Platinum trim.
There are additionally two new exterior paint colors referred to as Avalanche Grey and Azure Grey metallic tri-coat.
These colors substitute Atlas Blue, Ice Blue Silver and Smoked Quartz Metallic.
As beforehand detailed, the Ford Professional Particular Service Car package deal is now out there on F-150 Lightning Professional fashions for fleet clients.
This package deal consists of police-grade heavy-duty material seats with smaller bolsters to permit officers to enter and exit the automobile simpler, built-in metal intrusion plates within the entrance seatbacks, an “upfit-friendly” strengthened centre console, vinyl rear seats and vinyl flooring, in addition to pink/bue or amber/white roof-mounted LED warning lights.
Wrapping up the modifications that Ford is introducing with the 2023 F-150 Lightning are increased costs within the US for the following wave of orders.
The common value rise is roughly $US7000 ($A10,069) and is attributed to “important materials prices and different elements”.
Pricing within the US for the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning now begins at $US46,974 ($A67,316) earlier than supply and authorities charges and taxes for the entry-level Professional, and extends to $US96,874 ($A139,359) for the flagship Platinum Prolonged Vary.
“Present order holders awaiting supply will not be impacted by these value changes,” stated Ford Mannequin e chief buyer officer Marin Gjaja.
“We’ve introduced pricing forward of re-opening order banks so our reservation holders could make an knowledgeable choice round ordering a Lightning.”
Ford has stated that current F-150 Lightning reservation holders who beforehand have obtained an invite to order, however selected to increase their reservation as a result of their automobile specification was unavailable, will obtain a non-public provide to be used in upcoming order waves.
With a complete of 200,000 reservations already for the F-150 Lightning, Ford is aiming to ramp up its annual manufacturing price to 150,000 in 2023.
In different phrases, which means that the Ford F-150 Lightning is bought out till 2023 no less than.
As beforehand detailed, Ford closed reservations for the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning again in December as a consequence of this unprecedented excessive demand. It’s solely now reopening orders.
The Blue Oval has now invested greater than $US1 billion ($A1.44 billion) in Michigan for the F-150 Lightning alone, with 1700 jobs created amongst 5 Ford crops.
It’s unclear if the F-150 Lightning might be coming Down Beneath, however Ford Australia has beforehand stated it’s bringing no less than 5 electrified autos by 2024. It’s additionally bringing the petrol-powered F-150 to market in 2023.
Given the huge North American demand for the F-150 Lightning, don’t count on it to come back right here any time quickly.
MORE: Ford F-150 Lightning EV readied for police obligation