Ford Brought Gasoline Back Into Its Electric Truck, and Owners Will Love It
Ford is turning the F-150 Lightning into a gas-generator EREV with over 700 miles of range, aiming straight at the towing problem that plagued the original electric truck.
Ford is finally admitting what everyone already suspected: a purely electric F-150 Lightning can’t do what people actually buy pickups for. And instead of quietly tweaking the battery, the company made an unexpected move — it brought gasoline back into the truck.
The next-generation F-150 Lightning will become an EREV — an extended-range electric vehicle. The formula is simple but unconventional: only the electric motors turn the wheels, while the gasoline engine has no mechanical connection to them at all — it only recharges the battery, acting as a generator. It’s essentially a gas tank strapped onto an electric system. Ford promises the instant torque, quiet acceleration and one-pedal driving stay exactly as they were.
Now for the numbers this whole shift was built around: the estimated total range will top 700 miles — about 1,125 km. Run out of charge on the highway? Just pull into a gas station like any other vehicle and keep going. Ford is clearly targeting what killed the old Lightning’s reputation — the brutal range drop while towing a heavy trailer. The new pitch is aimed squarely at drivers who haul cargo, tow trailers over long distances, work far from civilization, and don’t want to depend on public charging stations.
The truck keeps its outlet power feature, too — for tools, camping and backup power at home. The new Lightning will be built at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn. Ford, though, isn’t rushing on the details: exact launch timing, battery capacity, power output and pricing remain a mystery.