Ford’s new F-150 Lightning Flash trim may have extra vary, a much bigger display, and a warmth pump

Ford introduced a brand new “Flash” trim of the mannequin yr 2024 F-150 Lighting, with a much bigger display, longer vary, and a warmth pump to assist enhance battery conditioning on these colder days. The corporate stated it’s also anticipating to make extra F-150 Lightning deliveries to prospects later this yr after a manufacturing facility shutdown restricted Ford’s provide of the electrical truck.

Ford says it’s focusing on an EPA-estimated vary for Flash of 320 miles, which might match neatly in between the automaker’s Normal Vary and Lengthy Vary fashions. The F-150 Lightning Normal Vary usually will get lower than 300 miles of EPA-estimated vary, whereas Prolonged Vary variants can journey so far as 350 miles on a single cost.

A warmth pump may also be included with Flash, a nod to prospects who’ve complained that chilly climate tends to sap the F-150 Lightning’s battery. Warmth pumps can hold batteries at a extra optimum temperature through the winter months, which helps with charging instances, vary, and efficiency. An increasing number of EVs are coming with commonplace warmth pumps because the auto trade begins to acknowledge their utility.

The brand new tech in Flash features a 15.5-inch touchscreen as commonplace, which is at the moment solely discovered within the Lariat and Platinum trims. Worth-wise, the F-150 Lightning Flash will sit above the XLT within the mannequin lineup, with a $69,995 price ticket and an anticipated supply someday subsequent yr.

Marin Gjaja, chief working officer of Ford’s EV-focused mannequin e division, stated the purpose was to place a number of the options within the costlier fashions that prospects like essentially the most in a extra reasonably priced profile.

“We don’t even have a automobile at this worth level that’s outfitted on this manner,” Gjaja stated in a briefing with reporters Monday. “So should you have a look at the best way that Flash is provided, it has a number of the options {that a} Lariat has, and has a number of the options that an XLT has, and never surprisingly, it lands at a worth between the 2 of them.”

Affordability is an important topic for Ford, particularly because it pertains to the F-150 Lightning. Latest worth hikes have triggered some prospects with pre-orders to cancel their reservations.

The brand new trim apart, the circulation of F-150 Lightnings to prospects ought to enhance this fall now that the corporate’s Rogue Electrical Automobile Middle reopened in August. The manufacturing facility was closed for six weeks to increase and retool the plant for elevated manufacturing capability.

The primary trace that Flash was coming was when Electrek noticed a trademark submitting for the identify earlier this yr. On the time, it was assumed the identify was utilized to a efficiency model of the truck, approaching the heels of a partnership between Ford and Pink Bull Powertrains on next-gen hybrid energy models. However now we all know that gained’t be the way it’s used.

The F-150 Lightning Flash gained’t have the curb attraction of the brand new Platinum Black version of the electrical truck, with its factory-applied matte black exterior and restricted manufacturing run. However the introduction of a brand new trim is a sure-fire signal that Ford is ramping up its hopes for the Lightning to assist enhance gross sales and gradual the EV money burn. The corporate has stated it’ll lose $4.5 billion on its EV enterprise in 2023.

“We won’t relaxation,” Gjaja stated. “Our plan is to scale manufacturing and scale demand for our EVs with a concentrate on profitability.”