Ford F-150 Lightning – the electric version of America’s iconic, best-selling truck – is coming to Europe, after Ford selected Norway as the first country to take the multi-award-winning pickup global.
Customers in the world’s most progressive market for EV adoption are the first outside of the US and Canada able to apply to purchase a strictly limited number of special F‑150 Lightning Lariat Launch Edition vehicles following impassioned consumer demand.
F-150 Lightning’s unprecedented combination of on- and off-road performance, utility and zero-tailpipe-emission driving is perfectly suited to work and life outdoors in a country where approximately two-thirds of all new vehicles are equipped with all-wheel drive to tackle challenging driving conditions; authorities are pushing for all new car and light commercial vehicle sales to be fully electric by 2025; “and friluftsliv” – the culture of unwinding in the wilderness – is engrained in the national psyche.
“In my 25 years at Ford, I’ve never seen anything like the passion and demand I’m seeing from drivers right now to get behind the wheel of our F-150 Lightning. I’ve had customers literally banging on my door and pleading for us to bring the electric pickup to Norway,” said Per Gunnar Berg, managing director, Ford Norway. “F-150 Lightning is the perfect match for many customers in Norway – uniquely capable of quenching our thirst for adventure while embracing our passion for protecting the environment.”
Ford is going all in on electric and last year announced that it will only offer all-electric passenger cars from 2030 onwards, and an all-electric commercial vehicle portfolio from 2035. Furthermore Ford is targeting carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and direct suppliers by 2035. The company is investing $50 billion globally through 2026 to achieve a targeted run rate of more than 2 million all-electric vehicles by the end of that year. Ford plans for more than half its global production to be EVs by 2030 and is targeting carbon neutrality globally no later than 2050.
Ford last month also unveiled the new all-electric Explorer medium crossover for customers in Europe, one of ten electric vehicles the company is introducing by 2024 including the Mustang Mach-E, for which customers in Norway account for 22 per cent of European sales.
“Ford is pushing the boundaries of electric vehicles like only we can,” said Martin Sander, general manager, Ford Model e, Europe. “Rugged and capable like the F-Series models that have topped the sales charts for decades, but injected with technologies of the future, F-150 Lightning is the smartest F-150 we’ve ever made and the perfect demonstration of how going all-in on electric is helping our vehicles become more Ford than ever before.”
Electrified performance with power to spare
Almost 200,000 customers had already placed reservations for the Ford F-150 Lightning even before it launched to immediate acclaim in the US last May. Part of the Ford F-Series line-up – America’s best-selling truck 46 years straight and best-selling vehicle for 41 years straight – F‑150 Lightning has quickly become the country’s best-selling electric pickup.
The strictly limited volume of vehicles for customers in Norway will be produced at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, US, which is expanding to ramp up production to a planned annual run rate of 150,000 F-150 Lightnings in 2023.
Consumers in Norway are the world’s most fervent adopters of EVs, which already account for 21 per cent of the 2.9 million vehicles on the country’s roads. Almost 80 per cent of new passenger vehicle sales in Norway were electric in 2022, as were more than 20 per cent of commercial vehicle sales – a figure anticipated to reach 40 per cent this year fuelled by growng demand from businesses and increasing supply.
Whether carrying enthusiasts’ skiing, fishing or white water rafting equipment into the wilderness or supporting Norwegian businesses, F-150 Lightning is anticipated to offer a targeted 386 km EPA-estimated zero-tailpipe emission driving range, 3,493 kg towing capacity and 805 kg payload.
The electric truck is powered by a dual electric motor, four-wheel drive powertrain generating 458 PS and 1,050 Nm of torque, enabling performance car acceleration of 0-100 km/h in less than 5 seconds and supported by Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Tow/Haul drive modes that can inspire confidence across a wide variety of terrain.
The pickup’s next-generation 98 kWh (useable) lithium-ion battery can be charged from 15 per cent to 80 per cent in 39 minutes using 150 kW DC fast charging – allowing customers to take advantage of Norway’s 20,000-strong and growing network of public chargers, including 6,000 fast chargers.
Practical features make use of F-150 Lightning’s battery to turn the truck into a mobile power source. Pro Power Onboard can offload up to 2.3 kW and is designed to power tools, electronics and appliances at a work site or when camping off-grid via built-in electrical sockets.
In addition, the 400-litre, 181 kg-capable, water resistant and drainable Mega Power Frunk provides unique practicality for work and outdoor life.
Inside the five-seat cabin, Ford’s SYNC 4A infotainment system is supported by a 15.5-inch digital centre touchscreen and wireless compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12-inch digital instrument cluster uses a customisable interface to let the driver choose the most important information.
Technologies also help owners get the most from the pickup’s hauling potential. A rear camera makes lining up and attaching a trailer simpler. On-Board Scales and Smart Hitch can use the centre screen to display an estimation of the load-bed payload weight and trailer weight distribution. Pro Trailer Backup Assist makes reversing with a trailer simpler, enabling drivers to monitor progress using the 15.5-inch touchscreen and manoeuvre using a dedicated controller.
The F-150 Lightning Lariat Launch Edition for customers in Norway is offered exclusively with Super Crew Cab body style in striking Antimatter Blue metallic body colour – amplifying the unmistakable presence of a military-grade aluminium alloy body that helps limit weight for energy efficiency and performance.
“Everything we’ve learned from almost half a century of producing America’s best-selling truck has helped us make F-150 Lightning the truck of the future. It is truly a great accolade for the Lightning team to have customers demand this vehicle near and now far!” said Darren Palmer, vice president, Electric Vehicle Programs, Ford Model e. “Ingenuity runs through this truck inside and out. I strongly encourage our future Norwegian customers to put this truck to the test for all their outdoor adventures.”
