2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Review

The Ford F-150 Lightning is the all-electric version of the F-150 full-size pickup. If the name sounds familiar, it's because the truck borrows its name from the high-performance Ford F-150 SVT Lightning last seen in 2004. While the modern Lightning harkens to the past, it's all about looking forward thanks to its fully electric powertrain. It's also known for traditional-looking truck styling, as opposed to the futuristic Rivian R1T and the far-out Tesla Cybertruck, which looks like it rolled off the set of a Blade Runner movie. Not everyone is into that, so the F-150 Lightning makes a good case for pickup purists who prefer the look, and rugged body-on-frame construction, of a traditional truck.

The Lightning has two available battery options, the standard (which adds 10 miles of estimated range for 2023, for a total 240 miles) and the extended-range battery (estimated 320 miles of range). Also new this year, Ford offers its Pro Trailer Hitch Assist technology as part of the Tow Technology package, which is available on lower trims but standard on some top-tier trims. But the improvements also come at a cost — Ford has increased the price of the 2023 F-150 Lightning significantly over 2022 models, in some cases by as much as $8,500. The hike brings the cost of a base-level F-150 Lightning to $48,769 (with destination fees), while trims with the extended-range battery are priced into the $80,000-$90,000 range. The good news is that Ford says it will increase its annual production of Lightning trucks to 150,000 units for the 2023 model year.

We remain impressed by the combination of new-school tech and old-school muscle in the F-150 Lightning. But the price increase for 2023 leaves us less enthused since it pushes the Lightning further out of reach for a large number of truck customers. Check back soon to see how this EV fares in our industry-leading evaluations once we're able to test one.