Ford rolled out the proverbial red carpet for President Biden’s visit to the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in the form of its new electric pickup.
A silver Ford F-150 Lightning was parked alongside previous versions of the pickup.
(AP)
A silver Ford F-150 Lightning made an unexpected public debut parked behind Biden, a day before an official livestreamed unveiling scheduled for Wednesday night.
Aside from confirming it will be the most powerful F-150, Ford hasn’t released any technical details on the truck, but it clearly shares a body with the rest of the lineup, rather than an entirely unique design.
The first electric F-150 will be called the Lightning.
(Ford)
Biden also got a look at the truck’s stripped chassis, which features a traditional frame that houses the battery pack between its rails and what appears to be an independent rear suspension.
President Biden got a sneak peek at the electric Ford F-150 Lightning frame
(NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
The F-150 Lightning is scheduled to go on sale in early 2022, when it will compete against the GMC Hummer EV, Tesla Cybertruck and Lordstown Endurance full-size electric pickups and Ford is confidence it has what it takes.
“Simply put, this isn’t a gimmick. It’s a workhorse, not a show horse destined for a shiny garage filled with four other luxury cars. It’s not for never-nevers — never tow, never haul – it’s for serious truck owners,” Ford CEO Jim Farley has previously said.
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The F-150 Lightning does have a signature front end design with a full width LED light bar and blocked off grille.
Biden’s recent $2.25 trillion American Jobs Plan infrastructure proposal includes $174 billion to support the development of electric vehicles and a nationwide charging network. He recounted at the event how is father had managed a Ford dealership in Delaware and that he was a fan of the 1957 Ford Fairlane.
Following his remarks, Ford let Biden take an F-150 Lightning prototype for a test drive.
