Ford F-150 Lightning Dies as EV, Will Resurrect as Range-Extended EV

Key Points

• Ford has ended production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck.
• Next-generation F-150 Lightning said to be a range-extended electric vehicle with an onboard generator
• No timeframe for launch of new truck

Ford beat crosstown rival GM to market with an all-electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning, which launched two years ahead of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV. But now, Ford is following in the tire tracks of its other Michigan competitor, Ram, which cancelled its plans for an electric pickup before the vehicle even launched. Ford has announced that it is discontinuing the F-150 Lightning EV.

Related: 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning Lineup Gains Rugged-Looking STX Trim

The nameplate will live on, however. Ford says the next-generation F-150 Lightning will transition to a range-extended EV powertrain. This setup still carries a battery pack and drives the wheels with electric motors, but it uses a smaller pack that it charges on the go with a gas engine. Range-extended EVs differ from plug-in hybrids in that the gas engine in an REEV is completely disconnected from the wheels and is only used to prevent the batteries from ever becoming fully discharged. In a PHEV, the engine can drive the wheels when the battery is discharged.

Range Figures

Ford has not given any details on the next-generation F-150 Lightning’s battery capacity, electric motors or gas engine, but the automaker is already touting a range of more than 700 miles. In the context of a vehicle with batteries, that may lead some shoppers to believe the vehicle has sufficient battery capacity to drive more than 700 miles, but it does not. That claimed range is with the gas engine/generator running; it’s not substantively different from saying that the F-150 Raptor R, a truck with a 720-horsepower, 5.2-liter engine that returns all of an EPA-rated 12 mpg combined, has a range of 432 miles thanks to its monstrous 36-gallon gas tank.

Incidentally, while Ram axed its electric truck plans, the Stellantis truck brand has a range-extended electric pickup right around the corner: the 1500 REV. That truck’s specifications provide some useful context for the upcoming Lightning. With 69.7 kilowatt-hours of usable battery capacity, Ram’s REEV has an electric range of 145 miles; once the pack is depleted, a 3.6-liter V-6 engine fires up. Burning through the fuel in its tank at approximately 20 mpg, the Ram can travel a claimed 690 miles before needing to refuel or plug in.

REEV powertrains make a lot of sense, particularly for pickups. Combining the high torque of electric motors with the worry-free range of a full-size gas tank makes for an ideal tow rig. Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer, says the REEV F-150 Lightning “tows like a locomotive.” And, unlike the now-defunct Lightning EV, the REEV won’t need a lengthy recharge when a heavy load diminishes its range. Drivers can refuel at the gas pump and be on the road again in minutes, relying on the truck’s gas engine, and wait to plug in and restore their full electric range at their destination. Field also says the next-gen Lightning will still be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than 5 seconds. (Ram likewise says its REEV will get there in 4.5 seconds.)

Read More About the Ford F-150 Lightning:

• 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Quick Spin: Flash Forward
• What Are the Best MPG Pickup Trucks?
• Which Electric Pickup Truck Has the Most Useful Bed: Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning or Chevrolet Silverado EV RST?
• What’s Bidirectional Charging and Which EVs Offer It?
• Research the Ford F-150 Lightning

Release Date and Pricing

Ford has given no timeframe for the launch of the reimagined F-150 Lightning, nor for the release of further details. However, the automaker adds that it is planning to expand hybrid and range-extended electric powertrains across its portfolio, saying it will offer them in “nearly every vehicle” by the end of the decade.

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