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Ford F-150 Lightning unveiled: Price, Release date, Range, Features and more

(Credit: Ford)

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Recently, Ford unveiled the Ford F-150 Lightning, the legacy automaker’s all-electric pickup truck. Before the unveiling, many reports touted the Ford F-150 Lightning as a vehicle that would change the tide for President Biden’s EV push in the United States. 

Release Date & Price

The Ford F-150 Lightning’s price starts at $39,974 for the entry-level variant before tax credits. The Lightning’s mid-range XLT model will cost $52,974. Ford also mentioned an MSRP up to around $90,474.

Ford plans to launch the F-150 Lightning in Spring 2022. It will be built at the Rouge. Ford’s Executive Chair Mr. Bill Ford noted that the Lightning will not only be made in America but “for America.”

Reservations for the F-150 Lightning cost $100.

(Credit: Ford)

Range & Performance

The F-150 Lightning is targeting an EPA-estimated range of 230 miles. An extended range battery is expected to offer a range of 300 miles. 

According to Ford, the Lightning will run 0-60 mph in the mid-4-second range. Ford CEO and President Jim Farley noted that it is faster than the Ford Raptor. It will be able to tow up to 10,000 pounds.

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The F-150 Lightning has four drive modes: Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Tow-Haul. 

Credit: Ford

Key Features

The Ford F-150 Lightning is a work truck, and it is equipped like one. The vehicle offers an available 9.6 kW of max power through 11 outlets–four 120V outlets in the frunk, two in the cab, and four in the bed. The bed also features a 240V outlet for higher-powered machinery. 

The F-150 Lightning will also feature Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power feature, allowing owners to use the vehicle as a backup power source for their homes. The vehicle is also equipped with an Intelligent Range feature, which calculates range based on the vehicle’s payload. 

Being a flagship EV, the F-150 Lightning will feature Ford’s BlueCruise system, which the company describes as a “hands-free” system. It also features an interior similar to the Mustang Mach-E, with its portrait display with a dedicated volume knob. 

(Credit: Ford)

President Biden seems to recognize the role Ford could play in his plans for EV adoption. The POTUS visited Ford Motor company’s Dearborn plant in Michigan yesterday and took the F-150 Lightning out for a spin

Ford’s F-Series trucks, which includes the F-150, were the top-selling vehicle line in 2021. With the F-150 Lightning, Ford hopes to drive the transition to electric vehicle much faster in the United States. 

Watch the Ford F-150 Lightning’s unveiling below!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjisj5T0VqE

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com or reach out to me at maria@teslarati.com.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla launches its new branded Supercharger for Business with first active station

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially launched its first branded Supercharger just months after initiating a new program that allows third-party companies to brand their own charging piles.

The site opened in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, and features eight V4 Supercharging stalls offering up to 325 kW of charging speed. It appears it was purchased by a company called Suncoast Credit Union. This particular branch is located Northeast of Tampa, which is on the Gulf of Mexico.

It features graphics of Florida animals, like alligators:

Tesla launched this program back in September, and it basically was a way to expand its Supercharger presence and also allow companies to pay for the infrastructure. Tesla maintains it. When it announced the “Supercharger for Business,” it said:

“Purchase and install Superchargers at your business. Superchargers are compatible with all electric vehicles, bringing EV drivers to your business by offering convenient, reliable charging.”

The program does a few things. Initially, it expands EV charging infrastructure and makes charging solutions more readily available for drivers. It can also attract people to those businesses specifically.

Tesla launches new Supercharger program that business owners will love

The chargers can also be branded with any logo that the business chooses, which makes them more personalized and also acts as an advertisement.

The best part is that the customers do not have to maintain anything about the Supercharger. Tesla still takes care of it and resolves any issues:

“We treat your site like we treat our sites. By providing you with a full-service package that includes network operations, preventative maintenance, and driver support, we’re able to guarantee 97% uptime–the highest in the industry.”

It appears the Superchargers will also appear within the in-car nav during routing, so they’ll be publicly available to anyone who needs to use them. They are still available to all EVs that have worked with Tesla to utilize its infrastructure, and they are not restricted to people who are only visiting the business.

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Tesla reveals its Cybertruck light bar installation fix

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u/Kruzat, see page for license, via Wikimedia Commons

Tesla has revealed its Cybertruck light bar installation fix after a recall exposed a serious issue with the accessory.

Tesla and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated a recall of 6,197 Cybertrucks back in October to resolve an issue with the Cybertruck light bar accessory. It was an issue with the adhesive that was provided by a Romanian company called Hella Romania S.R.L.

Tesla recalls 6,197 Cybertrucks for light bar adhesive issue

The issue was with the primer quality, as the recall report from the NHTSA had stated the light bar had “inadvertently attached to the windshield using the incorrect surface primer.”

Instead of trying to adhere the light bar to the Cybertruck with an adhesive, Tesla is now going to attach it with a bracketing system, which will physically mount it to the vehicle instead of relying on adhesive strips or glue.

Tesla outlines this in its new Service Bulletin, labeled SB-25-90-001, (spotted by Not a Tesla App) where it shows the light bar will be remounted more securely:

The entire process will take a few hours, but it can be completed by the Mobile Service techs, so if you have a Cybertruck that needs a light bar adjustment, it can be done without taking the vehicle to the Service Center for repair.

However, the repair will only happen if there is no delamination or damage present; then Tesla could “retrofit the service-installed optional off-road light bar accessory with a positive mechanical attachment.”

The company said it would repair the light bar at no charge to customers. The light bar issue was one that did not result in any accidents or injuries, according to the NHTSA’s report.

This was the third recall on Cybertruck this year, as one was highlighted in March for exterior trim panels detaching during operation. Another had to do with front parking lights being too bright, which was fixed with an Over-the-Air update last month.

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Tesla is already expanding its Rental program aggressively

The program has already launched in a handful of locations, specifically, it has been confined to California for now. However, it does not seem like Tesla has any interest in keeping it restricted to the Golden State.

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Credit: Grok

Tesla is looking to expand its Rental Program aggressively, just weeks after the program was first spotted on its Careers website.

Earlier this month, we reported on Tesla’s intention to launch a crazy new Rental program with cheap daily rates, which would give people in various locations the opportunity to borrow a vehicle in the company’s lineup with some outrageous perks.

Along with the cheap rates that start at about $60 per day, Tesla also provides free Full Self-Driving operation and free Supercharging for the duration of the rental. There are also no limits on mileage or charging, but the terms do not allow the renter to leave the state from which they are renting.

The program has already launched in a handful of locations, specifically, it has been confined to California for now. However, it does not seem like Tesla has any interest in keeping it restricted to the Golden State.

Job postings from Tesla now show it is planning to launch the Rental program in at least three new states: Texas, Tennessee, and Massachusetts.

The jobs specifically are listed as a Rental Readiness Specialist, which lists the following job description:

“The Tesla Rental Program is looking for a Rental Readiness Specialist to work on one of the most progressive vehicle brands in the world. The Rental Readiness Specialist is a key contributor to the Tesla experience by coordinating the receipt of incoming new and used vehicle inventory. This position is responsible for fleet/lot management, movement of vehicles, vehicle readiness, rental invoicing, and customer hand-off. Candidates must have a high level of accountability, and personal satisfaction in doing a great job.”

It also says that those who take the position will have to charge and clean the cars, work with clients on scheduling pickups and drop-offs, and prepare the paperwork necessary to initiate the rental.

The establishment of a Rental program is big for Tesla because it not only gives people the opportunity to experience the vehicles, but it is also a new way to rent a car.

Just as the Tesla purchasing process is more streamlined and more efficient than the traditional car-buying experience, it seems this could be less painful and a new way to borrow a car for a trip instead of using your own.

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