Automotive Engineering - June 2021 - 14

ROAD READY
full charge to the standard battery in 14
hours, the company claims, and 19 hours
for the extended-range pack. At the
Level 2 charging tier, a 240-volt/36-amp
Ford Connected Charge Station can
charge the standard battery from 15%
capacity to 100% in 10 hours and 14
hours for the extended battery.
But a second Level 2 charger, called
With its extended-range
battery, Ford said the F-150
Lightning can tow up to 10,000 lb.
is its frame. The F-150 Lightning's highstrength
steel frame is " a new, ground-up
design, up-gauged significantly " to handle
the electric pickup's additional weight and
to help assure the F-150 Lightning passes
the same durability regimen " every other
F-Series truck endures. "
In with the new
The F-150 Lightning's specific frame is
related to another of its most-significant
chassis changes: an independent
rear suspension (IRS), the first for any
Ford pickup, Zhang said. It comprises
aluminum control arms and coil-over
dampers. With the new IRS and the
double-wishbone front suspension,
ground clearance is 8.9 in. (226 mm),
compared to 9.4 in. (239 mm) for the
conventional SuperCrew 4X4 F-150.
With the IRS, the Lightning's maximum
payload is 2000 lb. (907 kg).
All F-150 Lightning models will be
4-wheel drive, imparted by a Forddeveloped
traction motor at each axle
(drive for each axle always is active,
Zhang said). For Lightnings equipped
with the standard battery pack - Ford
declined to provide battery-pack energy
capacities - the two traction motors
combine for 426 hp and 775 lb-ft (1051
Nm). Stepping up to the extendedrange
battery means total motor output
climbs to 563 hp, with the same 775
lb-ft. The standard battery delivers max
towing capacity of 7700 lb. (3493 kg)
14 June 2021
and the extended-range battery provides
power to tow up to 10,000 lb.
(4536 kg) with the required Max Trailer
Tow Package.
Ford said maximum driving range for
the standard-range battery pack is 230
miles (370 km) based on EPA testing
procedures, while the extended-range
battery pack can achieve a maximum
of 300 miles (483 km). The extendedbattery
configuration is expected to
yield 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration
in the mid-4-second range. Ford's
battery supplier is SK International,
Zhang said.
Charging ahead
There is an extensive matrix of recharging
options. An included Ford Mobile
Charger cord for 110-volt power brings a
Ford Charge Station Pro and working
at 80 amps, charges the standard battery
in the same 10 hours, but reduces
extended-battery charging time to
eight hours instead of 14 hours. The
Pro charge station also offers another
compelling feature: it is the central
piece in the F-150 Lightning's bi-directional
charging capability Ford dubs
Intelligent Backup Power. With this
setup, the F-150 Lightning can supply
as much as 9.6 kW of power back to
the home in the event of residential
power failure. The capability for bidirectional
charging was envisioned
when the SAE International standard
for the widely-used Combined
Charging System (CCS) charging-cord
connector was developed; Ford added
that certain other modifications to the
home electrical system are required to
enable Intelligent Backup Power. A
fully charged pickup could supply a
typical home's daily usage of about 30
kWh for up to three days.
At public DC fast-charging stations
supplying 150 kW, the F-150 Lightning
will charge from 15% to 80% in 44 minutes
for the standard battery and 41
minutes for the extended battery.
The Lightning also can supply up to
Large central screen is focal point of the
Lightning's otherwise-familiar cabin.
2.4 kW of power to four 110-volt electrical
outlets and two USB chargers in its
400-liter (14 cu.ft.) front trunk where
the IC engine normally would reside. Up
to 400 lb. (181 kg) of baggage or equipment
also can be stored in the " frunk. "
A similar powering arrangement is in
the cargo bed, where an upgraded version
of Ford's Pro Power Onboard (introduced
for the F-150 hybrid) supplies
2.4 kW of power for base trims, while
frunk, cabin and cargo-bed outlets can
deliver a combined 9.6 kW for highertrim
models.
Bill Visnic
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
BOTH IMAGES: FORD
Automotive Engineering - June 2021

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