The F-150 Lightning electric pickup from Ford is revolutionizing the truck industry. Owners of Lightnings are defying the odds by using their electric truck beds for more heavy-duty work than the traditional I.C.E equipped versions.
The automaker has been producing trucks for over 100 years and has been setting industry standards ever since the Model TT’s 1917 debut. For the 46th year in a row, the Ford F-series maintained its dominance as the best-selling truck.
The F-150 Lightning electric pickup, Ford’s “smartest, most inventive F-150 ever,” was unveiled in 2021 using its extensive truck-making experience and history. By the end of the year, the truck had received over 200,000 reservations as a result of the public’s fast interest.
In order to fully understand what consumers want, Ford also gathered information on customers who choose to use a different brand.
Insights from the survey data that were noteworthy include the following:
- Compared to just 51% of ICE owners, 74% of Lightning owners say they utilize their vehicle once a month for household projects like landscaping, restorations, and more.
- Compared to 40% of gas-powered truck drivers, 48% of Lightning owners go camping once a month, which includes storing bikes, camping gear, kayaks, etc.
- More than 50% of Lightning buyers have previously owned a non-truck vehicle, compared to 33% for the F-150.
- Compared to 14% of ICE purchasers, 27% of Lightning buyers use the electric truck for home tasks.
The Lightning is luring buyers who would not generally purchase a truck, and more significantly, 90% of Lightning purchasers come from non-electric, non-hybrid, non-PHEV cars.
According to Jason Mase, Ford’s cross-vehicle and electrification marketing strategy lead, “people who might not have previously wanted a pickup truck seem to believe that having an electric option like the Lightning has given them permission to buy one. As a result, they now haul muddy items that would have ruined a sports utility vehicle.”