Ford Announces Limited Launch of F-150 Lightning in Europe

Ford has announced that a limited number of F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks will be sold in Europe, with Norway being the first market to receive the vehicle. This move comes after the F-150 Lightning made waves in America, where it received over 200,000 reservations when it was first revealed in 2022. However, Ford has stated that the F-150 Lightning will be left-hand-drive-only, which means there are no plans to launch it officially in the UK.

Norway was chosen as the launch market for the F-150 Lightning due to its high adoption rate of electric vehicles, with 80% of the country's market being EVs in 2022. Furthermore, Norway accounts for 22% of all European sales of the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, making it a lucrative market for Ford. The F-150 Lightning will be sold in a Super Crew Cab body style, which is almost six meters long and weighs just under three tonnes. The lithium-ion drive battery, which is available in two sizes in the US, will only be available in the smaller 98kWh pack in Norway.

The F-150 Lightning's electric powertrain consists of dual electric motors that offer four-wheel drive and a total output of up to 452bhp, with 775lb ft of torque. This translates to a 0-62mph time of less than five seconds, with a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes. The F-150 Lightning's range under US test conditions is 240 miles, and DC charging is rated at up to 150kW, which can take the battery from 15-80% capacity in 39 minutes. This can be done at any of Norway's 6,000 fast chargers, which form part of the country's 20,000-strong charging network.

Inside, the F-150 Lightning features a 15.5in portrait-orientated touchscreen running Ford's Sync 4 operating system with smartphone connectivity, along with a 12in digital instrument cluster for the driver. On-board cameras help with manoeuvres, while Smart Hitch assists with attaching trailers and on-board scales help to estimate the vehicle's overall weight with payload on board.

Although the F-150 Lightning will be available in Norway, there are no indications as to whether it will be offered in other regions. Moreover, the fact that the vehicle is left-hand-drive-only means that it is unlikely to be officially launched in the UK any time soon. Nonetheless, the F-150 Lightning's unique combination of on- and off-road performance, utility, and zero-emissions driving make it perfectly suited to the Norwegian way of life and "friluftsliv" - the culture of unwinding in the wilderness.