Australia has a new cheapest full-size American pickup – and it’s an EV.
Local firm AusEV has cut the price of the Ford F-150 Lightning Pro (with a 98kWh battery) to just $109,990 plus on-road costs, a huge reduction of $59,910 from its standard figure.
The move comes less than two months after Ford announced it had ended production of the F-150 Lightning early in the US, citing low demand for the battery-powered pickup.
AusEV started converting the F-150 Lightning from from left- to right-hand drive in 2024, and launched the trade-focused Pro with a $169,900 price tag, while the more luxurious XLT variant starting from $184,900 plus on-roads at the time.
The XLT (which is powered by a 131kWh battery) isn’t in runout yet, with the significant price cut only applied to the Lightning Pro.
Its discount means it undercuts the upcoming updated twin-turbo V6 F-150 XLT ($114,990), the V8-powered Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium ($134,500), the twin-turbo straight-six Ram 1500 Laramie Sport, and the twin-turbo V6 hybrid Toyota Tundra Limited ($155,990).
The F-150 Lightning Pro is powered by a dual-motor electric powertrain, producing 337kW and 1050Nm. Its 94kWh battery gives a claimed driving range of 370km, according to the US EPA lab test standards.
Weighing just over 2700kg, it has a 1000kg payload capacity, as well as a 2500kg braked towing capacity – far less than most turbo-diesel Utes on the market, such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux which can tow up to 3500kg.
Australian sales figures of the F-150 Lightning haven’t been disclosed as it was sold through a private importer, rather than a manufacturer who reports sales.
In the US, Ford sold 732,139 F-150 pickups in 2024, but only 33,510 of those were the electric F-150 Lightning, representing less than five per cent of total sales.
Despite axing the all-electric F-150 Lightning and its second-generation follow-up, Ford has confirmed the nameplate will live on in the form of a range-extended EV, which will see a petrol engine fitted to charge the onboard high voltage battery, rather than help drive the wheels.
The F-150 Lightning EREV will have a claimed driving range of more than 1125km while being able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in under five seconds, Ford executives have said.
Ford’s decision to make the F-150 Lightning an EREV will pit it directly against the upcoming Ram 1500 REV.
The Ram 1500 REV will feature a 3.6-litre V6 engine – the long-lived Pentastar – which acts as a generator for the 92kWh battery pack, supplying power to the dual motors, producing 487kW and 834Nm.
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