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By Jake Lingeman
Managing Editor
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Ford introduced a high-performance concept variant of its all electric F-150 Lightning pickup, which experts say could point to a possible off-road-ready Raptor version of the truck being in development, at a motorsports event on Wednesday.
The F-150 Lightning Switchgear was created with help from RTR Vehicles, a performance part and complete vehicle company created by driver and drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. The company, with initials standing for "Ready To Rock," has partnered with Ford several times before.
Ford says the Switchgear concept truck was inspired by the F-150 RTR Ultimate FunHaver project vehicle from 2016, also designed by Gittin Jr.
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He has developed numerous one-offs for Ford. The driver helped with the Mustang Mach-E 1400 prototype, which delivered 1,400 horsepower from its electric motors, and they collaborated on the Bronco RTR FunRunner, with another super high-performance powertrain and more wild design details.
He additionally helped Ford develop its Drift Stick, a parking brake feature that's made for drifters.
Ford says the concept could "take F-150 Lightning where it's never been and to learn lessons that could be applied to future Ford electric trucks."
The automaker has a long history with high-performance trucks, most recently with the Raptor, but previously with the original Ford Lightning, a high-performance version of its gas-powered truck.
"Off-road, the F-150 Raptor is a massively capable truck. It's only been a matter of 'when' the electric F-150 Lightning will be treated to a more rugged, trail-ready version of its own. Sans the racing-spec buckets with five-point harnesses and rally-inspired e-brake handle, most of what's previewed by this Switchgear show truck is all certainly doable," Robby DeGraff, product and consumer insights analyst for AutoPacific told Newsweek.
"I'd expect a lots of the same equipment, both mechanical upgrades and styling tweaks, to eventually make its way to a production-ready, more off-road suitable trim for the F-150 Lightning."
The Lightning Switchgear has a wider track width over the F-150 Lightning, which improves off-road stability. It also has a higher ride height. It uses Fox's 3-inch diameter internal bypass shock absorbers in the suspension along with unique front and rear bumpers to improve approach and departure angles. It also has a custom independent double-wishbone suspension at the front, and multilink independent suspension in back with coilover shocks, stabilizer bar and custom control arms.
"Compared to all other segments, demand for pickup trucks (whether full-size or mid-size) is the lowest among EV intenders per our AutoPacific data. However, our research has shown that 84 percent of those electric pickup truck intenders say 'their vehicle needs to accommodate their active outdoor lifestyle.' That's actually substantially more of a 'must' than ICE pickup truck intenders, so Ford offering a dedicated off-road model for its F-150 Lightning could be a smart, worthy strategy to pursue. It honestly doesn't even have to be a full-blow Raptor, even a toned-down Tremor could be perfect," said DeGraff.
The Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear will make its first public appearance at the King of the Hammers off-road racing event starting Jan. 25, in Johnson Valley, California. That race happens every winter and combines desert racing and rock crawling. For the nine-day race week, the Means Dry Lake bed turns into a temporary settlement nicknamed Hammertown where in 2022 there were roughly 400 teams and 80,000 spectators in attendance for the event.
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