Used 2023 Ford F150 Lightning

The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for decades. It does exactly what full-size pickups are supposed to do, quite often better than its rivals. In many of those ways that matter, the 2023 F-150 Lightning is just like any other F-150.

It can tow up to 10,000 pounds, and carry a payload of more than 2,000 pounds. It comes with all-wheel drive as standard. Except that it carries out its work without using any gasoline or diesel fuel at all.

The F-150 Lightning is a great truck, no asterisk. And that’s why it’s our Best Electric Truck of 2023, and the 5-Year Cost to Own champion among electric trucks.

The standard battery enables a range of 240 miles, up from last year’s 230. The extended-range battery can run for up to 320 miles on a single full charge, while touting more horsepower, too.

The rest of the Ford F-150 full-size truck lineup is reviewed separately.

Both drivetrains in the 2023 F-150 Lightning develop an astounding 775 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough muscle for most requirements, even for work trucks that might have to do some serious towing.

It also results in fast acceleration times — a specialty with electric motors. The extended-range version can zip from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The standard model is only half a second behind. And this is a full-size pickup truck.

Nor does all the fun happen in that small window. The Lightning still has enough in reserve for easy passing on the freeway.

It has a one-pedal driving feature as well, allowing the driver to negotiate city traffic by just pressing on, or lifting off, the accelerator pedal — unless a sudden stop is necessary. Using the one-pedal method is less tiring and helps add a little more energy into the battery.

The ranges were worked out with 1,000 pounds of payload on board, although the Lightning’s maximum payload is 2,235 pounds.

In contrast to the sports-car acceleration, the F-150 Lightning rides softly and smoothly. With a trailer connected, it remains stable. The steering is always quick and precise, requiring few corrections at cruising speeds.

There isn’t a Raptor off-road specialist version of the Lightning like there is with the regular F-150, but this electric pickup still has all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard, along with an electronic locking rear differential. So the rough terrain of a construction site shouldn’t be an issue.

Ford had already made this generation of F-150 half-ton pickup truck quite civilized, with a hushed cabin. The subdued whoosh of the electric motors makes it seem even quieter. The Super Crew cab is also spacious, with a generous 43.6 inches of rear legroom.

Ford offers a gamut of trim levels for the 2023 F-150 Lightning, from basic in the Pro to bountiful in the Platinum. The Pro has vinyl seat coverings, while among the few features that aren’t standard in the Platinum are Max Recline front seats that fold almost flat. Great for getting in a little personal recharging while the Lightning is having its battery replenished.

One thoughtful inclusion at the XLT level and up is a retractable shift lever that can be covered by the center armrest, which then forms an ideal surface to place a laptop.

A lot of electric vehicles and hybrids are designed with aerodynamics in mind, as a way of optimizing efficiency. But that’s not a typical pickup truck attribute.

Even so, the 2023 F-150 Lightning looks sleeker than its combustion-powered relatives, especially at the front end. The full-width LED bar (XLT and up) also makes the Lightning look more futuristic.

The Lightning comes solely with a Super Crew cab and a 5.5-foot bed. The lack of engine opens up a large (14.1 cubic feet) storage area beneath the hood, enough to hold 400 pounds of payload or a few golf bags. There are also various power outlets in this front spot and in the bed.

The base Pro model does without side steps. A fixed set comes with the XLT trim, while the Lariat offers power-retractable versions, which are then standard on the Platinum.

New paint colors offered this year are Avalanche Gray and Azure Gray metallic tri-coat.

Electric drivetrain
Someone had to make an all-electric pickup at some point. Ford is right at the cutting edge with this F-150 Lightning, yet it has created a successful and desirable electric vehicle, while a few other makers are still trying to get theirs together.

Aluminum
Ford’s innovative use of aluminum in the construction of all versions of the F-150 full-size pickup makes particular sense here in the Lightning. If it was all steel, it would be a lot heavier, affecting range.

Power out
As well as domestic 115-volt outlets in various spots, enabling the recharging of electric bikes, power tools, or plenty of other appliances, the F-150 Lightning can also use its battery to power a home in the event of a grid outage.

15.5-inch infotainment screen
A 12-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard in the humblest 2023 F-150 Lightning, and that’s still relatively big. But Ford also offers a massive 15.5-inch version, oriented vertically.

On-Board Scales
This ingenious optional feature tells the driver the weight of any payload and/or the trailer. The F-150 Lightning can also calculate how much range is available and set routes that include chargers along the way.

Pro Trailer Hitch Assist
New this year, this feature controls the steering, throttle, and brakes to make easy work of hitching up a trailer. It’s part of the Tow Technology package that’s optional in the lower trims, standard in the higher versions.

The differences are in the lithium-ion batteries. Every new F-150 Lightning pickup has two electric motors and all-wheel drive. They also make the same considerable amount of maximum torque: 775 lb-ft.

The standard range battery has 98 kWh of usable power, whereas the extended range battery comes with 131 kWh. This results in the standard version having 452 horsepower, while the extended model has 580 horsepower.

The XLT High and Lariat trims offer the extended setup as an option, for an extra $10,000 or $7,500, respectively. Platinum trim has it as standard.

A DC fast charger can add about 54 miles of range to the larger battery in 10 minutes (make that 40 miles for the standard), or take it from 15% to 80% in around 40 minutes — more like 45 minutes for the standard battery.

Using a 240-volt supply from the Ford Charge Station Pro home setup (which requires installation by a licensed electrician), we’re looking at 10 hours for a full recharge of the standard battery, or eight hours with the extended version.

Tow ratings of the 2023 F-150 Lightning electric truck are 7,700 pounds (standard) or 10,000 pounds (extended).

Standard-range battery
452 horsepower
775 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 76/61 MPGe
EPA-estimated range: 240 miles

Extended-range battery
580 horsepower
775 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 78/63 MPGe, 73/60 MPGe (Platinum)
EPA-estimated range: 320 miles, 300 miles (Platinum)