Ford F-150 Lightning Gets Some Decent Updates, But Keeps Same Electrifying Price
Image Credit: Ford.
Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. It appears Ford, not content with simply electrifying their beloved F-150, has actually gone and… improved it. The 2025 iteration of the Lightning is apparently sporting a whole host of new gizmos and gadgets. And the truly astonishing bit? They haven't decided to hold us hostage with an even more astronomical price tag.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves here - we're still talking about a vehicle that requires you to plug it into the wall like some oversized toaster. But, credit where credit's due, Ford seems to have actually listened to the bewildered cries of the early adopters. Charging, that most glamorous of electric vehicle pastimes, is now supposedly less of a headache. They've cranked up the maximum DC fast-charging current to a dizzying 500 amps. What does that mean in the real world? Hopefully, less time twiddling your thumbs at the charging station, watching the digital numbers crawl upwards with the enthusiasm of a sloth on tranquilizers.
Image Credit: Ford.
Ford even added "features" to make charging even easier... I know, I know, it's almost too much excitement to bear. Apparently, you can now gaze upon the real-time charging speeds. Thrilling stuff, I'm sure. I'm not sure a live feed of your bank account draining, but with kilowatts instead of dollars, is such a good idea. You can also set a universal charge limit, which, to be fair, sounds vaguely sensible. And scheduling charge times? Well, that's just peak modern living, isn't it? Setting your truck to slurp electrons at a pre-ordained hour.
But the bit that might actually make a few heads turn, is the new ability to play nicely with Tesla's charging network. Yes, those oh-so-exclusive Superchargers that were once the sole domain of Elon's disciples are now accessible to Ford's electric behemoth. It's almost as dramatic as the Montagues and Capulets finally agreeing to share the same pizza. Ford has even been handing out free NACS adapters, which is a genuinely decent gesture. Though, if you missed the giveaway, the $200 price tag for the adapter feels a tad like being charged for the privilege of using someone else's electricity socket. Still, progress is progress, I suppose.
Image Credit: Ford.
For those who like their vehicles to exude an air of darkness, Ford is offering the "Dark Elements" package. This involves a generous application of black paint to various bits and bobs, including rather large 22-inch wheels. Because nothing says "stealthy" like a massive black truck rolling down the road on equally massive black wheels. Surprisingly, Ford, in their infinite wisdom, noted that many Lightning buyers prefer white. So, naturally, the best way to cater to that is to offer a package that is the antithesis of white. Marvelous logic.
According to Ford, the updated BlueCruise 1.4 now offers a "smoother, more natural hands-free highway driving experience." One can only assume that the previous iteration felt somewhat… unnatural and jerky. Thankfully, it can now handle curves with "more in-lane stability." Which is a relief. The thought of a multi-ton electric pickup deciding to go for a wander across multiple lanes on its own is not a comforting one.
Image Credit: Ford.
And finally, the bit that really makes you sit up and take notice: the prices. Despite all these apparent improvements and additions, Ford has decided to keep the starting prices exactly the same as before. In a world where everything from a pint of milk to a dozen eggs seems to increase in price on a weekly basis, Ford has held firm. The XLT still kicks off at $62,995, rising to a frankly eye-watering $92,995 for the top-of-the-line Platinum Black.
And just when I thought the electrifying news about the Lightning couldn't get any more electrifying, Ford decided to wave the Stars and Stripes with a new marketing blitz. Apparently, in a move that can only be described as either deeply patriotic or a cunning ploy to shift a rather healthy pile of metal, they're launching a "From America, For America" campaign. Yes, forget all that globalized nonsense; Ford wants you to know they're as American as apple pie, baseball, and arguing about the correct way to pronounce "pecan."
Image Credit: Ford.
And what does this grand declaration of national pride entail for you? Well, aside from a healthy dose of flag-waving in the ad breaks, Ford is also offering its "employee pricing plan" – the hallowed "A Plan" – to pretty much everyone until June 2nd. Apparently, this means you get to pay what the folks on the assembly line pay. Which, one can only assume, is still a fair chunk of change, but less than the sticker price, which is always a bonus. Unless, of course, the employees get paid in Monopoly money.
They're excluding a few of the fancy toys, mind you – no cut-price Raptors or those behemoth Super Duty pickups for the masses. But for most of the range, it's "you pay what we pay." Which, if you're in the market for a new set of wheels, is a rather tempting proposition. Especially when you consider that Ford apparently has a "very healthy stock" of vehicles gathering dust on dealer lots. A 74-day supply, no less!
And for those of you brave souls venturing into the world of electric motoring, Ford is extending its "Power Promise" until the end of June. That's the one where they chuck in a free home charger and even pay for the installation when you buy or lease a Mustang Mach-E, an F-150 Lightning (aha, our electric friend!), or an E-Transit van.
Image Credit: Ford.
So, if you were on the fence about joining the electric revolution, the lure of a free charging station in your garage might just be the nudge you needed. Just try not to think too hard about whether the cost of that "free" charger is simply factored into the price of the vehicle in the first place.
So here we are - the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning. It's smarter, it's (supposedly) easier to live with, it's got a dark and moody makeover option, and remarkably, it won't cost you any more than the previous version - a genuine anomaly. And you can get an employee discount on top of everything! Look, I don't know if this is going to help Ford shift the electric F-150 in bigger numbers, but the company is certainly going in the right direction.
