Ford’s new F-150 Lightning Flash trim will have more range, a bigger screen, and a heat pump

Ford announced a new “Flash” version of the 2024 model year F-150 Lighting, with a larger screen, longer range, and a heat pump to help improve battery conditioning on those colder days. The company said it also expects to make more F-150 Lightning deliveries to customers later this year after a factory closure restricted Ford’s supply of the electric truck.

Ford says it’s targeting an EPA-estimated range for the Flash of 320 miles, which would fit neatly between the automaker’s standard-range and long-range models. The F-150 Lightning Standard Range typically gets less than 300 miles of EPA-estimated range, while extended range variants can travel up to 350 miles on a single charge.

A Flash heat pump will also be included, a nod to customers who have complained that Cold weather tends to drain the F-150 Lightning’s battery. Heat pumps can keep batteries at a more optimal temperature during the winter months, helping with charge times, range, and performance. More and more electric vehicles are coming with standard heat pumps as the automotive industry begins to recognize its usefulness.

The new Flash technology includes a 15.5-inch touchscreen as standard, currently only found on the Lariat and Platinum models. As for pricing, the F-150 Lightning Flash will sit above the XLT in the model lineup, priced at $69,995 and expected to ship sometime next year.

Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer of Ford’s electric-vehicle-focused Model e division, said the goal was to put some of the features of more expensive models that customers like most into a more affordable profile.

“We actually don’t have a vehicle at this price that is equipped this way,” Gjaja said in a briefing with reporters on Monday. “So if you look at the way the Flash is equipped, it has some of the features that a Lariat has and it has some of the features that an XLT has, and it’s not surprising that it’s priced between the two. “

Affordability is a crucial issue for Ford, especially when it comes to the F-150 Lightning. Recent price increases have caused some customers with pre-orders to cancel their reservations.

New model aside, the flow of F-150 Lightnings to customers should improve this fall now that the company’s Rogue Electric Vehicle Center reopened in August. The factory was closed for six weeks expand and re-equip the plant to increase production capacity.

The first hint that Flash was coming was when electrek stained a trademark application for the name earlier this year. At the time, it was assumed that the name applied to a high-performance version of the truck, following a partnership between Ford and Red Bull Powertrains on next-generation hybrid power units. But now we know that’s not how it will be used.

The F-150 Lightning Flash won’t have the attractive exterior of the new Platinum Black edition of the electric truck, with its factory-applied matte black exterior and limited production run. But the introduction of a new version is a sure sign that Ford is raising its hopes that the Lightning will help boost sales and curb the cash burn of electric vehicles. The company has said it will lose $4.5 billion on its electric vehicle business in 2023.

“We will not rest,” Gjaja said. “Our plan is to increase production and demand for our electric vehicles by focusing on profitability.”