2027 Ford Lightning: Ford Motor Co. has said that the manufacturing of its next-generation, all-electric F-150 will be pushed back to the second half of 2027. This is the second delay for the next-generation Chevy Silverado EV competitor.
The first delay, from 2025 to 2026, was announced last April. Ford said that the decision to push back the launch date was first made because of shifting customer demand and the company’s present goal of making more hybrid cars.
Ford USA Cars, an online news site that covers Ford, says that the delay is also part of a larger plan to listen to customers and improve the car’s features. Project T3 is the secret name for the next-generation F-150 EV. It promises “features and experiences never before seen in any Ford truck.”
Ford’s flagship electric truck, the 2027 Ford Lightning, has cutting-edge features including the ability to charge in both directions, which lets it charge at home during a power outage, and a body that is very aerodynamic and efficient.
The electric vehicle (EV) market is changing quickly, though, because battery prices are going down and customer demand is lower than predicted. The carmaker will also have time to focus on building a new, cheaper EV platform now that they have decided to delay the F-150 EV.
This platform, which is not tied to any current all-electric vehicle designs, might be added to the next-generation F-150 EV, making it easier for more people to buy.
It’s interesting to think about that the next-generation 2027 Ford Lightning EV might come out with a new name, possibly dropping the F-150 Lightning brand. Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford, has also hinted that the new truck will have design aspects that make it look like a “Millennium Falcon with a patio inside.” It will also have “stunning performance” and a cabin that is “very versatile” and “feels like a living room or a small office.”
2027 Ford Lightning Reviews
The Blue Oval said last April that the next-generation Ford F-150 EV, which will probably still be called the Ford F-150 Lightning, would be delayed from 2025 to 2026 at the company’s BlueOval City Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center, which is still being built and is fully owned by the corporation.
The car company said at the time that the change was made because of changing consumer demand. This meant that they thought their resources would be better used to build more hybrids as sales in that segment grew. The next-generation Ford F-150 EV has been pushed back again.
Today, FoMoCo said that the second delay in manufacturing of the next-generation Ford F-150 EV, dubbed Project T3, will happen in the second half of 2027. The car company said that it is trying to use all the feedback it gets from F-150 Lightning customers to make a better product in that area. The list of “features and experiences never before seen on any Ford truck” includes bidirectional charging capabilities and better aerodynamics.
The delay is also meant to take advantage of lowering battery prices as the market continues to grow. The manufacturer is doing this by making its own low-cost EV platform, which will help the next-generation Ford F-150 EV.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has given us some hints about what the future F-150 EV will look like. He said that it will feature a futuristic design that looks like a “Millennium Falcon with a porch,” which is a reference to the famous Star Wars spaceship.
Farley also said that the next-generation 2027 Ford Lightning EV would be a better choice than the Tesla Cybertruck. He called it “one of the most exciting vehicles I’ve ever seen in my career.”
“Its performance is amazing, unlike anything else, and it has features that are completely new for truck customers, like a super-flexible cabin that feels like a lounge or a small office.”
2027 Ford Lightning T3
Ford’s Model e subsidiary is working on a new electric vehicle for the US market. The F-150 Lightning went on sale in May 2022. We know a lot about this next-generation electric vehicle, which is codenamed “Ford Project T3”:
Ford CEO Jim Farley Jr. revealed during the F-150 Lightning Start of Production (SOP) announcement event on April 26, 2022, that the new Ford electric truck isn’t the next-generation F-150 Lightning, as was previously thought. This is what he said:
We’re not done with this great truck, the F-150 Lightning. By the end of next year, we’ll be making 600,000 electric cars every year. We wish we could take you all there, but we’ve already started building another electric pickup truck in BlueOval City, Tennessee. It’s not the F-150 Lightning, though. In four years, we’ll be ready for 2 million electric cars.
Later, Farley Jr. chose not to make the Ford F-250 or F-350 Lightning since the Super Duty trucks needed a lot of payload and battery power. We think the electric vehicle made in Tennessee will be smaller than the 2027 Ford Lightning based on what we know.
Farley Jr. said on the Q3 2023 earnings call on October 26, 2023, that the “all-new second-generation full-size pickup truck” was one of the most thrilling cars he had ever seen. He stated that the next-generation full-size pickup truck will have great performance, new features that people wouldn’t expect, and a “super-flexible cabin” that could be utilized as a tiny office or lounge.
Farley Jr. even said he would chose it over the Tesla Cybertruck any day. This shows that the car would be great for families, for fun, and for work.
- It is smaller than the F-150 Lightning and is built on a different basis.
- The BlueOval Electric Vehicle Center in Stanton, Tennessee, will start building it in 2028.
- When it comes out at US dealers, it should cost roughly $50,000.
- Indicated to give an EPA-est. over 400 miles of range
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2027 Ford Lightning Updates
Ford applied for the trademark “F-200” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on August 28, 2023. This news led to conjecture in the media that the “Ford F-200 Lightning” was their new electric pickup truck.
No matter what name Ford picks for its Project T3 pickup vehicle, we are sure that the corporation will keep the Lightning name. During its Q3 2023 earnings call, Farley Jr. called the new vehicle the “next-generation Lightning.”
Our items aren’t the same as any other because they appeal to diverse types of customers. But they are in the same group. We know a lot about how they use their products, but the new ideas will be aimed at different things. I think the F-150 is the best example of a Ford.
Because we have an ICE that is among the best in the world. We have a hybrid that will probably be 20% mixed. Next, we have the Lightning and the next-generation Lightning that we’re working on right now.
2027 Ford Lightning Design
The Ford T3 will look like something from the future, although not as crazy as the Cybertruck. It will have a sleeker shape and better drag-reduction features than the F-150 Lightning, making it look and feel faster. It will have a split cab, which is something that most electric pickup trucks have.
The teaser (below) suggests that the Ford T3 will have a sharper windshield. This will let air flow more smoothly across the body, which will use less energy and, as a result, increase range. The minimal aerodynamic drag also cuts down on vibration and wind noise, making the ride smoother for the driver and passengers.
Ford filed a patent for a lifting device that goes on a crossbar. They also showed off a futuristic pickup vehicle that is probably a variation of the T3 prototype.
The Ford T3 in our drawings has a very distinct look from current Ford pickups. This is mostly because of its shape and size. Ford pickups don’t usually have a forward-cab arrangement, steeply sloping A-pillars, or a low bonnet. This clay model does, however, show that Ford is looking into this idea for future pickups.
The Ford T3 pickup truck could appear considerably different from the F-150 Lightning and all the other Ford pickup vehicles. The daytime running lights that go from one end of the covered top front fascia to the other make the EV look wider.
You can stack the low and high beam headlights in different sections underneath, which may also be mostly hidden. The front fascia can be much deeper than normal, reaching almost to the floor. It might also have a glove box that slides out from beneath. The electric pickup has a wide, athletic look thanks to its prominent wheel arches.
A Lot of Digital
Farley Jr. said at the announcement that Ford’s next-generation electric vehicle will be a totally digital model. He said that the Ford T3 will be able to get software updates. The company has promised towing capability, power transfer, and other new features for this second electric vehicle, in addition to frequent software updates.
We’ll send software to your truck every week, month, and year to make it better. We’ll start from home. Your truck will be able to tow and move things, and it will also have a lot more space for exports than it does now. Your truck will have an endless number of new features that will make it easier and faster to complete your work.
2027 Ford Lightning Self-driving
With the Ford T3, you can drive on hundreds of thousands of roadways in the US and Canada without having to steer. The F-150 Lightning can currently do this over more than 130,000 miles of split roads in North America, and future models will probably be able to do even more.
We want this truck to be able to do more work for you and give you more time back every day. On a beautiful day on the highway, you can take your eyes off the road since you know how to drive safely.
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2027 Ford Lightning Performance
Farley Jr. also told Schmidtke that Ford’s T3 electric vehicle will have a range difference of 100 miles. The F-150 Lightning has an EPA-estimated range of up to 320 miles. This means that the next-generation electric vehicle might have an EPA-estimated maximum range of roughly 420 miles.
Farley Jr. talked more about Ford’s intentions to make its second-generation electric vehicles more efficient at Bernstein’s 38th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference. He talked about how changes to the car’s brakes and aerodynamics could be helpful:
Every watt and every ampere counts. A full-size truck that is tuned for aerodynamics, like a Lightning, has a range of 75 miles. The battery costs $3,000. It would be a big deal for those cars to have better aerodynamics and other brake systems that cost more but work better to collect energy. They might also be reengineered to make the battery smaller because it’s so expensive.
2027 Ford Lightning Platform
Farley Jr. told Automotive News in December 2021 that Ford would produce new vehicles on a new full-size truck platform at BlueOval City. Farley Jr. told Bernstein Senior Analyst Toni Sacconaghi at Bernstein’s 38th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on June 1, 2022, that Ford is in the last phases of building its advanced electrified architecture.
Farley told Tom Moloughney of the State of Charge YouTube channel in April 2023 that Ford has finished designing its second electric vehicle platform. He went on to say that the corporation is following the lead of Tesla and Apple by transferring as much development as feasible in-house.
For instance, instead of hiring other companies to do the task, they will build the T3’s electrical architecture and all of its software controls. Farley ended by saying that the T3 will be a car that can be fully upgraded with software. He stressed that buyers will be able to change more than just the electronics within the car.
Ford is working on two platforms that will only be used for electric vehicles, while the F-150 Lightning uses a modified version of a gas-powered truck chassis. The smaller “GE2” platform will support automobiles and crossovers, and the “TE1” platform for trucks will support the Ford T3 electric vehicle.
2027 Ford Lightning Battery IonBoost+
Farley Jr. revealed at Capital Markets Day 2021 on May 26, 2021, that Ford will make a “IonBoost” lithium-ion battery out of customized pouch cells with unique chemistry. This battery will include Ford’s unique battery control system and will work with bigger vehicles like trucks and SUVs. Thai-Tang also revealed at the same occasion that Ford’s next-generation battery technology will be called “IonBoost+.”
He went on to say that the company thinks IonBoost+ has the highest energy density of cells that are identical. IonBoost has an NMC cathode made up of 88% nickel. The official name for IonBoost and IonBoost+ is the same.
IonBoost+ is a type of cell chemistry that, when combined with Ford’s own battery control algorithm that uses high-precision sensor technologies, gives customers more range and efficiency. Our pouch cell format is one of a kind and works best for powering big vehicles and high-performance items.
- Hau Thai-Tang, who used to be in charge of Ford’s industrial platforms, spoke at Capital Markets Day 2021 on May 26, 2021.
- Ford will also make the IonBoost Pro battery, which will use lithium iron phosphate cells that are cheaper to make.
Ford Lightning Charging
The Ford T3 should be able to charge quickly using DC at speeds that are far higher than those of the F-150 Lightning. With a 98 kWh battery, the F-150 Lightning can manage up to 120 kW of direct power. With a 131 kWh battery, it can handle up to 155 kW. With a 150 kW+ DC fast charger, it takes roughly 32 minutes to charge from 15% to 80% (98 kWh battery) and 38 to 41 minutes to charge from 131% to 80% (131 kWh battery). Ford probably wants the T3 to charge quickly, maybe in less than 30 minutes.
The T3 will most likely work with Plug & Charge. Customers won’t have to take out a credit card or smartphone to pay at charging stations that enable it, like Electrify America. The charging station will be able to talk to the EV and charge owners through their registered accounts, thus payment will happen automatically. As soon as customers plug in the connection from the charging station to their EV, the charging session will start.
Ford Lightning NACS
The T3 electric truck will also have a built-in North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector, which will let it charge at more than 15,000 Tesla Superchargers in the US. The newest iteration of the Tesla Supercharger, the V4, can send up to 325 kW of direct current. Ford said on August 21, 2024, that the T3 electric truck will have better bidirectional charging capabilities, but they didn’t go into detail about what those will be.
2027 Ford Lightning Release Date
The Ford T3 truck won’t come out until 2028, and the first prototype is set to come out in 2027. Ford first said that it would start making Project T3 at its BlueOval City car assembly factory in 2026. This plant would be able to make 500,000 electric trucks a year. In August 2025, a Ford spokeswoman said that mass production had been put back to 2028, but the plant was still on schedule to make the first prototype in 2027.
of Ford’s annual capital markets event on May 22, 2023, Doug Field, Chief Advanced Product Development and Technology Officer of Ford Model e, said that Project T3 will have fewer options than current Ford trucks, but that these options will get better over time.
“Trust the truck” is what “Project T3” means. You can trust this truck to work and do well in the digital age. It can be used again and again. It will keep changing and learning quickly, from the time it leaves the factory and its computer is still on and talking to the factory, to years after it becomes part of the customer’s life.
- Ford’s BlueOval City Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center is where the next generation of electric pickups is slated to be made.
Verdict
Ford’s choice to push out the next-generation F-150 Lightning until 2027 shows that they have an ambitious plan: improve the design, add cutting-edge technology, and create an affordable EV platform to compete on a global scale. Project T3 promises performance that can’t be matched, styling that looks like it came from the future, and features that could change the electric truck market. Stay in touch with us for more detailed news about Ford’s EV journey, and be sure to bookmark this site so you never miss the latest car news.
