Ford F-150 Lightning Joins the United States Forest Service

The United States Forest Service will be getting several Ford F-150 Lightnings. The government agency will employ the all-electric pickup truck within its 12-month program, which will be used to evaluate electric vehicles compared to combustion engine vehicles. If the results prove positive, the agency will move forward with its plan to transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2027. Ford’s continued success with EVs will motivate the automaker as it produces more electric vehicles. In addition to the F-150 Lightning, Ford offers the powerful Mach-E. Ford is reportedly in the development of other EVs like the Maverick Lightning and Ranger Lightning as well. As the Blue Oval continues to add to its EV lineup, we’ll see more agencies like the Forest Service use them. 

U.S Forest Service to Receive F-150 Lightning

The United States Forest Service will acquire three Ford F-150 Lightnings. The government agency will use the all-electric pickup truck in its 12-month program to determine the effectiveness of EVs compared to combustion engine vehicles. The program will be used as an evaluative tool to measure the quality and safety of electric vehicles. It will help identify potential issues as the agency transitions toward a zero-emissions fleet. About the program, a U.S Forest Service spokesman said, 

“It’s a quasi-experimental approach to systematically evaluate use–frequency, quality, safety, experience– of EVs relative to Internal combustion vehicle use over the study period,” said the Forest Service spokesman.

The Forest Service will receive three Ford F-150 Lightnings. The electric pickups will feature the Forest Service logo on the doors, but aside from that, they will remain unchanged. As such, they will feature a dual-motor setup that delivers 564 horsepower and 775lb-ft of torque. The pickups will also offer 10,000 pounds of towing capacity and 2,000 pounds of payload. For their battery range, the EV pickups will arrive with 230 miles. If the Forest Service needs additional range, they can opt for Ford’s range-extending battery, which increases the battery range to 300 miles.

The three F-150 Lightnings will be sent to the U.S. Forest Service’s Eastern Region. The Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, the Huran-Manistee National Forests in Michigan, and the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire are included in the region. The region currently operates 1,489 vehicles. Eventually, electric vehicles will become more accepted. Agencies like the Forest Service will perform evaluations and recruit more EVs in their service. Bolstering this momentum is the U.S. president, who has called for a federal government fleet of over 600,000 zero-emission vehicles. So far, the EV wave has continued to grow larger and larger.

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Interested in an all-new Ford F-150 Lightning? So are we! Come down to Kenny Ross Ford South, where we can help you find the right vehicle for your needs. You can browse our inventory of new vehicles or check out our quality pre-owned inventory. At Kenny Ross, we’re more than happy to help our customers find what they are looking for. We can offer suggestions like auto financing to help make paying for a vehicle easier. 

Looking to finally fix the ride you currently have? You can also schedule an online service appointment and have our expert technicians provide you with everything you need to feel safe and secure on the road. Stop by today and see what we can do for you right now! 

Photo Credit: U.S Forest Service