Ford showcases F-150 Lightning Switchgear - just don’t call it Raptor electric
Ford is giving us an interesting take on off-road vehicles with the F-150 Lightning Switchgear. The one-off vehicle is done in collaboration with RTR Vehicles and Ford hopes it can prove that EVs can deliver the same all-terrain performance as their gas-powered counterparts.
Ford decided that an unmodified 580-horsepower powertrain found in F-150 Lightning XLT was up to the task. While 580 hp is clearly less than the 720 hp found in the gas-powered Raptor, the torque figure tells a different story. The F-150 Lightning Switchgear packs 775 lb-ft versus the 640 lb-ft found in the Raptor. And any seasoned off-roader will tell you that torque always beats the horsepower.
It is the F-150 Lightning Switchgear's suspension and bodywork that got the most attention. The suspension is beefed up with Fox off-road dampers, providing the vehicle with exceptional stability on rugged terrain. Paired with massive 37-inch tires, this truck boasts an impressive ride height - sufficient to conquer challenging landscapes with ease.
Ford and RTR have implemented a custom double-wishbone front suspension and multilink rear suspension. There are stabilizer bars at each end and limit straps keeping the suspension and wheel travel in check. The Switchgear gets Fox 3 inches-diameter internal bypass dampers, offering 11 inches of front wheel travel and 13 inches at the back. That’s only 1-inch less than the gas-powered Raptor. Finally, the 13.5 inches front ride height, 11 inches clearance at the rear, steel fabricated rock rails, and a front skid plate coupled with two spare wheels and tires in the bed, ensure you're ready for anything.
Unlike your now seemingly boring F-150 Lightning, the Switchgear stands out with its striking motorsports livery and custom bodywork. The beefier carbon-composite fenders conceal an increase in track width. The off-road-ready Switchgear measures 80 inches at the front and rear (extra 3 inches over the standard model) promising improved stability when tackling rough terrains.
For those who prefer the asphalt, there's also a street-spec Switchgear with a carbon-composite front end. It rides on Nitto NT420V 305/55R20 rubber mounted on flow-formed aluminum alloy wheels, offering a much more comfortable ride height of 7.0 inches up front and 5.0 inches at the rear - no ladder required to climb aboard.
Inside the cabin you'll find five Recaro sports seats with six-point harnesses and a massive hydraulic hand brake for executing grin-inducing tire-squealing drifts. Ford's goal is clear: to show customers that electric trucks have a fun side. Serious fun side.
When can we have one then? Well, with the F-150 Lightning Switchgear Ford wants to challenge the notion that EVs lack excitement. And as such this electrifying pickup serves as a test bed for Ford's ambitions to create thrilling production-spec electric performance cars - in Ford’s own words. That means we can’t buy the Switchgear as it is but, hopefully, in the not-so-distant future we may see a watered-down version. Although, taking into account Ford’s record of bringing mad contraptions to the market (Mustang Mach-E Rally anyone?) there’s a chance that Switchgear may make it to production.
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