Ford F-150 Lightning gets intelligent towing system

The recently launched Ford F-150 Lightning boasts next-generation features, making it one of the most-awaited electric vehicles in 2022. Touted as a truck that’s as smart as it is tough, the new F-150 pickup truck is capable of towing up to 10,000 pounds of cargo and can provide its owners the range information they need to tow long distances.

“We know many F-150 Lightning customers will be first-time electric vehicle owners who expect that familiar Built Ford Tough capability along with robust towing. That’s why we created smart technologies to help take the worry out of towing long distances by giving customers more reliable and accurate range calculations, and then automatically locate charge points along the way, if needed,” said F-150 Lightning Chief Engineer Linda Zhang.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is equipped with Intelligent Range, Power My Trip, and Ford’s Onboard Scales. These Ford-exclusive technologies work seamlessly to give F-150 Lightning owners accurate vehicle range estimations, which according to the Blue Oval brand is “based on actual towing experiences and real-time energy use.”

Intelligent Range works by collecting key vehicle data to determine just how much power drivers consume in real-time. Data gathered by this technology include traffic speed, ambient temperature, available battery energy, driver habits, climate control use, and route topography. In addition, Intelligent Range also uses cloud computing to gauge energy use from other similar types of Ford electric vehicles operating in similar situations.

The Power My Trip feature, on the other hand, is an online mapping system that allows owners to plan out their trips when using the F-150 Lightning. Drivers just need to put their trailer information into the Trailer Profile, then enter their destination into the Sync 4/4A navigation system or on their smartphone via the FordPass app.

Power My Trip will automatically map their towing route using the abovementioned Intelligent Range and provide drivers information about charge points along the way.

Every F-150 Lightning customer will get a Ford Mobile Power cord charger, which gives them 120 or 240-volt AC charging with easy, portable charge connectivity wherever they go.

“By giving customers the most accurate range assessments possible and the charge tools they need to tow reliably, we believe they’ll move past the myths about towing with an electric truck and embrace the value-added benefits F-150 Lightning provides. “As they get accustomed to how Intelligent Range and Power My Trip work, they’ll naturally adjust their routines — whether that’s stopping for lunch and a DC fast charge or finding a route that simplifies their drive,” Zhang said.

Meanwhile, Ford’s Onboard Scales round up the advantages offered by both the Intelligent Range and the Power My Trip features by measuring the load effects of trailers and cargo to further refine range calculations when towing.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is built at the Dearborn-based automotive brand’s high-tech Rouge Electric Vehicle Center and was officially launched last week, April 26.

Photos from Ford

Also read: 

The two sides of the Ford F-150

2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder is quickest law enforcement vehicle