The electric truck segment is perhaps the most interesting on the road today. Rivian got there first with its R1T, and Tesla has undoubtedly made the most waves with its Cybertruck. Though far less audacious than either, Ford's F-150 Lightning strikes the right balance of electric vehicle (EV) capability and daily practicality. With the Flash trim level, Ford offers options designed to target the sweet spot of a tech-forward buyer on a budget.
Photo: Tim Stevens
For the Flash trim, Ford adds in the 15.5-inch touchscreen, previously only available on higher trims. Likewise, you can opt for Ford's hands-off driver-assistance system, BlueCruise, but it'll cost extra.
The Flash sits among the Lightning's extensive lineup, which includes the XLT, Lariat, and Platinum trim levels.
JD Power previously published a review of the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro. This review focuses on the Lightning's updates for 2024 and how they potentially impact its overall consumer appeal.
For this 2024 F-150 Lightning review, Ford provided a test vehicle equipped with Flash trim and the following options:
These options enable the Lightning Flash to have a maximum towing capacity of 10,000 pounds, while the Pro Power Onboard option adds numerous outlets to the bed, covering all your jobs.
The test vehicle’s price was $82,285, including the $2,095 destination charge to ship the truck from the Ford Rouge Electric assembly plant in Dearborn, Michigan, to your local dealership.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Compared to the Pro trim, the F-150 Lightning Flash packs many more features and, well, flash. The biggest clue is hard to miss as soon as you climb up in this truck. It's the 15.5-inch touchscreen situated vertically in the cabin. Also available on the Lariat and Platinum trims, the Flash brings that big screen down to a (slightly) lower price point.
And it's a worthy upgrade. Given the overall dimensions of the truck, the smaller 12-inch display on the Pro and other trims just looks tiny. More significantly, Ford added software upgrades to take full advantage of the display size.
The rest of the cabin looks a bit basic compared to the higher-end Platinum and Lariat trims, but the Flash's materials are still better than those found in the Pro. The woven materials inside the Lightning Flash are far preferable to the acres of vinyl that you'll find in the Pro. While the rest of the interior features many of the same hard plastics and clashing colors, overall, the F-150 Lightning Flash interior is practical and comfortable, with plenty of room for up to five adults.
Sync 4A, the updated software running on that giant touchscreen, makes it easier to get to key features without digging through menus quite so often. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also on offer; they run within this window without blocking access to primary features like climate controls.
The F-150 Lightning Flash is also the lowest trim where Ford's hands-off BlueCruise system is available. BlueCruise augments an already comprehensive active safety suite, which includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, automatic emergency braking with automatic emergency steering, and a lane-keeping assistance system.
By stepping up to BlueCruise, you can take your hands off the wheel on divided highways and other roads deemed acceptable by Ford. Simply enable the system, wait for the blue lights, and take your hands off the wheel.
But it's not just convenience. BlueCruise is also a stickler for ensuring you pay attention to the road ahead. If you have other drivers in your household who you worry might be a bit distracted on the highway, the truck will do an excellent job of keeping their eyes ahead.
With BlueCruise activated, the truck steers itself quite capably, dealing with everything from potholes, crosswinds, and even tractor-trailers creeping into your lane without issue. After just a few miles, you learn to trust the system, which has expanded dramatically in terms of capability and allowable roads since its first deployment in 2021.
Photo: Tim Stevens
While the EV lifestyle isn't for everyone, just about everybody can appreciate the joys of driving an EV. That is, specifically, great throttle response and silent running, areas where the Lightning excels.
There's nothing special about the Flash regarding range, but it does bring the Lightning's 131-kilowatt-hour battery to play, meaning it offers 320 miles of range, per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I did slightly worse in my testing, with an estimated maximum range of 301 miles in a mixed testing route that included highways and secondary roads.
That's still a respectable range for a big truck, and that's paired with a rewarding everyday driving character. The Lightning is simply quick and easy to drive through traffic. It's also respectably quiet and calm at higher speeds.
For a truck, it even offers acceptable ride quality. It's no luxury sedan, but neither does it crash and shimmy over broken pavement like many lesser trucks. If anything, its suspension is a bit soft, with the truck sometimes tending to feel a bit floaty. As such, body control is not the Lightning Flash's forte, but in a truck, I'll take comfort over handling prowess any day.
While other electric trucks on the market prioritize style (Tesla Cybertruck) or lifestyle attributes (Rivian R1T) over everyday functionality, the F-150 Lightning Flash is clearly focused on doing truck stuff first and foremost.
The Lightning Flash can tow up to 10,000 pounds when configured with the Max Trailering package, as the test vehicle was. That's a significant boost over the Pro's 7,700-pound maximum.
The standard bed measures 67.1 inches long and 50.6 inches wide, providing all the cargo volume anyone could reasonably want. Still, if you have some special goods that you want to keep a little more protected from the elements, there's the 14.1-cubic-foot frunk. That generous space under the hood is easy to fill. It even features dedicated power outlets for charging tools on the go.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Ford F-150 Lightning burst onto the scene in 2022 with promises of all-electric truck supremacy for a starting price of $40,000. Since then, the truck's pricing and option tiers have changed more often than the phases of the moon. Through all that, the price has gone up and up. It's been a tumultuous road, but the Flash is a great starting point for those unsure where to dive in.
While $67,995 is pricier than the $54,995 current starting price for a Pro, the Flash’s extra tech, comfort, and range feel worthwhile. That puts it within striking distance of the Rivian R1T—a great-looking truck that fits right into the adventure lifestyle but isn't quite well suited for hauling, towing, or daily runs to the job site.
At the very least, it’s significantly cheaper than the Tesla Cybertruck, but comparing that flying wedge to Ford's more traditional option is tricky. In actuality, the Chevrolet Silverado EV most closely shadows Ford's offering, with similar pricing, features, and capabilities. The choice there may come down to brand loyalties.
But regardless of which way you go, it's great to have choices, and compelling ones at that. For a segment that didn't exist just a few years ago, today's all-electric trucks are increasingly hard to resist.
Tim Stevens is a veteran automotive and technology journalist with over 25 years of experience covering everything from smartphones to supercars. In addition to JDPower.com, his expert perspectives have appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including print, online, and broadcast television.
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