Ford Is Reviving the 'Lightning' Name for an All-Electric F-150

Back when Ford Performance was called the Special Vehicle Team (SVT), and long before anyone had the idea of selling a dune-bashing pickup to the masses, there was the F-150 Lightning. Offered first from 1993 to 1995 and again from 1999 to 2004 (the generation shown above), the F-150 Lightning was Ford's hot-rod truck, built for straight-line speed and surprisingly good handling. Ford has confirmed that the Lightning name is poised to make a comeback, applied to an all-electric pickup truck.

Citing internal Ford documents, Car and Driver first reported on April 30 that the upcoming, all-electric version of the best-selling pickup truck will be named the F-150 Lightning. Ford first announced its intent to build an F-150 EV a few years ago, and more recently said the electric pickup will be the fastest, most powerful F-150 yet.

Reviving heritage names is a familiar tactic at Ford. The Mustang Mach 1 nameplate is returning for 2021, and of course, Ford riffed on that name for the all-electric Mustang Mach-E. And let's not forget the Bronco and Bronco Sport. So it's not surprising to see the Lightning name making a comeback. And with the electric pickup poised to be the fastest F-150 yet, it can wear that badge with pride.