As Ford Authority reported earlier this week, the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning is receiving a few minor changes for the EV pickup’s second model year, though also some significant price increases across the board, too. But those aren’t the only updates Ford has in store for the 2023 F-150 Lightning, as sources familiar with the matter have told Ford Authority that the pickup is also dropping a pretty old fashioned feature – its AM radio, which was standard on the 2022 F-150 Lighting.
AM radio has long been a popular medium for news, sports, weather, and talk shows, though many all-electric vehicles simply don’t offer that feature at all, with automakers blaming its absence on interference from those vehicles’ drivetrains. However, automakers like Ford have included AM radio in EVs to this point with no known issues, though the sheer number of those tuning in to AM radio stations has fallen a bit in recent years.
Aside from losing its AM radio function, the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning is gaining a police-focused SSV variant and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, which automatically controls steering, throttle, and brake inputs to make hitching trailers easier, while models equipped with the standard range battery are getting a range boost from 230 to 240 miles. However, the EV pickup won’t be launching with Ford’s new Android-based infotainment system, as Ford Authority reported yesterday.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning will be anywhere from $6,000-$8,500 more expensive than the 2022 model, though the Ford F-150 Lightning Customer Satisfaction Private Offer has been launched to protect 2022 reservation and order holders against those price increases when they convert their order, which will happen in waves, as Ford Authority reported earlier this week – with the first wave of conversions beginning today. Order banks are also opening up today, while production of the 2023 F-150 Lightning is scheduled to begin on October 10th, 2022.
We’ll have more on the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning soon, so subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-150 news, F-150 Lightning news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
As far as listening to commercial radio, AM is the only band I listen to. Conservative talk and news is what interests me. There’s nothing on the FM band that interests me. I get my music from the internet sources. I’m not pleased that AM radio is slowly being phased out in vehicles but I would imagine that the popular news and talk programs with migrate to the respective markets sister FM stations or internet broadcast platforms. I’m not a sports fan but a local AM station that has carried the NFL broadcasts forever is no longer doing so as of this year. They are moving to an FM station. Many people are going to be upset but it’s just a matter of changing the channel.
I agree 100%. I haven’t used FM in years.
AM radio is still used in many places to convey traffic/visitor information. As these are usually government run broadcasts, they’re apt to be slow to migrate to FM, and quite often I’ve found there’s marginal (if any) cellular reception in these areas too. This is a real loss for consumers.
I use AM for traffic info, alerts, and football games. I’d think those items are important to pickup drivers. As mentioned, AM is also the home of (mostly conservative) talk radio. If the liberals can’t shut down the radio broadcasts, maybe they just want to make it impossible for you to hear them. I wouldn’t put it past them.
There’s likely going to be a short to near term market for AM to FM converters. Some of us remember FM to AM converters back in the 1970’s and 1980’s when many vehicles didn’t have FM radio. Now just the opposite. But it will take awhile before the last AM station signs off for the last time.
AM radio will never disappear because of its lower broadcasting frequency it has more reach than FM radio. It may be over 100 years old but it is the most common form of audio broadcast in the world. Even a Boy Scout can build an AM receiver. And Marconi did not invent the audio radio, just the radio telegraph. It was Nikola Tesla who invented the tuned amplitude modulated audio radio.
They just raised the price of these vehicles 15%. You actually expect them to add features?
More gouging. Raise prices, decontent. And do over. AM radio is the ONLY radio frequency that carries our local NFL football team coverage (short of SXM, which is also overpriced). For pickup owners, many of whom are obsessed with football, ideas can’t get much lousier.
I emailed the programming director of a longtime AM radio station and it’s sister FM outlets about this. He’s been in the radio business for decades and I have traded emails with him for about 20 years so this is a credible perspective: I omitted his name as well as the station and market.
“I can say it in two sentences. Audio in automobiles is rapidly moving toward distribution via broadband or cellular, on a digital platform. Once that transition takes place, “AM & FM” broadcast bands will basically be irrelevant.”
Yes many people are not going to like this but this transition will take a long time depending on the markets. Remember, this is the 21st century and digital is here to stay. More and more people are using mobile devices and they require radio frequency and digital makes more efficient use of the radio spectrum.
As it stands right now, over 20% of XXXX overall listening happens on a digital (as opposed to broadcast) platform.”
I am paying just $5 a month for SXM… It came “free” for three months and when I went to cancel, they offered it to me for 6 months at $5 a month… It runs out in January. I will see if they will offer the same deal…
Bad move on Fords part. I listen to sports and in addition to talk shows there are many hockey broadcasts in Canada that are only available on AM not FM. Yes there are other ways to get the game via internet or satellite radio but why would Ford force this issue if it’s not having any issues with getting AM radio. Makes no sense. Also the article on CPO vehicles says 2 things. Inventory is an issue and new prices are becoming unaffordable for the average person. All we’ve heard is how pricing on EV’s will come down with more volume. Well I have yet to see a decrease in EV pricing. In fact they are going the other way.
Well FORD’s ideas are strange but I guess one way around it is to take a portable AM/FM radio and plug it into the AUX jack or a portable FM transmitter in the meantime.
or buy a different brand
My pleasure drives mean listening to Cubs or Sox games which are no longer on TV unless one wants to pay through the nose. Also, WGN, WBBM, WLS, so bad move to cheap out on the radio.
Does this mean they’re ditching the wire antenna? Isn’t that the only reason for the wire antenna?
I would never own a vehicle that dose not have a AM radio in it. They better find out how to fix any problem they have with interference.
Ford claims they have no problem they have with interference.
You can listen to AM stations on the TuneIn app.
As a Mach-E owner, there is no problem with drivetrain noise. With a weaker AM signal, there is a barely perceptible bit of noise present from 0-5 mph, but it doesn’t impact readability of signal at all. Above that speed, there’s no EMI perceived.
AM is going away because the antennas needed to support that frequency band cannot be made extremely small and still perform well. It’s not just a cost reduction decision, it’s a design decision. Above all, citing EMI is a scapegoat.
While not a complete remedy, we are fortunate that many AM stations are being simulcast on digital FM sub channels.
Not an issue for me. For those it does affect, fortunately there are plenty of trucks on the market that still support AM.