The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning represents the second year of production for The Blue Oval’s fully electric variant of its popular F-Series pickup. While the model year changeover brought with it significant price increases, the automaker also added the Lightning Pro SSV to the lineup for law enforcement duties. Otherwise, no other variant has been incorporated into the lineup, and based on an answer to a Reddit Q&A given by the vehicle engineering manager for the pickup, it seems an FX4 Off-Road Package is not in the cards.
As Ford Authority previously reported, every Ford F-150 Lightning comes equipped with front and rear skid plates. Combined with those parts and with standard four-wheel drive, it seems Dapo Adewusi, vehicle engineering manager for the Lightning, thinks an FX4 Off-Road Package is not necessary. “All series of Lightning are always 4×4, have metal skid plates and are capable off road. So right now we don’t see a need for a specific FX4 model for Lightning,” said Adewusi. As it relates to the traditional F-150 lineup, the FX4 Off-Road Package adds the following big ticket items:
- Electronic locking rear-axle/differential
- Skid plates for the fuel tank, transfer case, and front differential
- Off-road tuned front shock absorbers
- Monotube rear shocks
- Rock Crawl Mode
- Hill Descent Control
With the Ford F-150 Lightning coming standard with the equivalent of locking differentials, combined with the aforementioned equipment, it’s not hard to understand why Adewusi and his team feel that an FX4 Off-Road Package would add little to the Lightning lineup. That said, there’s always the possibility of something akin to a Tremor being added down the line, as Lightning owners have already started outfitting their pickups with bigger tires and lift kits, as many of the parts offered by the aftermarket would likely fit the Lightning too.
For now, The Blue Oval seems primarily interested in scaling up production to fulfill the backlog of orders while preparing to offer a lithium iron phosphate battery starting in 2023. At some point, the pickup will also offer a Google infotainment setup too, although that has seemingly been delayed.
We’ll have more on the F-150 Lightning soon, so subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-150 Lightning news and for continuous Ford news coverage.
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