Production of the Ford Edge ended at the Oakville Assembly plant in Canada nearly one year ago, after well over two million units were built between 2007 and 2024, and there were less than 1,000 new examples of the crossover left on dealer lots at the conclusion of March. Regardless, there are and will continue to be a lot of Ford Edge crossovers populating our roads for years to come, and there are plenty of gently-used examples out there selling for cheap, too. Turns out, those that have one also stand a pretty good chance of dealing with a lightning strike, too.
In this recent post on Facebook, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office posted some photos and info pertaining to a Ford Edge that was struck by lightning recently, which is a terrifying and rare occurrence by any measure. “On April 5th, 2025, at 1742 hours, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the report of a vehicle struck by lightning,” the department wrote. “Deputies responded to the eastbound lane of Illinois Route 13 near Illinois Route 166 to discover three family members outside of a vehicle which had sustained a direct lightning strike.”
“The three family members were uninjured and reported hearing a loud gunshot type noise while traveling. The vehicle immediately filled with smoke after being struck. The lightning strike disabled the vehicles electrical system, exploded the rear bumper and exhaust system which was scattered in the roadway, and left a visible hole in the roof of the vehicle. Williamson County Fire assisted on scene. The vehicle was towed from the scene and no injuries were reported.”
Ultimately, this is a pretty amazing outcome considering how bad things could have gone. We’ve seen lightning do serious damage to all kinds of structures and vehicles over the years, and we imagine that this particular family is thrilled that their Ford Edge held up so well to a direct strike – at least, once the sheer terror of that incident had passed.
H/T: The Drive
Comments
And they walked away…………Miracle!
cars are the safest place to be in a thunderstorm
Ford should replace it with one of the remaining 1000 new units
I was always under the impression that cars were immune to lightning strikes due to their rubber insulation from the ground. I guess I was wrong.
Lightning is easily able to flash across car tires with millions of volts. The safety of a car body is due to the current traveling around and over the metal body, creating a Faraday cage effect. It would rather go through metal than air, and the field inside the car is near zero. It did melt a hole in the roof, because of the huge current in one spot. From there it spread out and melted the plastic bumper.
You’re a lot safer inside than standing outside, where the lightning can travel through you.