With off-road trims on new trucks and SUVs all the rage these days, I’m surprised it took this long for Ford to give the F-150 Lightning the soft-roader treatment. That time has finally come. The company has just introduced a new trim called the STX, an entry-level model with more range, more power, and a few useful pieces of adventuring equipment for the select few buyers who actually take their EV trucks off the pavement.
Even better, the STX won’t be insanely expensive, at least compared to other Lightning trims. It’ll replace the XLT, the second-cheapest model, just ahead of the bare-bones Lighting Pro work truck. Ford says this truck was designed to quell buyers who were demanding more features and a longer range in the cheaper Lightning trims. The brand discovered that previously, owners had to turn to aftermarket solutions to build something like this. Now, they’ll be able to pick it up straight from the dealership. Marketing research at its finest.
There’s a bigger 123-kWh pack stuffed between the frame rails borrowed from the Lightning Flash, enough for 290 miles of EPA-estimated driving range, according to the brand. In this case, a larger battery means more power from the dual electric motors—536 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque, specifically. Not that the outgoing XLT’s 452 horses were lacking, or anything. But bigger number is always better.
Onto the upgrades that make the STX a worthy trail hunter. Tires are the most important part of any off-roader, and here you’ll find a worthy set of Goodyear Wrangler all-terrains—a first for any Lightning trim. There’s also a set of running boards from the F-150 Tremor, to protect the body against rock smacks when you’re traversing particularly bumpy sections of trail. Finally, Ford includes an electronic locking differential for the rear motor to improve traction in tricky conditions. All useful stuff.
Changes to the outside are minimal, but easy to spot if you know what to look for. There’s now a blue horizontal stripe going through the front of the grille, while the STX gets a set of bed graphics telling everyone around it that you bought the second-cheapest model.
Inside, you’ll find a set of embroidered cloth seats (the best kind of seats) and a heated steering wheel as standard—something the XLT didn’t have. Weirdly, vinyl floor mats are optional (for this being an off-road-themed trim, I think they should be standard).
Despite the bigger battery and extra equipment, Ford has found a way to keep the STX priced identically to the outgoing XLT—no small feat, given the current tariff situation and all. At $65,540 (including destination), the company expects it to be the best-selling trim in the Lightning lineup.
For comparison, the Lightning’s closest competitor, the Chevy Silverado EV LT Extended Range, can go 408 miles on a charge, but it costs about 10 grand more (there is no standard range version available right now). The cheapest Rivian R1T, meanwhile, costs $71,700, but gets only 258 miles of range. So as a value proposition, the Ford feels like a solid buy, even if you never take it off-road.
And, if this is any thing like their gas trims, not even available for the XLT.
This is extremely confusing naming though. In the gas trucks STX slots in below the XLT. Adding features and pricing it the same as the XLT just makes their already-inscrutable option packages that much more mystifying.
It better be built properly with QC controls. I am not excusing other manufacturers from this(look at the L87 grenades, everyone is all over it so I won’t discuss it), but FORD better make it right.
Looks good! I’ve been looking into F150’s lately, and the STX is a decent package on the gasser too. With the heated steering wheel though, this one is a little less bare bones.
I don’t need, nor want 500 horsepower. What I do need/want is more range. I know it’s not a 1:1 proposition, but how about half the horsepower and double the range? Or at least 50% more?
The motor efficiency really has nothing to do with how much power it makes. Unlike ICE cars, you can’t trade size and HP for more milage. Case in point: Lucid.
I keep waiting for a firesale on these before the rebates expire at the end of the month. I am losing hope.
I think they’re doing zero percent financing on them. I was talking about considering a F150 the other day, and my buddy sent me a link to that. It was only on the Lightning though, which won’t work for me since I have no place to plug it in.
I am looking for a lease. Honda Prologue is probably going to be the choice if the test drive is decent.
Bench. Seat. There is a legit market for an ev pickup with a bench seat and there is no reason for it to not be the lightning considering the interior interchangeability with the standard f150.
So I say again. Bench. Seat.
Agree. I was looking at one and my wife’s only requirement was seating for 6. No Bench seat on any EV pickup. I guess I am waiting for the Scout.
I’m getting ready to get rid of my y but need 6 seats. So no ev pickups as an option. I’d wait for the scout but I think it’s going to be prohibitively expensive
Still no NACS? :'(
Ford is including a Tesla adapter with their mobile chargers, so it’s not that big of a deal.
It would be nice, but having done several ~1000+ mile road trips using primarily Superchargers in a CCS-port Lightning, it’s really no big deal to use the adapter.
Man, I was gung ho about your hiring until I saw this.
Ouch. A bit of vitriol in this comment (the best kind of comment).
That last was sarcasm, in case anyone was wondering.
I do foresee quite a bit of parenthetical “the best kind of X” in our near future., though.
Right, everyone know alcantara is best for seats.
Nooooooooooo!!!!!!! 🙂