By Otsile Kadiege

Ford Performance collaborated with RTR Vehicles to develop a high performance on- and off-road demonstrator vehicle based on America’s best-selling electric truck – the F-150 Lightning. Dubbed the F-150 Lightning Switchgear, the menacing concept EV truck is the latest vehicle in Ford’s Performance Demonstrator program. It joins the SuperVan 4.0 and 4.2, the Mustang Mach-E 1400, Mustang CobraJet 1400 and the F-100 Eluminator. These models showcase the possibilities of what an electric vehicle can be and provides a playground for engineers to advance learnings quickly for future electric vehicles.

F-150 Lightning Switchgear design

Inspired by the F-150 RTR Ultimate Fun-Haver project vehicle from 2016, the Switchgear’s custom exterior carbon bodywork sports Ford Performance 2024 livery, it’s fitted with carbon composite front fenders, bed sides and rear bumper cover, steel fabricated rock rails and front skid plate. Limit straps are added to help manage suspension and wheel travel. The electric truck is shod with NITTO Ridge Grappler 37×12.5R18 tyres and features a unique chase rack with two spare wheels/tyres.

F-150 Lightning Switchgear performance

There are no official performance figures for the F-150 Lightning Switchgear, but we do know the bits and bobs added to make it an on- and off-road machine. It boasts a significant increase in track width beyond F-150 Lightning for off-road stability, and improved ground clearance and suspension travel.

It’s also fitted with FOX 3-inch diameter internal bypass shock absorbers, unique front and rear bumpers to improve approach and departure angles, custom independent double-wishbone suspension at the front, and multilink independent suspension at the rear, coil-over shocks, a stabilizer bar and custom control arms.