Ford says its F150 Lightning’s frunk is a key selling point

When this car maker tinkered with one of the most sought-after vehicles in history, everyone held their breath. But it has proved a huge hit with buyers.

Ford’s F150 Lightning has been a big hit in the US. Picture: Supplied.

In an ironic twist, buyers have been drawn to Ford’s new electric pick-up truck by what’s under the bonnet.

It’s called a frunk in the United States – as in front trunk – and it’s proving a winner for Ford’s F150 Lightning, which has a waitlist of more than 200,000 buyers.

The frunk goes where the engine once was, and it’s big enough to take a couple of golf bags or a full load of groceries. It can also be turned into a mega-Esky, a popular option for Americans, who love their tailgate parties.

Ford’s F150 Lightning makes the most of the space left by the absent engine. Picture: Supplied.

The chief engineer of the F150 Lightning, Linda Zhang, said that roughly half the people who ordered an F150 Lightning were new to the truck market and many were drawn by the frunk, which provided a dry and lockable storage area.

“We’d talked to a lot of customers previously that didn’t choose the truck and tried to understand why and dry lockable storage was pretty much the main reason, so this really fixes a lot of that,” she said.

It also appealed to existing truck owners.

“The truck customer, one of their traditional pain points is they have a cabin, which they like. They also have a box because they elected for a box instead of a trunk. But they don’t have that dry lockable storage when they have all of their passengers.

The Lightning has attracted new buyers to the brand. Picture: Supplied.

“So this space became really, really exciting for that customer set because of the fact that it’s just something that they don’t have today,” she said.

The Lightning has also attracted people from other brands.

Zhang said two out of three F150 customers were new to Ford and three out of four are new to electric vehicles.

“We’re pulling in definitely a much newer customer set and that’s kind of exciting because it’s an opportunity for growth,” she said.

The Lightning – along with the electric Mustang SUV and Transit van – is expected to form the backbone of Ford’s ambitious plans to grow EV sales.

The Lightning will be the backbone of Ford’s electrification strategy. Picture: Supplied.

The brand sold 60,000 EVs last year but is aiming at 600,000 by the end of next year, growing to 2 million by the end of 2026. A new plant in Detroit is ramping up to build 150,000 Lightnings a year.

The company is aiming for a 50-50 split of EVs and petrol/diesel vehicles by 2030.

Zhang said another big selling point for the F150 Lightning was its ability to work as a mobile generator, recharging power tools and camping accessories on the fly.

One employee had managed to power his entire house for three days during a blackout.

The Lightning has ten domestic power points, including four in the frunk, as well as 10 USB ports and two 12-volt plugs.

Tradies love the charging options. Picture: Supplied.

Zhang admitted there was still resistance from buyers who liked to tow and travel long distances, although the F-Series can travel between 385 and 510km on a single charge.

“People generally need to stop, take a break anyway, right around the 300-ish mile range because that’s a four-hour trip,” she said.

She acknowledged that range dropped when towing but said it was “still very manageable”.

“We’ve seen customers tow long distances with this truck … and that hasn’t really been a major issue,” she said.

The Lightning’s range drops significantly when towing. Picture: Supplied.

For those who towed long distances frequently, there were still options in the Ford line-up.

“You know, we have a whole portfolio of vehicles, right. And that’s the nice thing is we’re not forcing anyone to go electric. It’s just another great option for our customers.

“In many cases, it’s a really nice option, especially from a ‘fun to drive’ and from a functionality perspective that gas trucks can’t offer you,” she said.