As the concept of "work from home" expands everywhere, the latest workplace is the driver's seat of your truck, because the recently announced electric Ford F-150 Lightning truck has a hidden workspace.
The first electric truck from Ford made its California debut on Thursday at Ford's Silicon Valley offices. It won't start production in Michigan until next year, but reservations are already open with over 120,000 pre-ordered. The base version starts at $39,974.
The truck is recognizably a Ford F-150, but electric. It features most of the same design as the latest 2021 version of the gas-powered truck, including a work station that folds out of the front console.
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While exploring all the nooks, crannies, compartments, and massive frunk (that's the portmanteau for "front trunk") where an internal combustion engine used to sit in non-electric F-150s, it was fun to discover the secret feature in the front seats. Once parked, pushing a button on the base of the gear shifter moved the lever down so it lay flat.
Then the center console opened up turning into a flat surface. It then became a spot for writing (instead of attempting to use the steering wheel) and a space to place your laptop. The spacious, two-row truck cabin becomes an impromptu office space.
When it's time to drive, pull back the compartment and push the button to return the gear shifter to an upright (and driveable) position.
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In front, near the makeshift work station, there are also outlets for plugging in a computer or other electric equipment. A front slot has wireless charging for cellphones, and there are USB ports, too.
Darren Palmer, head of electrification for Ford, spoke about turning the e-truck into an air conditioned office when it's not going 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds.
"[The Lightning] is our definition of the truck of the future," he said at the Palo Alto event.
The truck runs entirely on a battery, and has up to 300 miles of range. Ford has been claiming since the May unveiling that the Lightning has enough battery to power a house full of appliances for up to three days during a blackout or outage.
On the same day the truck was on view for the first time in EV-friendly California, President Biden announced an executive order setting a target for US sales of zero-emissions cars at 50 percent by 2030. That includes electric trucks like the Lightning and other fuel cell and plug-in hybrid models.
