2025 Ford Ranger Lightning Electric Pickup: Everything We Know
WHAT IT IS: A sibling to the Ford F-150 Lightning full-size electric pickup truck, expanding the Ford F-Series family with a new electric Ranger pickup.
WHY IT MATTERS: Demand for the Ford F-150 Lightning has exceeded the automaker's wildest dreams, with demand far outstripping supply. Not surprisingly, Ford CEO Jim Farley said there is another electric truck planned. When you strike gold, it makes sense to mine a similar vein. High-volume vehicles are key to Ford's aspirations to become the leader in EVs and scale will also help to reduce cost.
PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: Farley and his team are not sharing details of the EV addition to the F-Series family, but Farley ruled out an electric F-250, F-350, or F-450 for now, and has also said it the truck is different from the next-gen Lightning. Which means Ford is most likely going smaller.
Recent trademark filings for Maverick Lightning and Ranger Lightning may reveal Ford's hand. A Ford Ranger Lightning is the most logical next move, and would give the company a fresh EV in a segment that continues to gain popularity. Ford has said the new, next-gen, electric pickup will be made at the new Blue Oval City plant in Stanton, Tennessee, which will also make next-gen Lightnings, starting in 2025.
We can't rule out a performance F-150: an electric Raptor, on the new, dedicated EV platform for the next-generation Lightning, which would mean more than the 580 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque already available on the current Lightning. But that will probably come down the road, after the smaller trucks.
As the trademark filing and previous speculation indicate, at some point there will also be an electric version of the Ford Maverick, the car-based small lifestyle pickup that is currently available with a hybrid powertrain. But we think this is further out, given its role as an affordable, entry-level vehicle for the brand that no longer has entry-level cars. The Maverick has the least in common with the body-on-frame full-size F-Series family; the car-based truck uses the same platform as the Ford Escape. While Ford is protecting the trademark now, that's not necessarily an indication that it's imminent.
ESTIMATED PRICE: $35,000
EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: 2025
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Over the decades, Jeep has sold its venerable Wrangler in umpteen different badged combinations of thrift, style, capability, and opulence, so nobody begrudges Ford for playing catch-up and releasing a new Bronco variant seemingly every month. One meaningful difference here is that Ford seems to be releasing new variants in part to distract or appease hand-raisers and deposit-placers whose Broncos have yet to be built. To wit: The 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is being made available exclusively to existing reservation holders. "Wow, lucky us, Marge, we don't yet know when our Black Diamond Sasquatch will get built, but for just $4,765 more, we can convert our Bronco order to this new Everglades model and drive through water that's 2.9 inches deeper!"What Is the Everglades and What Makes It Everglades-Ready?Yet another unique collection of Ford options and accessories aimed at creating "an SUV born to breathe when the air gets thick and designed to press on when the trail turns others around" Presumably it is water features that Ford reckons this Bronco will trudge through while other SUVs chicken out. As the name suggests, the Everglades model is optimized for deeper water running. This kid brother of the Raptor could therefore be nicknamed Swampter.The functional foundation of the 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is a four-door Black Diamond model outfitted with the Mid Package trim content, the off-road Sasquatch Package, a molded-in-color hardtop with roof rack and crossbars, and with the turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 with a ten-speed automatic. To this ($49,730) foundational Bronco, Ford adds the following to transform it into an Everglades:A heavy-duty modular Ford Performance bumper outfitted with a Zeon 10-S Warn winch and protective safari barRaised air-vent plumbing for the front and rear axles, transfer case, and transmission to increase the safe wading depth from 33.5 to 36.4 inchesAn air snorkel to help exclude dust, snow, and water from the engine intakeAbout That Air Snorkel…Ford's first factory-installed engine intake snorkel snakes its way out of the engine compartment, over the side-view mirror mounts and up the passenger-side A-pillar to inhale clean air when traveling in convoy on a dusty road. Its party trick is an open vent piece and blanking plate that can mount interchangeably to the front or rear of the unit by removing three Bronco wordmark bolts on each. So when it's raining or snowing hard, the engine can inhale from the back side, otherwise air can rush in from the front. Note that, as with other such devices, this is not an underwater breathing apparatus for the engine, which is why the fording depth is listed as 36.4 inches—not 70, roughly the height of the snorkel's opening.10,000 Pounds of Winching CapabilityLike the Ford Performance winch ($3,500 via the Ford Performance catalog), the Everglades' factory-installed winch comes with a 100-foot synthetic line. Its mounting system was designed in from the inception of the Bronco program, the mount exceeds the manufacturer's strength requirements, and it has even been crash tested.The winch features a large-diameter aluminum drum to reduce strain on the rope, its internal mechanism is waterproofed, and it features a three-stage planetary geartrain that can reel in the line at 33 feet per minute when there's no load (27 percent faster than on other Warn winches).How to Spot the Bronco EvergladesThere will be no mistaking the Bronco Everglades, even from vantage points that obscure the winch and snorkel. Just look for any of these features:Unique front and rear fenders with squared off wheel openings reminiscent of the original Bronco's and flares that match those of the Sasquatch package for width (easily accomplished with the Bronco's bolt-on front and rear fenders)17-inch painted alloy wheels unique to the Everglades modelA carbonized gray grille with gloss-black Bronco letteringDesert Sand paint color exclusive to Everglades (the other four available colors are Eruption Green, Area 51, Shadow Black and Cactus Gray)Everglades topographical map graphics on the front fenders (complete with an image of Sasquatch wading through thigh-deep water!)Swamp-Ready Interior UpgradesEnsuring easy cleanup after a satisfying swamp run are marine-grade vinyl seats in two-tone light and dark gray, plus rubberized washout floor covers. The interior door grab handles and air register vents are accented in Urban Green, and the 12-inch Sync 4 infotainment screen is prepped for off-road trail maps.Price and Availability of the 2022 Ford Bronco EvergladesThe Bronco Everglades starts at $54,495. That's just $1,515 more than a Badlands 2.3-liter automatic model with the same Sasquatch/Mid-Pack/hardtop/roof-rails combo, which seems a pretty fair deal for the winch and snorkel, given that Ford Performance charges $3,500 for the winch, which is otherwise incompatible with the Black Diamond model. Reservation holders will be able to convert to Everglades models beginning in March for deliveries…later. Perhaps after another compelling model or two come out enticing reservation holders to switch their orders again. 2022 Bronco Everglades Specifications BASE PRICE $54,495 LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 50-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.3L/300-hp/325-lb-ft turbo direct-injected, port-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION 10-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,200 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 116.4 in L x W x H 198.9 x 79.4 x 75.3 in 0-60 MPH 7.5 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON (CITY/HWY/COMB) 18/17/18 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 374 miles ON SALE March, 2022 Show All
It's finally happening: The iconic Meyers Manx is being reborn for a third time, now as a pure electric vehicle. No, it's not the ID Buggy concept Volkswagen cruelly teased us with a few years ago before crushing our dreams, it's an all-new model from the original outfit. Meet the Meyers Manx 2.0 Electric.Real DealLest you think this is another one of those startups that has nothing to do with the original, the EV dune buggy is being produced in California by the Meyers Manx company in partnership with "a U.S.-based manufacturing entity." Manx fans will know that founder Bruce Meyers died in February 2021 at age 94, and a year prior had sold his eponymous company to Trousdale Ventures to ensure its continuation after his passing. Trousdale founder and Meyers Manx chairman Phillip Sarofim hired legendary car designer Freeman Thomas, who penned the Volkswagen New Beetle among other notable projects, to create this next-generation Manx EV.Thomas' work is refreshingly true to the original while incorporating modern components and working around a wildly different drivetrain. Even so, it likely has more in common with the original Manx than the later models you know. The first Manx featured a custom fiberglass monocoque body with embedded steel mounting points and reinforcements. Too expensive to mass produce, Meyers switched to using a shortened Volkswagen Beetle platform with a fiberglass body after 12 unprofitable cars were built.Small Battery, Lightweight, And Plenty Of RangeThis new model utilizes an aluminum monocoque covered with a body made of an unspecified material. Indeed, a number of technical details are unclear or unannounced at this time. Regardless, hidden somewhere under the retro body work is a choice of two battery packs, one 20 kWh and one 40 kWh. Those are small by EV standards, but unlike a Tesla, the Manx 2.0 Electric only weighs an estimated 1,500 to 1,650 pounds depending on battery size.Thanks to its low weight, Meyers Manx estimates the buggy will go 150 miles with the small battery and 300 miles with the big battery. A Level 2 (6 kW) onboard charger is standard and DC Fast charging capability is optional, though only at 60 kW. Here again, the stats are unimpressive for a road-going EV, but the Manx 2.0 Electric's batteries are so small they shouldn't take too long to charge even at those speeds. We can't say for sure, though, because the company has not shared charging times.Regardless of battery size, power will be sent to a pair of electric motors mounted on the rear axle, one driving each rear wheel for precise traction control and torque vectoring. Meyers Manx doesn't have specs on the motors paired with the smaller 40 kWh battery but says that model buggy will hit 60 mph in an estimated 4.5 seconds. Go for the big battery and the motors will put out 202 horsepower and "up to" 240 pound-feet of torque. The company didn't provide a zero-to-60 estimate for that model but it'll certainly be quicker.Ready To Go Off-RoadLike the original, the Manx 2.0 Electric will feature independent front and rear suspension, but we don't have any details on the design used. Photos indicate a trailing arm front suspension like the original air-cooled Beetles and the original Manx. The rear, however, appears to be a modern multi-link design rather than old swing arm setup. Both look to have plenty of travel as an off-roader should, but the company hasn't provided those specs or official ground clearance.Unlike the old Beetle-based kit car, this new one features disc brakes all around instead of drums and also adds regenerative braking on the rear axle, not to mention an electric parking brake. Up front, the Manx 2.0 Electric gets electric power steering and even windshield wipers.In all the most important ways, though, it's true to the original. It's rear-wheel drive, has knobby off-road tires, seats two, and the roof comes off. Inside, the seats appear to be wrapped in a vintage tweed pattern and the minimalist dashboard features a single retro-modern round gauge. The roof appears to be one piece that lifts off the car and gets left in the garage. Like the old days, there are no doors. We hope there's more lockable storage in the front and rear now that there's no engine or gas tank in those spots.No Price Yet, But You Can Be An Early AdopterThe biggest unanswered question we have is what the price tag will be for this adult-sized beach toy. Meyers Manx says they haven't set one yet, but if you don't care and want to get your name on the list now, reservations will open on the company's website after the car's public debut at The Quail show on Friday, August 19, during Monterey Car Week. Deliveries will begin in 2024.If you want to be a real early adopter, though, 50 buyers will be selected to participate in a beta program in 2023. In return for special access, you have to agree to provide feedback to the company while they work out the final kinks before full production begins.
ram 2500 Full OverviewThere's trail running, and then there's overlanding. The former portends day trips or weekend jaunts; possibly longer trips with primitive tent camping. The latter conjures extended off-grid adventuring where you may need to be self-sufficient for days weat a time while exploring the wilderness on logging trails, forest-service roads, and the like. American Expedition Vehicles seeks to cover the trail-runners with its Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator and Chevy Colorado offerings while offering overlanders the Ram Heavy Duty pickup-based Prospector and Prospector XL.What Is AEV?Founder Dave Harriton got his start stretching his dad's old TJ Wrangler in Montana, did a few more for some friends, then started American Expedition Vehicles. When the company's builds earned design kudos from Chrysler, it found Detroit-area partners to help step up its engineering game. Before long it was cranking out hits like the Jeep Hemi V-8 conversions that predated the Wrangler 392, as well as the Brute and Brute Double Cab Wrangler pickups that presaged the Gladiator. The AEV-designed, GM-manufactured Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison Edition is a factory-orderable $5,750 option package that transforms the desert-runner ZR2 into more of a technical rock crawler. In addition to supplying parts for these GM builds, AEV upfits roughly 800 vehicles per year in its Wixom, Michigan, facility, evenly split between Jeeps (Wrangler and Gladiator) and Ram Heavy Duty pickups (2500 and 3500).What Is the AEV Prospector XL?AEV offers two packages applicable to either the Ram 2500 or 3500: Prospector and Prospector XL. Both get toughened AEV bumpers, a 3.0-inch suspension lift, AEV wheels, plus interior and exterior badging and graphics. Tires are the main difference between the two packages. Base Prospectors get 37-inch tires that fit under stock fenders with Mopar flares. XLs get 40-inch tires that require the fender and rear quarter openings to be expanded by about 3.0 inches (XL is 40 in roman numerals). Choose the XL if you're looking for the ultimate rock-climber/mud-bogger; go for the entry Prospector on a 3500 for max payload capacity when fitting heavy overlanding gear like an in-bed camper. That's because AEV de-rates the rear gross-axle-weight rating from 7,000 to 6,390 pounds for the 40-inch tires, but not for the 37s (our 2500's factory RGAWR of 6,000 is unchanged with either tire). XL versions comprise the majority of AEV's Ram business, with roughly a 60/40 split between 2500/3500. They're almost all Cummins diesel-powered except for Power Wagon upfits (some folks just gotta have those diff lockers). The base Prospector package costs $15,987; the Prospector XL costs $20,999.Chassis ModificationsAt the heart of this upfit is AEV's 3.0-inch DualSport suspension, with the "dual" referring to its goal of improving technical off-road prowess with no penalty to the original ride and handling. AEV accomplishes this trick by maintaining the stock springs and the original suspension geometry. To do this, it relocates the various mounting points for the suspension hardware. The front axle, for example, is articulated down and forward, increasing the wheelbase by 1.6 inches. This saves AEV having to custom make longer versions of the 40-some different Ram springs tailored to every different weight class. AEV also fits a hydraulic-assist steering upgrade to help swivel the giant tires. Our XL was upgraded further with optional AEV/Bilstein 8100 external-reservoir shocks ($2,140) designed to keep their cool and resist the fade that comes from boiling the shock fluid in prolonged hard running in a hot desert. And it all rides on a set of AEV 10- x 17-inch black Katla 10 wheels wrapped in 40 x 13 50R17 Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires.Overlanding GearPerhaps the most vital piece of overlanding kit for self-preservation is a sturdy winch. AEV front bumpers are all designed to accept one, but they cost extra. Our AEV Prospector XL featured a Warn 16.5ti with synthetic rope that rang in at $2,711. Nighttime adventuring requires lighting, so we also had $2,801 worth of auxiliary LED lamps that mount to the $1,700 bumper brush guard, plus a set of rear-bumper LED lights ($594). The bed is fitted with a matching spare wheel and tire on a vertical mount ($1,736) that obscures most of the rear-window visibility and blocks the location where a rearview camera would go. We'd opt for the lay-flat spare option (there's no slinging any spare tire larger than stock underneath). A bed rack with crossbars provides a mounting point for a rooftop tent, axes, Jerry cans, etc. And finally, to fortify the underbody we added hardened differential covers front and rear ($381.50 and $409.50) and a breathable intercooler skidplate ($531.50). This all brings the estimated curb weight to within 1,000 pounds of the truck's gross rating, so some judicious expedition packing is called for (or an upgrade to the 3500). Along with some cosmetic upgrades, total AEV optional equipment came to $19,150.50, bringing the all-in price of our well-equipped Laramie to $119,194.50.How Does the Prospector XL Drive?Having recently spent a year in a stock Ram 2500 Laramie Cummins, the most indelible initial impression is how loud the tires are, the sound and vibration even coming up through the steering wheel in turns. This is followed closely by how high the AEV Prospector XL sits. You'll look down on lifted Super Dutys and across at semi drivers. Getting comfortable with the size takes a few miles; sitting so high off the road dulls your sense of speed. So if your natural pace is 10 mph beyond the speed limit, you may frequently find yourself 15 or 20 over. The taller, heavier tires and added curb weight blunt the acceleration, but it's still plenty strong. The added inertia is also noticeable in braking, where stops take more pedal effort than in our long-term Ram 2500. But sure enough, the ride feels almost identical—maybe smoother, thanks to the additional mass (AEV estimates ours weighs just shy of 4.5 tons). That is, until one of these jumbo donuts hits a single-wheel bump and sends a shudder through the steering and chassis. These mud tires don't grip paved corners like the stock tires, but then the stockers can't claw through mud bogs.Off-Roading the Prospector XLHaving mostly wheeled crossovers and stock Jeeps at our local ORV park, we're used to the toughest obstacles being off limits. Not for this rig! Climb any rock or plunge through any bog by simply relying on the tire-tread lugs and the Cummins torque and inertia to power through. Tough dusty ruts, sandy moguls—it doesn't matter. The Prospector XL tackled every path or obstacle with ease, or at least every path physically wide enough to accommodate it. And with the long wheelbase and gigantic turning circle, you must be cognizant of your escape route should a path prove too narrow. We were also impressed by how sturdy everything felt. The AEV Prospector XL took the harshest impacts in stride, and with no expensive sounding noises.How Do I Get an AEV Prospector XL?If you have a low-mileage current-generation Ram (or Jeep) that's never been wrecked, AEV can upfit it for you, but most builds are ordered new through AEV's online configurator and delivered through one of its 100 dealers. The dealer facilitates getting the stock truck built, shipped to AEV for the upfit, then shipped to the dealer. Upfitting typically takes about a week barring supply issues, and tires have lately been in particularly short supply. Buyers can specify unique paint—like the zinc-chromate green on AEVs four 2019 SEMA builds—but this stretches the build to 30 days and adds $13,687.Is the AEV Prospector XL Worth It?That $119,000 price includes a lot of showy bits we could do without. But the engineering is so stout we felt compelled to gin up an ideal build, starting with a strategically optioned 2500 Tradesman Cummins with Auto Level Rear Air Suspension, the Convenience Group, Uconnect 5 nav, Bed Utility Group, and the aux switches for $64,745. Then we spec'd a Prospector with 37s, the Mopar retractable steps ($2,420—they were included in our Laramie, and you need 'em!), AEV's leather and Cordura seat upgrade ($2,205), the smaller light bar ($1,024) plus the winch, intercooler skidplate, diff covers, and a few doodads for a total upfit cost of $29,196. We'd be out the door for $93,941 with the same suspension in a slightly more livable, goes nearly anywhere package with a bit more payload capacity, a quieter ride, and a slightly lower climb.Looks good! More details?2022 AEV Prospector XL Ram 2500 Laramie Cummins Turbodiesel Specifications BASE PRICE $91,679 LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE 6.7L/370-hp/850-lb-ft turbo-diesel direct-injected OHV 24-valve I-6 TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 9,000 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 150.6 in L x W x H 238.8 x 89.5 x 83.7 in 0-60 MPH 8.0 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON Not rated ON SALE Now Show All
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