A Cleaner Future: The Ford F-150

Get ready for an emission free-future full of electric cars. Currently, many of the big brands, including Ford, GMC, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Land Rover, Tesla, and many others, are beginning to slow the production of gas vehicles and increase the electric vehicle count. However, right now, there is a vehicle that is trending across the media currently. It is the all-new 2022 F-150 Ford Lightning truck. The Ford F-150 truck has been America’s favorite for over a century. It all started with the Model TT pickup, which was released in July of 1917. This vehicle’s popularity eventually led to the first-generation Ford F-truck series in 1948. From then on, Ford continued production for fourteen more generations of the All-American favorite pickup truck. Today, it has evolved into a completely emission-free electric vehicle. Although the Lightning is supposed to be released in 2022, a lot of information regarding the car has been announced. The Lightning will start at around 42,000 dollars as the base price. However, this can rise to nearly 70,000 dollars for additional features and system upgrades. The new F-150  models come standard with two electric motors and an all-wheel drive. The motors combine to create 426 horsepower with the Standard-Range battery, but with the Extended-Range battery, the horsepower increases to 563. The maximum payload and towing capacity can range between 7700 and 10,000 pounds depending on the model. What makes the Lightning so unique is the fact that a fully charged truck can act as an electric generator in the case of a power outage. Additionally, it only takes 44 minutes to charge the truck from 15 percent to 80 percent. However, many factors could cause consumers to turn away from these newer electric vehicles; for example, price is a significant factor. The United States government would have to conduct a similar event such as the “Cash for Clunkers,” which spent 2.9 billion dollars for 700,000 car owners to upgrade their vehicles. Similarly, Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, has proposed a $392 billion trade-in program that would give consumers vouchers to exchange their traditional gasoline-powered vehicles for zero-emissions vehicles, like electric cars. Another proposed solution would be to put a tax on carbon dioxide emissions as an incentive for gas-car owners to upgrade to cleaner vehicles and drive less. Overall, despite these looming logistical challenges, America seems to be moving towards a promising eco-friendly future.