DEARBORN (WWJ) - Ford's first ever all-electric pick-up truck was awarded MotorTrend's 2023 Truck of the Year among glowing praise on Tuesday, with the publication calling the vehicle "no less than a milestone achievement in the history of American mobility."
The Ford F-150 Lightning won the award in an unanimous decision by judges who hailed the electric vehicle as “the best-riding, best-handling, and best-driving F-150 yet."
The win comes one year after the publication gave Rivian's R1T its top honor and the second year in a row an electric truck has been given the prestigious award. The F-150 Lightning beat out competition from Chevrolet, GMC, Ram and Toyota.
“It’s really brilliant for the team that Lightning is the first EV truck to win by unanimous vote,” said Darren Palmer, vice president, electric vehicle programs in a press release. “This truck is full of firsts, and this one is really special to add to Lightning’s historic launch.”
The F-150 Lightning also holds the title of America’s best-selling electric truck which it earned in November, with sales totaling 2,062, the automaker said. Since the truck was introduced in May, sales have totaled 13,258.
The company said the Lightening success contributed to Ford being the No. 2 EV brand in the U.S. year to date.
“The F-150 Lightning and its nearly instant torque with ride and handling make it without a doubt the best truck Ford has ever made. If that feels like a bold statement, consider that amongst our judges, the F-150 Lightning won Truck of the Year by unanimous decision–the first EV truck to convince all judges across the board,” said Ed Loh, MotorTrend group head of editorial. “The Ford F-150 Lightning is no less than a milestone achievement in the history of American mobility.”
The Lightning's win puts a spotlight on a growing recognition for battery-powered trucks as well as how electric power is beginning to be embraced among Americans.
To earn MotorTrend's top award, each contendingg vehicle is put through a standard battery of acceleration testing along with figure-8 handling and 60-0 braking performance tests.
"The trucks also are subjected to additional class-relevant tests, such as acceleration and braking with a trailer (weighing near its rated capacity) and ballasted to near the payload capacity," the automaker explained. "Judges also conduct a "frustration test" of highway acceleration uphill with a trailer."
The individual judges themselves conduct their own subjective off-road tests on a variety of road types and surfaces.
For more information on F-150 Lightning, please visit the Ford media site.