The City of Lebanon will take ownership of one of the first electric Ford F150 pickup trucks in the country this week. Bought locally from Lebanon Ford, this light-duty truck called the ‘Lightning’ has a range of 230 miles on a full charge, tows up to 7,700 pounds, acts as a backup generator when needed, and can accelerate from a dead stop to 60 MPH in 5 seconds.
“This is an exciting time for the city and for Public Works,” said Nicholas (Nik) Coates, Deputy City Manager for Public Services. “There has been a lot of hard work put in by our staff and the Lebanon Energy Advisory Committee (LEAC) to reduce the City’s carbon footprint. Addressing greenhouse gas emissions from our vehicle fleet is the next logical step toward achieving our strategic goals. Plus, the Lightning is a really fun vehicle to drive!” The city has also recently looked at electric street sweepers, and fire engines, and converting existing on-road vehicles to battery-electric hybrids. Next on the list is police cruisers.
This electric truck is one of only two that Lebanon Ford will get this year and one of very few that will be sold in New Hampshire in 2022. The city has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be an early adopter of the electric transportation revolution thanks to Greg Ames, LEAC’s Chair, who placed one of the first reservations and later passed it off to the city. “I have been following Ford's developments in electric vehicles for quite some time. The new F-150 Lightning is an exciting new vehicle and represents a significant step forward in the mass adoption of EVs. With the development of Lebanon Community Power, City Solar, and the Landfill Gas to Energy plant, we will be able to power this truck, and future EV's in the City fleet, with clean locally produced power. LEAC is excited to help make Lebanon a regional leader in the electric transportation revolution.”
Lebanon started its transition to electric vehicles in 2019 with the lease of a Nissan Leaf that is used by staff around town and for longer trips to Concord or Manchester. Tad Montgomery, the City’s Energy and Facilities Manager noted that many people have a concern about EVs’ performance during winter in the north. “The range might drop a little when it’s cold, from 230 miles down to 170 or so, but there are tricks that can help boost winter range and we fully expect to use it year-round. Besides, 170 miles is much more than we put on our trucks here most days.”
“From an environmental standpoint, this truck gets an EPA-rated 76 MPG (equivalent) in the city,” Montgomery said. “That MPG will just about double for us because we have behind-the-meter solar at the Public Works Administration Building where it will be charged. During sunny times of the year, driving this truck will be essentially climate neutral.” From a financial standpoint, with anticipated lower maintenance and fuel costs, this truck should save the city money in the long run.
The City’s new F150 Lightning will be on display at the Lebanon Farmers Market from 4:00 -7:00PM this Thursday, September 1, in Colburn Park. Sherry Boschert, chair of the LEAC Electric Vehicle Subcommittee, said “The transition to electric vehicles is accelerating. I’m proud that Lebanon is in the lead. We are looking at installing even more public EV charging throughout the city to continue to be a leader in EV adoption.”
Specs and Talking Points:
- Bought from Lebanon Ford
- Arrangement with LEAC Chair Greg Ames, who offered the city his reservation spot
- ~$43,000
- Made in Dearborn, MI
- 426 HP
- 0-60 MPH in 5 seconds
- Charge time: 15-100% in a Level 2 charger: 10 hours
- Charge time: 15-100% in a Level 3 charger: 40-90 minutes
- Range: 230 miles on a full charge
- Payload: 2,000 lbs.
- Towing cap. Max.: 7,700 lbs.
- AWD
- Front Frunk: over 14 cubic feet, 400 lbs.
- Power Access – 9.6 kW virtual ‘generator’ for onboard exportable power:
- 120V outlets: two in cab, four in bed, four in frunk
- 240V outlet: one in bed
- 12V outlets: two
- USB ports: eight
- Driver Assist Technology – Ford Co-Pilot360 version 2.0:
- Pre-collision assist with emergency braking
- Pedestrian detection
- Forward collision warning
- Dynamic brake support
- Cross-traffic alert
- Lane-keeping system
- Rear-view camera
- Auto high beams
- Reverse sensing system
- Reverse brake assist
- Post-collision braking
- EV Equipment Warranty: 8 years/100,000 mi.
Original source can be found here.
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