It appears that the 2024 Ford Maverick Lightning is going to be fully electric. Maverick is a name recently resurrected. A few decades ago, it was a simple car that was popular for a short time. After discontinuing it, Ford almost forgot completely about it ever existing. But now Maverick is the name that the small pickup truck carries. Ford built one of the few small ones on the market. Another real one is just Hyundai Santa Cruz. Although this segment is about to get crowded as many manufacturers saw the potential in small pickups.
The Maverick is sold as a hybrid only as of now. But it would make perfect sense to go fully electric. The tiny truck was a huge seller and people loved it. It was stylish, modern, and wasn’t too weak even though it was on the smaller side. Giving the Maverick a fully electric powertrain makes sense for many reasons. Obviously saving the environment and saving a lot of money on fuel in the long run, are just a few. Battery packs are powerful nowadays and can give a serious boost of horsepower to their vehicles. Let’s take a look at how the new Maverick will look when it drops.
Ford Maverick Lightning Interior
The inside of the Maverick won’t change that much. The new 2024 Ford Maverick Lightning will get more cushioning and better lumbar support. Comfort is important and Ford saw to it that it is taken to another level. Massaging features are present as well as heated and ventilated seats. This will ensure that even in the harshest conditions, you can enjoy the ride. We get a standard infotainment unit, apparently, it is a 13-inch screen that will ensure the back row can join in on the fun.
That is right, Maverick will still be able to seat 5 people comfortably. One of the most fun features we will get is the BlueCruise. This is hands-free driving and covers over 200 000 miles of pre-mapped roads in North America. This is very popular nowadays and who knows, perhaps this version will cover even more roads.
Exterior Design
On the outside, we don’t expect too many changes. The brand new 2024 Ford Maverick Lightning will be the same with some minor tweaks. Perhaps some trims will have taller ride height to better equip them for the off-road. We would also like to see off-roading tires with the standard build. The wheels are lightweight as per usual and 19 inches in size. Not too big but not small either. Bumpers are prominent and they protrude a little. Since this is a small and fun pickup it would be an excellent option to give it a sunroof or a detachable roof.
Like something, we have on the Wrangler. The cargo bed is smaller than the standard 5.5 feet in length. This makes sense since the Maverick is competing in the small pickup category. The platform for the unibody build is changed to accommodate batteries. Under the hood now resides a cargo space instead of an engine compartment. We can also expect no front mesh due to a lack of air intake.
Engine Specs
This is the most interesting part of the refresh for the 2024 Ford Maverick Lightning. Apparently, the Lightning tag that Ford gives to its trucks will extend to Maverick as well. This means that the truck is about to go fully electric. We are thrilled at this news. This is a nice step towards the future, and by doing this they future-proof their pickup. Gas-guzzling engines are going to become obsolete at some point and many manufacturers already vowed they will go green fully by 2030. So putting a battery pack under the cabin of the Maverick is a great idea if you ask us.
The pickup does have the same front wheel-based unibody platform as its cousins. Namely Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Escape. This means it will run on a C2 platform that can accommodate up to 2 electric motors. This is an excellent option, a multi-motor setup can give a lot of benefits. Just look at Tesla’s Cybertruck. With 3 electric motors, it has a tremendous amount of power and torque. The range also is excellent and it can literally climb a mountain. This platform can also adapt to different wheelbases, track widths, and vehicle sizes. It is likely that the Maverick will have a single electric motor but we hope that they put more. It will have quick zero to sixty times considering how light and small it is.
The hybrid has 191 horsepower but with a fully electric build, we expect the horsepower count to be around 260. Putting all-wheel drive with eight-speed automatic transmission makes sense as well. Giving it a bit of off-roading equipment also would be a great selling point. Some adaptable air suspension and locking differentials. Expect the range to be well over 300 miles since the Maverick won’t have a small battery pack. Per reports, it will get at least a 150 kWh pack. This gives it a fast charging feature, 45 minutes till full. Peer-to-peer charging is there as well, so you can borrow electricity from a fellow electric pickup.
2024 Ford Maverick Lightning Price and Release Date
The release date is still unknown. But reports indicate that we can expect to see a 2024 Ford Maverick Lightning on the road, later in 2023. Perhaps even early 2024 depending on pandemic issues. The price is estimated at around $3000, which is not a whole lot different from the current Maverick. For a pickup with this type of luxury and maneuverability, it is a bargain.
