The ‘F-150 Lightning Switchgear’ Prototype Is an All-Electric Raptor

The F-150 Lightning Switchgear was built in collaboration with Ford Performance and RTR Vehicles. It’s set to debut at King of the Hammers.

The all-electric F-150 Lightning has prompted strong reactions from those who love the idea and those who hate it. Those who are already fans of the EV pickup truck don’t need convincing of its advantages. But for everyone else, Ford has released a demonstrator prototype vehicle called the F-150 Lightning Switchgear, and it just might change your mind about EVs. It has a powerful dual-motor drive system, 37-inch tires, a custom off-road suspension system, and a carbon composite body. Think of it as an EV F-150 Raptor.

The F-150 Lightning Switchgear was designed and built by Ford Performance and RTR Vehicles. And they are no strangers to the performance Ford game. The Switchgear is the latest vehicle in the Ford Performance Demonstrator program. Previous vehicles include the SuperVan 4.0 and 4.2, the Mustang Mach-E 1400, Mustang CobraJet 1400, and the F-100 Eluminator. Each of them showcases what an EV is capable of. You can’t buy a Switchgear today, but it does provide an exciting glimpse into what may be coming in the future. And perhaps the coolest thing about this new truck is that it has a split personality. It can be configured for street use or off-road use.

The Basics

The Switchgear is based on the F-150 Lightning, but the demonstrator truck dials things up a couple of notches. The new truck uses the 131-kWh extended-range battery pack from the Lightning. The 4×4 layout is powered by dual motors that are good for 580 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. Big numbers, but nothing that you can’t already get in an F-150 Lightning today. However, once you get beyond the shared powertrain, the Switchgear stands alone.

Base Configuration

The Switchgear comes with a carbon composite body that bulks up the size and the look of the truck. The front fenders, bedsides, rear bumper cover, front bumper valence, and rocker skirts are all carbon composite. The wheelbase of this truck is the same as the Lightning, but the Switchgear is much wider. The front and rear track is nearly a foot wider than the Lightning. The front wheel travel is 11-inches and at the rear it is 13-inches. This is thanks to the custom suspension. Upfront it is a dual wishbone setup with a stabilizer bar and droop limit straps. The rear suspension is an independent semi trailing arms setup. FOX 3.0 with remote reservoir shocks are used all around. Inside the truck you sit on Recaro Sportster ORV seats and are held in place by a Scroth 6-point harness.

Street Configuration

Do you want to blitz around the backroads? Then you want to set up the Switchgear for street mode. In street mode, the front and rear ride heights are 7.0 and 5.0 inches, respectively. The tires are Nitto NT420V 305/55R20 wrapped around 20 x 9 in. RTR Tech 6 flow-formed aluminum alloy wheels. In its street configuration, the truck wears a carbon composite front bumper with valence, carbon composite rocker skirts, and a Ford Performance tonneau cover.

Off-Road Configuration

Now when you want to blitz the off-road trails, you can switch to the off-road configuration. This includes 37-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler tires wrapped around 18 x 9 in. RTR Tech 6 forged aluminum alloy wheels with a bead-lock ring. In off-road mode, you ditch the bumper valence, rocker skirts, and tonneau cover. But you add a chase rack with 2 spare wheels/tires, steel fabricated rock rails, steel fabricated front bumper, steel fabricated front skid plate, and droop limiting straps, front and rear. Your front and rear ride heights are now 13.5 and 11.0 inches, respectively.

Lightning Switchgear

Are you intrigued? The public can see this demonstrator truck for the first time for the first time at the King of the Hammers off-road racing event starting January 25 in Johnson Valley, California. Perhaps it will turn you into an EV believer.

Images: Ford

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.