Prestigious Awards Rain Down on Ford’s F-150 Lightning

Photo Source: Ford

The 2023 Truck of the Year competition ran the whole gamut of trucks this year, ranging from traditional internal combustion trucks to brand-new fully electric and hybrid pickup trucks. The overall scope of automobiles present at the competition demonstrates that the perception of mobility and how the automotive world is viewed, in general, are both changing quickly. In late 2021, the Ford Maverick did not make the cut when it squared off against the Rivian R1T for the 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year award. 

This year, on the other hand, painted a picture of a different color, as the Blue Oval stole the show and, more specifically, the Ford F-150 Lightning, which just earned the prize for the 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year. The win sets a classic example, not because it is the first time an electric vehicle has been presented with the honor, but because the F-150 Lightning is the first electric truck to win unanimously among the judges. To add to the prestige, it is only the second time in the history of the “Of the Year” competitions held by MotorTrend that an electric vehicle has won undisputedly. 

In fact, “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,” Ed Loh, MotorTrend group head of editorial, has exuberantly claimed. Considering the numbers, it is not far-fetched to believe that the brand’s F-150 Lightning has gone above and beyond any reasonable expectations. For example, by amassing 2,062 sales in November, the vehicle has garnered the title of America’s best-selling electric truck. Also, since the automobile made its official debut in May, sales have piled up to 13,258. The triumph of the F-150 Lightning has strengthened Ford to the point where it has become the Number 2 electric vehicle brand in the United States year to date.

How to Win with MotorTrend

To achieve success in MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year contest, the vehicles competing have to excel in six different categories: engineering excellence, the performance of intended function, advancement in design, value, efficiency, and safety. Each truck is judged on a multitude of terrains, ranging in scope from the open road during extended street turns, on a grueling off-road dirt course, and saddled with a payload for towing assessments up Davis Dam’s infamous incline.

The all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning stood out from the pack by being a truck that is both ambitiously unique and wonderfully familiar to hordes of F-series enthusiasts. It appeared in two trims: a standard Pro with an equally standard battery and a Platinum trim, which sported an extended-range battery. The F-150 Lightning Platinum came in with the most significant horsepower at 580 ponies and tied with its far less expensive Pro as the illustrious torque winner with 775 lb-ft.

Rich with Accolades

The MotorTrend Truck of the Year award represents only the beginning of Ford’s push for success because the brand is already planning to deliver 150,000 F-150 Lightning pickup trucks per year by the end of 2023. The electric vehicle segment is doing wonders for Ford, as it continues to grow with a conquest rate of more than 60%. Indeed, the 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year is just one of the numerous distinctions granted to the F-150 Lightning. Others include TIME Top 200 Invention of 2022, the 2023 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award, and the 2022 Altair Enlighten Award, to name only a few.

The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning is teeming with potential, and at NYE Ford, we have a host of new trucks available now. You are more than welcome to take a look at our current inventory, and if you need any help, we have a trained service team to assist you with financial suggestions to help make paying for a vehicle easier.