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Ford F-150 Lightning Set To Get A More Powerful “Flash” Version
Ford filed a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office last week for the name Ford F-150 Flash. On its own it would be nothing unusual, automotive companies file for trademarks all the time while they develop new vehicle models. But there’s so much more behind this trademark, that points to a high-performance version of the F-150 Lightning.
Ford F-150 Raptor has always been the most powerful and most ridiculous of the pickups in the ICE-powered lineup. When the F-150 Lightning came about, the AWD model’s 580 hp powertrain was more powerful than F-150 Raptor’s 450 hp EcoBoost V6. Ford had to shoehorn Shelby’s 700 hp V8 and create the Raptor R just to close the gap between it and the Lightning.
The result of that decision is pretty obvious – Ford made room for a far more powerful version of the F-150 Lightning. This race will only end with a seriously fast electric F-150, which thanks to the USPTO, we now know will be called F-150 Flash. Will it be like the Raptor, ready for anything 4×4? Unlikely, the Flash will focus on speed and handling and, at least for now, will only be a demo vehicle. It will join the SuperVan and Cobra Jet in promoting electric powertrains.
The involvement of Red Bull Racing in the creation of the F-150 Flash promises big numbers when it comes to power. With big electric power though, comes a big thirst for electrons, and the F-150 Flash could be a development vehicle for new battery technology.
Will we ever see a production version of the F-150 Flash? In some form – absolutely yes. Ford is not going to settle for the AWD Lightning to be the top-of-the-range for much longer.
