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Would you buy a new Lightning? And would you mod it.
- Thread starter Stage3Motorsports
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Wvmtneer
Well-known member
The lightning is interesting, but I have not reserved one at this time.
The biggest mod that I would do is purchase light weight wheels to lose unsprung weight. Other mods would be the typical window tint and tonneau cover(solar when available).
The biggest mod that I would do is purchase light weight wheels to lose unsprung weight. Other mods would be the typical window tint and tonneau cover(solar when available).
OP
OP
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- #3
Very good choice, without knowing much more at the moment i would say wheels and tires as well as tint and tonneau as well.
Pedaldude
Well-known member
A solar tonneau is going to be a disappointing mod. Photovoltaics are pretty awesome technology but come up two things short to work on the Lightning as a tonneau cover; area and angle, the square footage of the short bed isn't enough to make much of an impact and unless the photovoltaics are pointing directly into the sun, their efficiency drops.
A solar tonneau probably wouldn't even be able to make up for the self-discharge of the battery pack while parked and would very well likely have a negative impact on range if it does anything at all.
Same for wheels/tires as I wrote in another post:
A solar tonneau probably wouldn't even be able to make up for the self-discharge of the battery pack while parked and would very well likely have a negative impact on range if it does anything at all.
Same for wheels/tires as I wrote in another post:
The efficiency of the electric drivetrain is so high, that small impacts on it will have a greater effect than on a fossil fuel power vehicle with its extremely poor efficiency.
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Pedaldude
Well-known member
I think that a 2022 Lightning will make an excellent platform for customization, though not with the more popular modifications being done today.
Something like this from Lexus would help with aerodynamics, a thin mirror could be used on the external portion to satisfy the letter of the law, since some jurisdictions won't recognize a camera as a replacement for a mirror:
The Dropped and Chopped look could possibly come back into style if it's found to have a justifiable improvement on range/performance:
A suspension drop alone should be easy and would immediately show what effect frontal area has on a stock Lightning, SRS airbags will complicate chopping the top, though there might be compatible ones from a car that can be substituted.
With full drive by wire and familiar body on frame construction, I expect totaled Lightnings to be very popular with custom builders. I wouldn't be surprised if the first few rolled trucks go for over MSRP at the salvage auctions and I am hoping that there are a few custom builders that have placed orders with the intent of full custom builds.
My greatest hope is that someone takes a Lightning and bobs the frame and battery to create a proper single cab shortbed Lightning. If the single cabs are compatible with the new front end, I wouldn't be shocked if there was a small production run of them from a tuner. The magazine and clickbait blurbs will read, "_____ builds the Lightning Ford should have made!"
Something like this from Lexus would help with aerodynamics, a thin mirror could be used on the external portion to satisfy the letter of the law, since some jurisdictions won't recognize a camera as a replacement for a mirror:
The Dropped and Chopped look could possibly come back into style if it's found to have a justifiable improvement on range/performance:
A suspension drop alone should be easy and would immediately show what effect frontal area has on a stock Lightning, SRS airbags will complicate chopping the top, though there might be compatible ones from a car that can be substituted.
With full drive by wire and familiar body on frame construction, I expect totaled Lightnings to be very popular with custom builders. I wouldn't be surprised if the first few rolled trucks go for over MSRP at the salvage auctions and I am hoping that there are a few custom builders that have placed orders with the intent of full custom builds.
My greatest hope is that someone takes a Lightning and bobs the frame and battery to create a proper single cab shortbed Lightning. If the single cabs are compatible with the new front end, I wouldn't be shocked if there was a small production run of them from a tuner. The magazine and clickbait blurbs will read, "_____ builds the Lightning Ford should have made!"
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Wvmtneer
Well-known member
Too bad solar technology is not better at this time.
The e-golf article had heavier wheels and tires(7lbs per corner, i think).
How many lbs do you think the lightning wheels weigh? I’ve seen multiple aftermarket f-150 wheels in the mid 20s, some even in the 21-22lb range.
I just ordered 20x9.5 +30 wheels that are 28lbs as a reference point.
Pedaldude
Well-known member
A common rule of thumb bandied about in bicycling circles is that a pound saved on the wheels is like two pounds saved on the frame. I have heard and read the same thing for performance/race cars with different multiplication factors. It has to do with the fact that a spinning object is always accelerating, even if it's spinning at a constant speed.
Grassroots Motorsports has a fun article on the subject, with of course a Miata as the guinea pig:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/are-lighter-wheels-really-better/
I wouldn't even hazard a guess on what the Lightning wheels weigh, though it would be a simple experiment to find out which of the wheel/tire combos are most efficient and that combo might very well become the most popular choice based on the gripes about range.
Grassroots Motorsports has a fun article on the subject, with of course a Miata as the guinea pig:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/are-lighter-wheels-really-better/
I wouldn't even hazard a guess on what the Lightning wheels weigh, though it would be a simple experiment to find out which of the wheel/tire combos are most efficient and that combo might very well become the most popular choice based on the gripes about range.
Knickell
Well-known member
I don’t intend to right now. The technology just isn’t where it needs to be yet. I’m sure with as much money as the major auto manufacturers are throwing into EV technology it will be in five to ten years, but it can’t compete with ICEs right now.
Being as impartial as possible, Ford has thus far done a good job of marketing and developing the F-150 Lightning
, and it is slightly appealing to me even with its minimal range with today’s tech.
Being as impartial as possible, Ford has thus far done a good job of marketing and developing the F-150 Lightning
, and it is slightly appealing to me even with its minimal range with today’s tech.
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