Ford has been producing desert race-ready F-150 Raptor trucks since 2009. And with the Blue Oval having now fully released its electrified F-150 Lightning, we imagine it’s only a matter of time before we see the all-electric pickup bestowed with the ruggedized go-anywhere Raptor treatment. Before that happens, however, Ford is giving the motoring public an early glimpse of this forthcoming all-electric turnkey off-roader with the Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear concept.
Born out of a three-way collaboration between Ford Performance, RTR Vehicles, and Vaughn Gitten Jr., the F-150 Lightning Switchgear is based on the existing F-150 Lightning SuperCrew, though the donor truck has been treated to a host of extreme suspension and chassis upgrades. Fitted with coil-over-equipped custom independent semi-trailing arms with FOX 3.0 shocks, the go-anywhere concept now features a 13.5” ride height, 13” of travel up front, and 11” in the rear. Now boasting a markedly wider 80” track, the battery-powered off-roader has also also been gifted a custom widebody kit complete with massive fender flares, a Dakar-style roof spoiler, and custom side skirts. The vehicle has also been fortified via the addition of custom steel rock rails, steel skid plates, and a custom front steel bumper with half-a-dozen embedded LED auxiliary lights.
Sporting a near-perfect 49/51 weight distribution, this high-performance off-road truck rides on a set of 18” RTR Tech 6 forged aluminum bead-lock wheels shod in Nitto tires and equipped with Wilwood calipers. A full-sized spare has also been set on a custom bed-mounted chase rack. With an electric motor at each axle collectively generating up to 580hp and 775ft-lbs of torque, Ford opted to leave the donor’s powertrain untouched. While also kept largely stock, the inside of the rig has been outfitted with a hydraulic handbrake, and a full set of RECARO Sportster ORV race seats front and rear with Schroth six-point harnesses and harness bars fore and aft. Completing this factory-backed one-of-one concept is a bespoke royal blue livery complemented via white, red, and powder blue accents and logos.
Though the F-150 Lightning Switchgear currently exists as a mere one-off build, the concept nonetheless gives an early glimpse of what we can probably expect when Ford eventually rolls out an electric F-150 Lightning Raptor.
