MAX CAPACITY EV TRUCK

2022 F-150 LIGHTNING PICKUP’S MEGA POWER ‘FRUNK’ LARGEST IN INDUSTRY

THE all-electric 2022 F-150 Lightning pickup’s new front trunk or, “frunk,” as it’s known in industry speak, is the largest in the truck industry, with 400 liters (14.1 cubic feet) of cargo space and maximum payload capacity of 400 pounds.

In February 2018, a small group of young user-experience designers set out to California, where they sat down with actual Ford truck and fleet customers to talk about how they might use such a feature. The prototype, made of cardboard for simplicity and cost, was brought to every meeting to help customers visualize the opportunity.

Customers imagined fitting not one, but two golf bags. The additional permanent storage keeps valuables out of sight and is lockable and secure. Fleet owners saw their crews using the space to haul bags of concrete and charge their electric tools at construction sites.

Lighting for the frunk began as typical trunk lighting, but based on feedback, the team pivoted and installed truck bed lamps in the frunk hood. Four electrical outlets and two USB chargers were added to provide versatility for work and play, providing 2.4 kilowatts of power under the powered hood.

Lastly, to lift and remove objects from the frunk, access had to be waist-height, as customers did not want to have to reach over the truck’s bed rails for their equipment. Once the frunk is open, customers can fill it with ice and drinks to “frunkgate” it, since it’s waterresistant, cleanable and has a drainable floor.

Steve Mcinally, frunk feature supervisor, said the team explored every detail as an opportunity.

“We put the customer first in every decision we made and were able to deliver on a Mega Power Frunk,” he said. “And it’s going to blow people’s minds.”

The 2022 F-150 Lightning pickup will be available starting Spring 2022.