I don't know what I'm doing when I drive off-road.
I'm strong on pavement. Even though it's above average. I became a shaky 16-year-old with a learner's permit when I faced scary ruts and big boulders.
I'm getting better. Slowly, at a slow pace. I'm mostly winging it at the moment. Ford's new electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, makes venturing off the beaten path incredibly easy and enjoyable. The truck's helpful tech and ample power more than offset my mediocrity and made me feel like an off-roading pro.
The Lightning is not meant to be a hardcore off-road vehicle. The F-150 Raptor is powered by gasoline and injected with steroids. The lightning has the skills to hit some trails.
All Lightnings come with two motor and all wheel drive, which makes them sure-footed and grippy on rough surfaces. All trucks, from the $40,000 base model all the way up to the $90,000 Platinum edition, promise to generate over 800 pound-feet of Torque. That's more powerful for pulling trailers than any other F-150 before it.
The lightning can deliver all that Torque instantly. When an engine is revved up, its full potential is unleashed. It is possible to get every ounce of Torque at a moment's notice in electric vehicles.
The only thing I had to do was point the tire at the rock or ledge. It would handle the rest with ease.
The off-road mode of the lightning makes it easier to modify power at low speeds. I was able to slowly and gingerly tackle the challenges without fear. The locking rear differential of the truck can be activated in off-road mode, which can help the truck find traction on slippery and unpredictable trails.
Seeing over the hood of the F-150 is a problem every year. I was able to see the trail ahead and the top of the hills thanks to the forward-facing camera of the Lightning. I would love to have an option to keep it on permanently.
I sprinted up technical climbs, tore down gravel paths and took a bath in a mud pit during my half hour adventure. Thanks to the Lightning's thoughtful technology and tremendous capability, I was completely in control and had a great time.
I'm not sure if I'll ever get into off-roading, but I enjoy it more and more the more I do it. I should go from nervy 16-year-old to overly confident 18-year-old in no time.
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