Wild Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear concept is a Raptor EV

An all-new Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear concept has emerged that’s essentially an all-electric take on the fast Ford F-150 Raptor.

Following in the tyre tracks of the Ford SuperVan, Mustang Mach-E 1400, Mustang Cobrajet 1400 and the F-100 Eluminator, the latest battery-electric concept is this time created by Ford Performance in partnership with North Carolina-based RTR Vehicles.

The changes needed to make a racier F-150 Lightning are best described as comprehensive, with carbon-fibre bodywork used to increase the track and width of the battery-powered truck for enhanced off-road stability.

A high-lift kit increases both ground clearance and allows longer suspension travel needed to soak up large bumps and cope with high-speed jumps associated with off-road racing.

Engineers also developed new front and rear bumpers and employed a set of beefy Fox 3-inch-diameter internal bypass dampers to radically improve the Ford truck’s approach and departure angles.

The suspension upgrades also include adding new double wishbone suspension up front and a new multi-link suspension at the rear that’s combined with coil-over dampers, a new anti-roll bar and bespoke control arms.

The carbon-fibre body includes a set of lightweight front fenders, bed sides and a rear bumper cover.

There’s also steel rock sliders and a heavy-duty front bash plate to cope with the battering the electric F-150’s underbody will endure when driving fast over rough terrain.

Ford Performance has also added some limit straps to prevent damage to the dampers during jumps.

Featuring off-road racing 18-inch rims wrapped in 37-inch tyres, the F-150 Lightning Switchgear also gets a new sports bar that has two spares mounted to it.

Inside, the changes are less dramatic with a pair of leather-wrapped six-point-harness Recaro bucket seats and a revised dash, although the all-electric high-performance truck does bag a cheeky hydraulic handbrake.

Set to be officially unveiled at a Californian off-road racing event on January 25, for now Ford Performance has refused to admit it is considering a production version.

Instead, it says electric vehicles like the F-150 Lightning Switchgear provide a “playground for engineers to advance learnings quickly for future electric vehicles”.

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