DETROIT – Ford Motor’s upcoming all-electric F-150 pickup truck will likely be known as Lightning, a reputation final utilized by the automaker for avenue efficiency vehicles within the Nineties.

Ford launched the title Monday together with plans to unveil the truck at 9:30 p.m. EDT on Could 19. The reveal will happen on the firm’s world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. It is going to be broadcast throughout social media platforms in addition to 18 high-profile public areas equivalent to Instances Sq. in New York Metropolis and Las Vegas Boulevard, the corporate mentioned.

All-electric pickups are anticipated to be essential progress areas for automakers within the coming years, notably for industrial enterprise to rental fleets, corporations and governments. Ford has promised its pickup will likely be a true work truck in an try to differentiate it from different rivals such because the Tesla Cybertruck or GMC Hummer EV.

Ford CEO Jim Farley gave a nod to Tesla in addition to Toyota Motor for his or her contributions to electrification in a press launch on Monday saying the corporate’s plans.

“Now and again, a brand new car comes alongside that disrupts the established order and modifications the sport … Mannequin T, Mustang, Prius, Mannequin 3. Now comes the F-150 Lightning,” Farley mentioned in an announcement. “America’s favourite car for almost half a century goes digital and absolutely electrical.”

Farley mentioned the F-150 Lightning will be capable of “energy your private home throughout an outage; it is even faster than the unique F-150 Lightning efficiency truck; and it’ll continually enhance by way of over-the-air updates.”

Manufacturing of the pickup is scheduled to start subsequent spring at Ford’s Rouge Electrical Car Middle in Michigan, Ford mentioned. It is anticipated to reach in dealerships by mid-2022.

The F-150 Lightning is due out months after different electrical pickups such because the GMC Hummer EV, Tesla Cybertruck and start-ups such as Rivian and, probably, Lordstown Motors. The entire automobiles apart from Lordstown’s Endurance pickup, which is focused at fleet prospects slightly than particular person shoppers, are anticipated to be “way of life” automobiles slightly than work vehicles. General Motors additionally has confirmed plans for an electric Chevrolet pickup that is anticipated to be targeted extra on conventional truck prospects than way of life patrons.