DETROIT – If anybody doubted the significance of the electrical Ford F-150 Lightning to Ford Motor, they should not after the automobile’s theatrical debut on the automaker’s world headquarters this week in Michigan.

Ford turned its 12-story house – generally known as the “Glass Home” for its boxy, glass-clad trendy design – right into a 64,000 square-foot projection display for the automobile’s official unveiling Wednesday night time. It was an over-the-top presentation that spoke to the significance of the vehicle and Ford’s pickup truck franchise, which hauls within the lion’s share of the corporate’s earnings.

Ford Chairman Invoice Ford referred to as it a “defining second” and “historic day” for the corporate. Ford CEO Jim Farley stated it was a “second of large pleasure” and could be check whether or not mainstream People truly want electric vehicles.

Ford did the whole lot it may to make the automobile interesting to pickup truck clients – from its price to functionality and design. It additionally added some shocking options that might not be potential with a gas-powered automobile equivalent to an unlimited entrance trunk, or frunk, and the flexibility to energy a home for days.

Here is extra on these options in addition to different issues to know in regards to the truck.

The pickup resembles the automaker’s present F-150 however contains new inside and exterior options. It is powered by two electrical motors and a battery pack as an alternative of a standard gasoline engine. Will probably be provided in two battery choices with focused ranges of 230 miles or 300 miles, Ford stated.

The design and performance of the F-150 Lightning pickup is supposed to be a truck, “not a science experiment,” in keeping with Linda Zhang, chief engineer of the automobile.

Taking a jab at Tesla’s Cybertruck design, Jasen Turnbull, advertising and marketing supervisor for the Lightning, put it a distinct method: “Our clients informed us they need one thing trendy and superior, however didn’t need their truck to appear to be a doorstop or a spaceship,” he stated. “They needed one thing distinct however not totally different.”

Tesla’s upcoming Cybertruck has a singular and polarizing design that was impressed by the movies “Blade Runner” and “The Spy Who Beloved Me.”

The F-150 Lightning is obtainable with 11 outlet plugs, together with 4 within the frunk and one 240-volt within the pickup field for heavy-duty tools. Utilizing the automobile’s battery, the truck additionally works as an electrical generator. Relying on the quantity of electrical energy being drawn, it may power a house for as much as 10 days, Ford stated.

Ford is partnering with photo voltaic firm Sunrun to supply an at-home EV charger and an inverter that might routinely draw energy from the truck when it is plugged in — sufficient to energy a complete house or sure vital merchandise throughout an influence outage. They will additionally supply photo voltaic set up for house owners.

A present hybrid electric-gas mannequin of the 2021 F-150 additionally options an electrical generator however not the extent of energy of the EV model.

The F-150 Lightning is estimated at as much as 563 horsepower and 775 pound ft of torque — about 130 horsepower and 200 pound ft of torque greater than the top-rated model with an engine.

The Lightning additionally boasts a large entrance truck, or frunk.

The frunk, situated the place the engine would sometimes be, is exclusive because the automobile’s grille is built-in into the hood. It creates an open, flat space that is simpler to load and unload than a bin-type frunk discovered on most EVs. It provides 14.1 sq. cubic ft of secured storage for dry or moist objects. For the latter, it additionally contains a drain on the backside.

“I prefer to say it is frunking superior,” stated Nancy Reppenhagen, Ford supervisor of worldwide function course of who led growth of the frunk. For tailgating, she stated it might be used as a cooler, desk or stand for a big flat display TV.

The frunk additionally options 4 110-volt outlet plugs and two USB ports for charging. It’s designed to retailer as much as 400 kilos.

The automobile’s value, very like the normal F-150, has a large bandwidth. Ford stated a work-oriented model of the truck will begin at $39,974. Extra consumer-centric fashions will begin at $52,974 and prime out at round $90,000.

The “74” on the finish of the worth has a hidden that means, a Ford spokesman informed CNBC. It is a nod to the 74th anniversary the the Ford F-Collection in 2022, which is the primary model-year of the F-150 Lightning.

Ford stated the automobile shall be worthwhile, nevertheless executives declined to remark whether or not each mannequin would earn cash.

It’s anticipated to be one of many first mainstream electrical pickups, if not the primary, when it arrives in seller showrooms by mid-2022.

Ford took 20,000 reservations for its new electrical F-150 Lightning pickup lower than 12 hours after its official debut, CEO Jim Farley informed CNBC Thursday morning.

“The response has been nice,” Farley stated throughout an interview on “Squawk Box.” ”With 20,000 orders already, we’re off to the races.”

Ford’s robust reservations for the F-150 Lightning should not distinctive. Two days after unveiling the Tesla Cybertruck in November 2019, CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the corporate had taken 146,000 reservations for the metal trapezoid-shaped pickup.

The automaker is taking refundable $100 reservations for the F-150 Lightning on its web site.