Criminals beware: meet the Ford F-150 Lightning police pick-up

By James Attwood

28 Jul 2022

Ever wondered what happens if you cross an electric technology with a massive American pick-up and a police car? We have, and criminals beware: the result is this amazing Ford F-150 Lightning Pro Service Special Vehicle.

It’s effectively a special version of the Blue Oval’s new F-150 Lightning electric pick-up that’s been specially reworked and adapt for use as a police response vehicle. Now, clearly the F-150 Lightning Pro SSV is only intended for the North American market, but we figured it was worth highlighting here just because.

Ford Pro has a long history of developing versions of its vehicles customised to the needs of US law enforcement: it claims more than 12,000 police departments are customers. And the new pick-up is designed so that police can use the benefits of electric technology to aid their work.

The F-150 Lightning Pro SSV features either a 332kw powertrain that offers 775lb ft of torque, or the extended-range version that offers 432kW and 775lb ft of torque. The lower-powered version can tow 7700lbs, with the high-powered version capable of 10,000lbs.

But the most interesting bits are the modifications to turn an electric pick-up into a police vehicle, which extend far beyond sticking flashing lights on the top (although Ford has done that, obviously, with a choice of red and blue or amber and white lights).

The interior features heady-dutch cloth seats, and the side bolsters have been reduced to make it easier for officers with gun holsters to get in an out. There are also built-in steel intrusion plates in the front setbacks. There’s also a reinforced instrument panel designed to accept extra police equipment and easy clean vinyl rear seats.

And some of the F-150 Lightning’s standard features are also highlighted as being useful for the police, such as the lockable Mega Power Frunk storage area, and the ability to use the van as a mobile power source, so it could potentially power lights at a crash scene in the night.

The F-150 Lightning Pro SSV will go on sale in the US shortly, presumably with first deliveries of criminals to a prison following soon after.