TFL has just completed a landmark journey for trucks, becoming the first to reach Deadhorse, Alaska in the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning. This is the furthest point you can drive a vehicle in North America, well within the Arctic Circle, and as you can imagine, the range becomes an issue when you’re this far from civilization.
The F-150 is Ford’s most important model, the best-selling vehicle in North America for the past 40 years. It’s also the backbone of the country, and going fully electric was a big step for Ford.
Battery technology has come a long way in recent years, and the F-150 Lightning has the range it needs for most trips. However, reaching Northern Alaska is an entirely different thing. Deadhorse is located in Prudhoe Bay and is known for its remote location, right near the Arctic Ocean.
The town was built in the 1970s as a facility for the workers and companies operating the nearby oil field and is accessible via the Dalton Highway, stretching 495 miles from Fairbanks. Tourists come here to check out the Arctic wildlife, alcohol isn’t sold, and during the summer, the sun might not set for 2 months straight. Sounds like a fun place!
No Superchargers here!
Based on their maps, TFL made a pretty long trip. They must have taken the Inside Passage ferry to Skagway Haines and drove up to Fairbanks. After reaching the Northernmost point, they’re going back down to Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. Expect an update within the next few days.
Of course, the biggest issue with driving an EV to the furthest point of Alaska is battery capacity. The roads aren’t paved, so TFL had to install some all-terrain tires, which they say cost them about 10% range. And as we previously reported, they also fitted the first camper to the Lightning truck. Even after some aero modifications, this means the range goes from 320 to about 200 miles. They report that it’s optimal to drive at a more efficient speed, around 35 mph, than to wait at a charging station.
Ford uses a 400-volt battery system in the F-150 Lightning, with two capacities available, 98 kWh or this bigger 131 kWh pack. Driving slowly must have been infuriating considering the EV is also Ford’s most powerful F-150 ever made (excluding the Raptor R), boasting 580 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque.
