It's rare for a vehicle manufacturer to release a significant upgrade to a previous year's model without upping the price tag. Ford's 2026 F-150 Lightning STX, which one of Electrek's top comments called "awesome to the max," defies those linear expectations.
The F-150 Lightning STX is Ford's entry-level version of the electric vehicle at $63,345, but the 2026 upgrade looks anything but basic. Ford extended the range, tossing the 98 kilowatt-hour battery with an estimated 240 miles in favor of a 123 kWh extended-range battery with 290 miles.
The dual motors boosted the horsepower from 452 to 536, while 18-inch matte-black aluminum wheels and all-terrain Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT tires are included for off-road grip.
Ford tossed the interior vinyl in favor of sport cloth seats and blue embroidery, a heated steering wheel, and an enhanced version of the infotainment system.
Complete with hands-free driving, driver attention monitoring, and an upgraded 360-degree camera, it's understandable that consumers would expect a price increase. Fortunately, Ford isn't sticking with expectations.
Ford's consumer-friendly addition to its EV lineup follows the clear and accelerating trend among automakers releasing hybrid-electric cars and EVs, thanks to falling battery costs and consumer demand for sustainable options with significant or improved range.
Sticker shock is still a thing, but EVs save buyers more money in the long run with fuel savings and less maintenance required. EVs also run quieter and cause less pollution than gas-powered vehicles.
As for the latter, an MIT study found that EVs average 200 grams of carbon pollution per mile versus 350 grams from internal combustion engines.
Carbon air pollution aside, two of the biggest arguments against EVs are the lack of long-distance charging infrastructure and power consumption at home.
Those arguments are diminishing with the addition of 1.3 million public charging points in 2024, a 20% increase, with the U.S. projected to hit half a million in total by 2030.
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Sign me up 👍 The growth of home solar panel installation is also offsetting at-home charging, especially with dedicated quote-comparison guides and information hubs like EnergySage, which can save homeowners up to $10,000 in installation costs. Home solar is more affordable for EV charging than public charging stations or using the grid.
Helpful information density across the web is doing more than educating prospective EV owners. It's also easing fears of making the transition. With major upgrades like the Lightning STX following a year-to-year linear price tag, the future of mass EV adoption looks bright.
Another Electrek commenter said, "They are definitely improving in the right direction — more range, more power."
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