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Engineering Solutions by Design News Talks F-150 Lightning Keeping its CoolEngineering Solutions by Design News Talks F-150 Lightning Keeping its Cool
Ford F-150 Lightning chief engineer Linda Zhang talks about solving the challenge of towing heavy loads in hot weather with an electric pickup truck.
1 Min Read
Ford Motor Co.
Ford has vast experience with designing hard-working pickup trucks. But designing a pickup truck to do that work using purely electric power stored in its battery pack and driving through electric motors presented new challenges for the team working on the F-150 Lightning EV. Chief engineer Linda Zhang recalls her team's effort to ensure sufficient cooling of the electric drivetrain and related components throughout Ford's rigorous testing.
The challenge should come as little surprise because the Lightning is rated at 562 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque. When it is not towing heavy loads up steep hills, the Lightning can accelerate to 60 mph in as little as 4.3 seconds. But what matters more to truck buyers is that it can pull a load up a big hill on a hot day and make it to the top. Zhang explains how Ford ensured this outcome.
About the Author
Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.
A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.
Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.
Dan, testing the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish. ANDY MORGAN/ASTON MARTIN
He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.
He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.
He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.
He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.
Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.
He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
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