Enlarge / Ford is finishing upgrades to its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center that will allow it to build 150,000 F-150 Lightning electric trucks a year, by the end of this year. (credit: Ford)

Ford's F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck just got significantly cheaper. On Monday, the automaker announced hefty price cuts across the F-150 Lightning lineup, cutting between $6,079 and $9,979 from the truck's MSRP. The cuts reverse some recent price increases , although the commercial-focused F-150 Lightning Pro is still about $10,000 more expensive than when Ford first launched the Lightning in 2021.

Ford says that increased capacity at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan is responsible for the price cuts, along with cheaper raw materials for the electric trucks' lithium-ion batteries.

"Shortly after launching the F-150 Lightning, rapidly rising material costs, supply constraints and other factors drove up the cost of the EV truck for Ford and our customers," said Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer of Ford Model e (Ford's EV division). "We've continued to work in the background to improve accessibility and affordability to help to lower prices for our customers and shorten the wait times for their new F-150 Lightning."

Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images)

Ah, the annual end-of-year roundup, when it's time to sit down and think about all the vehicles we tested in 2022. Comparing this year to years past, it's notable how many electric vehicles make the list. Partly that's because the industry released some pretty compelling new EVs this year, but it's also a reflection of our coverage priorities—in the past, you've told us loud and clear you aren't that interested in reading about new gasoline or diesel models. Read on to find out what impressed us most in 2022.

1. Kia EV6

Our winner is actually one of the first cars we tested this year, and it's the Kia EV6 . It uses a new 800 V EV architecture called E-GMP, shared with last year's winner, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 , that delivers impressive levels of efficiency for larger, heavier EVs while also boasting some of the best fast-charging in the industry—just 18 minutes from 10-80 percent on a 350 kW charger. Despite the shared roots, the Kia drives very differently compared to the angular Ioniq 5, with a sportier nature. And unlike the Hyundai, the EV6 is sold in all 50 states.

Sadly, Kia dropped the cheapest configuration from the roster this year—the $40,900 EV6 Light used a smaller battery and motor but only accounted for about 3 percent of customer orders, according to the company. Earlier this month, we got a chance to test the other end of the spectrum—the $61,400 EV6 GT, which is very fast but might just be overkill.

Enlarge / At first glance, this could be any other Ford F-150 pickup, but the aerodynamic wheels and nose treatment mark it out as the all-electric F-150 Lightning. This is the top-spec Platinum trim. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

Ford provided a night in a hotel and a flight to San Antonio so we could drive the new F-150 Lightning. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—Simply put, the Ford F-150 Lightning is the most important new electric vehicle we'll drive for some time. Auto journalists can be accused of using that cliché all too readily, but in this case, I think it's defensible. Americans love pickup trucks more than any other four-wheeled vehicle, and when it comes to pickup trucks, they love Ford's F-series enough that it has been the nation's bestseller for almost as long as I've been alive .

Making a fully battery-electric version of its favorite pickup therefore seems like a good way to spur adoption of electric vehicles in a country that's lagging behind Europe and China. But only if the truck is any good. Part of the reason Ford sells so many F-series trucks is that many of them are put to work, pulling trailers or hauling heavy loads in their beds. And it's just as important to decarbonize those trucks, which means that a stripped-down electric F-150 has to be able to cut it on the job site just as much as in the role of a suburban dad's fully loaded commuter pickup.

To a casual observer, there's little that marks the F-150 Lightning as being anything other than just another F-150 with a super crew cab and a 5.5-foot bed. Instead of an open grille, there's a more aerodynamic treatment at the front, plus some distinctive daytime running lights. The alloy wheels' surfaces are more disc-like than you'd normally see. And if you look carefully, you'll spot the occasional lightning bolt. The cab is light and airy thanks to large glass moonroofs, and there's plenty of room in the back for large adults.