Ford F-150 Lightning bull bar created first by Australian company
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Brisbane-based TJM has launched its first bull bar specifically designed for use on an electric vehicle.
An Australian company has come up with what may be a world-first bull bar for the Ford F-150 Lightning battery-electric pick-up.
Brisbane-based TJM has designed, engineered and will manufacture the -steel 'Venturer' bull bar specifically for the Ford F-150 Lightning, which only adds 14kg of weight to help maximise the electric pick-up's range.
TJM already produces its Venturer bull bar for the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Ram 1500 – among others – yet the latest version is the first developed for an electric vehicle.
AUSEV brings the F-150 Lighting to Australia – given its not available in Ford dealerships where the petrol-powered versions are sold – and while it won't share sales figures, the company said it's seeing increasing demand for the Lightning.
The Lighting is the car maker's first electric pick up – with an electric Ford Ranger all but confirmed after the car maker revealed a 'medium-size electric pick-up' will be unveiled in the United States (US) in 2027.
MORE: Ford cuts electric car output amid 'rapidly deteriorating' demand – report
The Lighting has struggled for sales in the US, where Ford has repeatedly cut production numbers and re-invested in building more diesel-V8 powered F-Series Super Duty trucks instead.
It's currently offered in several trim levels with the same electric powertrain, delivering 433kW/1050Nm with a 4500kg tow rating and a driving range – according to AUSEV – of up to 515km.
"Our business is geared towards commercial fleet operations, and in particular into the resource sector, and as a part of that there is a requirement obviously for a bull bar,"' Alan Brady, AUSEV Chief Commercial Officer, told Drive.
"There wasn't one for the F-150 Lightning in the market, so we reached out and collaborated with TJM and they've delivered something incredible"
On the Ford United States customer site – where the F-150 Lightning is offered in five different trim levels – there is no bull bar option for the battery-electric pick-up.
MORE: Ford F-150 Lightning importers not worried about incoming electrified utes
Having developed a bull bar for the petrol Ford F-150, TJM set about engineering a new product specifically for the F-150 Lighting, which presented fresh challenges.
"It was an exciting project as we hadn't had an EV [Electric Vehicle] here before," project lead Cameron Burns, from TJM, told Drive.
"Obviously moving forward electric vehicles are going to become more and more common, so when we had the chance to work on one, we jumped at it."
A key advantage is the 55kg bull bar sees 44kg of the vehicle removed during its installation, for a net increase of only 14kg – minimising impact on the Lighting's driving range.
"That was a big win for us," said Burns, who explained the Venturer went through the same exhaustive testing processes as all other TJM bull bars but presented unique challenges for its battery-electric application.
"A lot of the mines and other buyers have isolators and terminals that they like to fit to the front of the cars for different equipment they need," said Burns.
MORE: Ford F-150 Lightning electric ute proving popular with buyers, despite $170,000-plus price
"Maintaining all of those provisions is pretty important, as well as airbag testing and other safety systems that can be fitted to the car needing to be maintained with this one as well."
Changes were made for mounting and weight distribution, adapting the bar to work with the Lighting's cooling packs and ensure sufficient air flow.
"We conducted a thermal evaluation – with the Lightning's large thermal pack in the middle, we had to adapt the bar to suit to maintain its cooling efficiency.
"As a part of one of those tests, we actually loaded a car up to near max of its GCM [Gross Combined Mass] and took it for a hard drive to simulate real-world conditions on a hot day to make sure it stays within its normal operating parameters."
The company has also developed the Aeroklas Aluminium Modular Canopy specifically for F-150 Lightning, too.
The first batch of the F-150 Lightning Venturer bull bars has already gone into production at the Brisbane production facility and is available through TJM with a retail price of $3960 including GST.
The post Ford F-150 Lightning bull bar created first by Australian company appeared first on Drive.
