The future is now in exceptional Ford F-150 Lightning

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- A generation ago, the idea that America's most popular pickup, the Ford F-150, would be produced in an all-electric version would have prompted cries of disbelief among many drivers devoted to rugged light-duty trucks.

And yet here we are.

After a week in the tested 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT 4X4 SuperCrew, I can tell you that the brave new world is a fine one.

Perhaps the best standard of evaluation: The tester did absolutely everything previous F-150s have done, and the electric power was instantly responsive.

And powerful. Projected peak numbers from the electric powertrain top 450 horses and nearly 800 foot-pounds of torque.  Frankly, I cannot remember any version of the F-150 more enthusiastic and powerful than this one.

Lightning indeed.

For the truck enthusiast -- particularly those who rely on their pickups for work -- this is good news. It means that a Lightning can be relied upon to power its way over all road surfaces with no problems whatsoever.  And carry plenty of cargo to boot.

All I need is a charging station, concerned truck pilots say.  Yup.  Those are being built, just like service stations blossomed in the early 20th century.

My ride was looking good with XLT packaging.  And there were plenty of helpful perks, including a handy tailgate step at the rear.

Generous lockable storage space was another bonus.

Interior comfort and convenience features were downright luxurious and made freeway cruising a pleasant experience.  I noted that other motorists were only too happy to get out of the way of a fast-moving pickup riding on 20-inch tires.

For all this, the bottom line on the tester's ticker was $75,814. In the current world of pickup trucks -- not to mention those with a sophisticated electric powertrain -- this is a price that most expect to pay.

And if you've been driving an internal combustion engine-powered truck for decades and wonder if you can make the transition to all-electric at some future date, rest assured, it's not going to be a problem.

I've driven the future. And it's a sweet ride.