Beefy F-150 Lightning with hub motors tips potential Super Duty EV as Ford test mule goes against Cybertruck

A lot has been said about the recent rise in popularity of the Tesla Cybertruck compared to the incumbent Ford F-150 Lightning, however Ford may have some new tricks up its sleeve to combat Tesla's Cybertruck, if a recent series of spy photos is to be believed. 

The spy photos, shared in an Autoblog article, show off what appears to be a Ford F-150 Lightning with serious camouflage trying very hard to hide what's going on in the wheels and under the body of the electric pickup truck. 

In the few images where bits of camo — specifically wheel caps — have been removed, you can see what appear to be hub motors attached to large green cables powering the F-150. In the series of images, the underbody is shielded by a brush curtain, indicating that there may also be significant changes to the underbody, where the battery is situated. 

Along with apparent equipment changes to the F-150 Lightning, the pickup truck is carrying a large load labelled “2,666.” While it's unclear just what this figure and box are, it is likely to be a weight for testing purposes, suggesting that Ford is testing the hub motors for carrying capacity beyond that of the standard F-150's 2,235 lb (ca. 1,014 kg) maximum load capacity.

In the series of spy photos, Ford is testing the F-150 test mule against a Tesla Cybertruck, which makes sense, since it has become the most popular electric pickup truck in recent months. It also stands to reason that Ford is trying to beat the Cybertruck's payload capacity and range, or make the F-150 at least match the Cybertruck in terms of range while loaded to the brim.

Ford is clearly trying its level best to hide whatever is going on behind those wheel covers and the brush side curtain, meaning this test mule could signal some significant changes — perhaps a Ford F-250 Lightning Super Duty is in order, or a more powerful F-150 Lightning could be on the way. 

The use of hub motors could open a number of new doors, including freeing up space in the undercarriage for more battery capacity. Earlier this month, a BMW Neue Klasse Coupe prototype was even spotted sporting what looked like hub motors, and many cite improved drive train efficiency as a reason to switch, although there are concerns with repairability and unsprung mass, meaning the EV makers using hub motors likely still have many challenges to overcome before they enter the mainstream. 

Check out the full Autoblog F-150 Lightning spy image gallery here.