Linda Zhang, a pure Blue Oval with more than 25 years of experience at Ford, is Linda Zhang.
The dominance of F-150 Ford is undisputed. It has been America’s most popular pickup truck for many decades. Ford wants to take the F-150 forward with the new Lightning. This is the Dearborn’s first all-electric pickup truck. It might be surprising to some that the person responsible is so unexpected.
Linda Zhang, Ford F-150 Chief Nameplate Engine, immigrated to America with her family at eight years old. She was born in China and quickly learned English, becoming an engineer in the process. At the age of 19, she joined Ford and worked her way up the ranks. She also studied at the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, a Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering, , and an MBA. It’s safe for us to say that Zhang knows a lot about how cars work and what makes them work well.
Zhang was the F-150 chief engineer after leading many other Ford projects. In September 2018, he began work on the all-electric Lightning. It can be equipped with up to 563 horsepower, a maximum range exceeding 300 miles, but as Zhang stressed during the Lightning unveiling on May 19 its low center-of-gravity and perfect weight distribution make the truck the most user-friendly and fastest F-150. Although some Lightning fans may be apprehensive about the truck wearing the famous badge, it is a pickup truck that is fast and fun. This definition of Lightning is what it has been since the beginning.
Zhang’s achievements in a male-dominated field serve as a reminder of the greatness of all people, despite the fact that there are still gender and race issues in the United States. These achievements are remarkable to say the least. We hope they inspire others to amaze us with their potential.