2024 Lightning Flash (new EV owner) 30 day review

[22legit2quit]

Having never owned an EV or Hybrid, I have always been skeptical. Did the electric range and battery technology really move far enough? Have the charging stations become more prevalent along travel routes? And finally, does the increased cost align with the fair value of the ICE?

so, those being my questions the answers are. Yes to the first, with the explanation of for the range of miles that 99 percent of people drive their PERSONAL vehicle most EV would fit the bill. Taking the range as a tank of gas, how often would you fill up or charge a vehicle that you drive 200 miles in a work week, knowing your driving economy (since it isn’t just fuel and I’m not into calculating kWh and miles to mpg in this post) would stretch the fuel 300 miles. When you think of it that way it makes it more reasonable.

for the second question, yes would be the answer. While writing this I am at a fast charging station in Arkansas (and not in the civilized parts) but it’s not on the freeway and it isn’t ridiculously priced either. 150-350 kw are available almost everywhere.

to the last question, it’s really a maybe. If you plan to spend the same for an equally equipped ICE you tend to not see the difference in price as greatly. If you matched the pro trim for each the only real difference that I have seen is the tax credit and in some cases the lightning is more of a bargain if it has been shipped to a location where it won’t sell well.

I felt these were my main concerns as a potential buyer and even after that honeymoon phase kind of wanes where it isn’t about scaring the hell out of a passenger or making mustangs feel silly at red lights these were still the biggest issues.

Sponsored

 

[Evans]

Congrats on your new purchase. Just passed one year of ownership. The key to cost comparison with an ICE version is home charging and use cases. You can expect home charging to cost 1/4 to 1/3 the price of gas with a comparable trim. This is highly dependent on electricity costs and fuel costs in your area. Over time the way I thought about driving and fueling has changed in ways I had not anticipated. I no longer think about having to stop somewhere once or twice a week to fuel up. I leave home with a 3/4 state of charge every morning. Maintenance is negligible. The ability to charge using the Tesla network makes charger anxiety almost a non-issue. However this is not entirely true in certain areas. Many parts or the western US require careful planning and becoming familiar with the various tools is essential. Lastly, there are certain use cases that are better served by ICE trucks but than EV's. When evaluating the purchase of a new truck, which I needed for a host of reasons, showed that in a side by side comparison for my use cases, the Lightning was the best value.

 

[HOTAS]

I’m an avid EV owner, both F150 Lightning and Tesla MY . I’ve progressed through hybrids and plug-in hybrids to get to EV’s, over 20 years.
No doubt EVownership if fantastic, and charging at home is a practical and cost advantage, along with so many more advantages.
Your last question harkens back to the fallacy of the “premium” Payback.
Years ago someone came up with hollow “hybrid premium” argument, that’s been adapted into the ”EV premium”.
The basis is these cars are held to the standard of having to “payback” their perceived additional cost.
My argument is, why hold the option of a hybrid or EV to a payback standard, when no other car option is held to that standard?
In fact, other cars with the additional costs of a “V8 premium”, “Duramax premium”, “European affluence premium”, “Luxury brand premium”, etc…….
have never been held to a “payback“ standard. If fact, those
”premium” options cost the owner more money in higher fuel costs, operating costs, maintenance, parts, insurance etc.
And NEVER Once have these cars been held to a payback standard.
So why only the hybrid or EV? Fact is the EV has a lower “premium“ than any of the cost-examples above, and so many other benefits.
Why hold the hybrid or EV to a hypocritical standard that no other car is held to?
Soon as that stops, they become just another option with benefits that can be more clearly appreciate.

 

[22legit2quit]

I’m an avid EV owner, both F150 Lightning and Tesla MY . I’ve progressed through hybrids and plug-in hybrids to get to EV’s, over 20 years.
No doubt EVownership if fantastic, and charging at home is a practical and cost advantage.
Your last question harkens back to the fallacy of the “premium” Payback.
Years ago someone came up with hollow “hybrid premium” argument, that’s been adapted into the ”EV premium”.
The basis is these cars are held to the standard of having to “payback” their perceived additional cost.
My argument is, why hold the option of a hybrid or EV to a payback standard, when no other car option is held to that standard?
In fact, other cars with the additional costs of a “V8 premium”, “Duramax premium”, “European affluence premium”, “Luxury brand premium”, etc…….
have never been held to a “payback“ standard. If fact, those
”premium” options cost the owner more money in higher fuel costs, operating costs, maintenance, parts, insurance etc.
And NEVER Once have these cars been held to a payback standard.
So why only the hybrid or EV? Fact is the EV has a lower “premium“ than any of the cost-examples above, and so many other benefits.
Why hold the hybrid or EV to a hypocritical standard that no other car is held to?
Soon as that stops, they become just another option with benefits that can be more clearly appreciate.

While I agree with you that the “premium” should not exist, it does. Also, in a lot of ways you do get the premium costs. I owned diesels for a long time, it was always a balance of do I pay the extra or do I not.
It became a little bit like 4 wheel drive, good tires and birth control. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

 

[Cvh8601]

In fact, other cars with the additional costs of a “V8 premium”, “Duramax premium”, “European affluence premium”, “Luxury brand premium”, etc…….
have never been held to a “payback“ standard. If fact, those
”premium” options cost the owner more money in higher fuel costs, operating costs, maintenance, parts, insurance etc.
And NEVER Once have these cars been held to a payback standard.
So why only the hybrid or EV? Fact is the EV has a lower “premium“ than any of the cost-examples above, and so many other benefits.
Why hold the hybrid or EV to a hypocritical standard that no other car is held to?
Soon as that stops, they become just another option with benefits that can be more clearly appreciate.

This ^^^. I hadn’t really considered it previously, but there is a shocking amount of ‘wow the resale value of the EV is lower than MSRP’ whereas thats taken as a given for ICE cars since its been happening forever. Total double standard.

 

[HOTAS]

While I agree with you that the “premium” should not exist, it does. Also, in a lot of ways you do get the premium costs. I owned diesels for a long time, it was always a balance of do I pay the extra or do I not.
It became a little bit like 4 wheel drive, good tires and birth control. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

But no one has ever expected a “payback” for those “premiums”.
It’s just been a cost/desire/benefit decision.

The “EV premium” fallacy is, it’s somehow OK to pay more for inefficiency in other cars,
but not OK to pay more for extra efficiency, in an EV, unless there is a “payback”.

 

[voxel]

to the last question, it’s really a maybe. If you plan to spend the same for an equally equipped ICE you tend to not see the difference in price as greatly. If you matched the pro trim for each the only real difference that I have seen is the tax credit and in some cases the lightning is more of a bargain if it has been shipped to a location where it won’t sell well.

Back in 2023 there was a difference and sometimes large - and made worse by the lack of EV tax credit for foreign brands until they began using the lease tax loophole of 45W.





In 2024 the difference has shrunk or sometimes sides with EVs due to discounts/rebates.

Sponsored