Does the Lightning Still Stack Up Well vs. Other EV Trucks?

[Newton]

I agree with all the points above, although I think the Silverado will be a better truck for some applications there is a downside to a massive battery.

I have an EV6 that I used to take on trips, but now we use the Lightning. My EV6 goes further on a smaller battery than my Lariat SR and aside from cost and the environment, it simply charges faster. With about 4mi/kWh even a 110V outlet will get me around 40 miles before I leave the next day, and any reasonable EVSE will give me a full charge in the same time. Fast charging is so fast that it is painless, just enough time to take a short break and read some posts - but you hardly do it because you usually have enough range to get there and back. One big difference is that you can really stretch the range on the EV6 using the usual EV tricks (which I only have done for amusement so far), it doesn’t seem to help as much on the LIghtning.

The Lightning SR is .. different. It works fine and we have taken 1700 mile trips with no problem but we are retired and we stop for breaks more often than we charge. You definitely know that you have an EV, it is more like my e-Golf in that respect. You still get a significant number of miles on 110V if you stay somewhere a couple of days but you are always kind of thinking about where there might be a charger. I think with the Silverado it will be great if you can do everything on one charge and much more painful if you try to extend past that - although at 400+ miles that might be a rare thing. Time will tell, I guess.

Sponsored

 

[hturnerfamily]

I'll also add to my early reasonings: PRICE.

No other EV Truck touches what FORD originally offered for my PRO: $39.974.
And, that's what I paid.

go find that elsewhere.

then, we'll make a comparison to 'other' aspects of 'which' truck is better, in light of some being TWO or THREE TIMES the price. Sure, more for your money, if that's what you want.
I do not.

 

[Hammick]

Other than the recent quadrupling of charge locations courtesy of SpaceX?

Not sure about that. There isn't a single Tesla charger I will be able to use if I ever get my adapter. They are all version 2 and I'm not hopeful they will be updated after the e-tantrum

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

Out of all the EV trucks out there, the Lightning offers the best combination of looks, range, space, and utility for the lowest price. For me it was a no-brainer.

This.

It may not be best in every category, but I feel it offers the most as a whole.

 

[rockhead]

The Chev killed me weighing in at 8500 pounds and a tiny payload, hardpass.

 

[Scorpio3d]

I have talked about this before on other posts! I am not familiar with the specific route through Mississippi. I live in Texas and I purchased my lightning from Upper Marlboro Ford in Maryland and drove it to Georgia (South of Atlanta) to pick up some equipment and then across the Southwest to home (Dallas area) so in total it was about 1500 miles. I had no problems and this was my first EV so it was quite a learning experience as far as charging. I love this truck! It is truly a truck! It can do everything better than an ICE truck in my opinion.(yes, you have to stop and charge more often than you would in an ICE truck and it takes a little longer but honestly, on my journey, I was ready for a bathroom and snack break when I needed to charge anyway). I think the GM is somewhat smaller more like the size of the Rivian? -Not 100% sure as I have seen zero of them? The Lightning is not cheap, but it is really not much more expensive than the equivalent ICE F150 especially if you charge at home and calculate the fuel savings versus ICE and I don’t think you can beat it at the price point! (of course I did get a hell of a deal With the factory rebate dealer, discount and tax credit)

 

[Gullwing]

This.

It may not be best in every category, but I feel it offers the most as a whole.

I think this sums up my thoughts on the truck. I need to use it as a truck, no way a 21 bale cube of hay is fitting in a Rivian or a Hummer, and possibly not a Cybertruck. I agree with others on the Silverado, but with a $95k price tag? If at the same price point it'd be a much closer call.

 

[p52Ranch]

I think the Lightning is a unique truck. It is the only one that hides amongst all the other F-150’s out there. All of the other electric trucks are readily identifiable as EV’s.

This is great for anonymity which I like. I think it holds back many potential purchasers who want everyone to know they are driving an EV.

The lower range of the Lightning will also be a turn off for folks who think that extra range is a necessity.

 

[BarryGoyette]

Charging has not charged as significantly as you are assuming, and I've been traveling in SE. I respect all opinions, but you are CA and the SE is not the same. If I lived in CA no problem, but you start road tripping AL, TN, VA, GA, MS and you will learn.

BTW I'm not giving up on my Lightning, with current options available I'd still buy it. I have 8 year 100k warranty on the entire truck and will drive it awhile.

I get that you live in an area with less charging. Of course you also live in an area where everyone brags about their .06/kw home elec costs. Regardless, available chargers have increased massively this year.. even along your route. I’m quite certain charger density is dictated by the amount of ev ownership. The companies doing it have to make a profit on it, and that’s difficult if the installed base of ev’s is small. Is it the onus of those companies To seed capacity to increase ownership? Dunno, but perhaps communicating with your state government. Just like California isn’t everywhere, neither is the southeast. We have lots of chargers because we have lots of ev’s — you don’t because you don’t.

 

[swajames]

I think the Lightning holds up remarkably well. There's nothing missing that I need, there's nothing I need that any other truck has that mine doesn't, it's well built and it delivers on pretty much everything I care about.

I placed a Cybertruck reservation on launch day in November 2019 and was offered one of the first Foundation Series slots. I did place an order, for a dual motor CT, and then later canceled after deciding there was nothing about it I liked better than my Lightning.

I hope Ford does a better job with software rollouts, I'd love to see some extra charge speed or extra battery capacity get released via a future software update, and I'd love to see Ford offer a factory performance upgrade via software update. But overall this is still an excellent truck and it totally holds up against everything else out there IMO.

 

[Jseis]

Last Sept. I drove from the coast to Great Falls, stopped at the Ellensburg Taco Bell (EA site) and chatted with a Rivian owner charging at the adjacent stall. He commented that “He really liked the LT but living on the Eastside meant a lot of in town traffic driving and the Rivian, being a tad smaller was much easier at navigating city streets. The Maverick just proves how desirable small trucks and clearly the public wants price & utility (my AWD V8 ST Adrenalin was a great small truck too, just put a lot of miles on it). The LT is as big as my ‘99 F250 SD 7.3 stick! Big trucks awkwardly fit in modern garages too.

 

[Gullwing]

I think the Lightning is a unique truck. It is the only one that hides amongst all the other F-150’s out there. All of the other electric trucks are readily identifiable as EV’s.

This is great for anonymity which I like. I think it holds back many potential purchasers who want everyone to know they are driving an EV.

The lower range of the Lightning will also be a turn off for folks who think that extra range is a necessity.

I've seen a few comments about range and the Lightning. Is that just in comparison to the competition or is real-world range on the Lightning not good which is a negative?

 

[JRT]

Range is fine until it's not. Most weeks are no issue, goto work go home charge, then road trip beyond out and back range things get needlessly complected compared to ICE.

 

[sotek2345]

The performance enthusiast in me wishes that the Rivian would fit my needs as I really like how they drive and love the acceleration of the quad motor setup, however the bed just isn't big enough for what I use it for.

Out of everything currently offered - I would still chose the Lightning.

 

[LightningStrike]

Went from GM and RAM diesel pickups to a Lightning….the only thing I miss [NOT] are the weekly $200 diesel fillups. Went to a gas station a month ago to get some gas for the pressure washer….couldn't remember how to work the pump….how quickly you forget some stuff…

Have driven the Lightning 2,765 miles and only spent $65.26 for electricity…

It‘s a truck - it’s more than capable of doing truck stuff!

Sponsored