Limited Lightning Tow Range

[navi]

Per the lightning article... 300 mile range assuming cut in half while towing ends up around 150 miles. While I was excited about the potentials for this truck, it seems for my purposes the tow range makes it unworkable.

https://webcache.googleusercontent....ning-200000971.html+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

563 horsepower and 775 ft lbs of near-instantaneous torque is impressive though

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[navi]

Looks like the cache was removed as well...

Although their popularity has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade, EVs haven’t gone mainstream just yet, accounting for just 1.8 percent of US car sales last year. But their time may have finally be upon us thanks to Ford and the new F-150 Lightning.

A day after it made a cameo during President Joe Biden’s visit to the automaker’s Dearborn, Michigan manufacturing plant, the eagerly anticipated, all-electric pickup made its official debut during a live stream event on Wednesday evening. The truck isn’t just a big deal because it’s a high-profile EV from one of the world’s biggest automakers, it’s also a battery-powered version of the most popular vehicle in America.

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Following in the footsteps of the Mustang Mach-E (and the E-Transit van) before it, the Lightning takes one of Ford’s most beloved nameplates and turns it into a completely electric vehicle. Unlike the Mach-E, though, which is a crossover SUV rather than a muscle car, the Lightning is a straight-up F-150 pickup, just without any emissions.

“For both Ford and the American auto industry, F-150 Lightning represents a defining moment as we progress toward a zero-emissions, digitally connected future,” Bill Ford, the automaker’s executive chair, said in a statement. “F-Series is America’s best-selling truck for 44 years, the backbone of work across the country, and a trusted icon for generations of customers. Now we are revolutionizing it for a new generation.”

A More Modern F150
First spied during President Biden’s Tuesday speech, the Lightning doesn’t look all that different from the current gas and hybrid F-150s. Closer inspection reveals a subtly futuristic design, though. First, there’s the more simplified grille, which is bordered by a striking LED lightbar, similar to the one seen in the rear of the vehicle. Second is a smoother, more sculpted exterior, which Ford claims makes the Lightning the most aerodynamic F-150 yet, despite retaining the gas version’s four-door SuperCrew cab and bed dimensions. Finally, the truck rides on a set of sporty, six-spoke 18-inch wheels.

Things aren’t radically different inside, either, but you will find a 12-inch instrument cluster with a customizable interface within the driver’s cockpit and a giant 15.5-inch infotainment screen in mounted on the dash. The smart SYNC 4A system promises to adapt to driver behavior and gives you access to some of the Lightning’s more forward-thinking features, like BlueCruise, which promises hands-free driving on over 100,000 miles of highway in the US and Canada. There’s also Onboard Scales, which estimates payload size and how it will affect your battery range, and Ford Pass, which provides seamless access to charging stations. The absence of a combustion engine also means you’ll have an additional 400 liters of storage space in the frunk, enough for two carry-ons and a checked bag or two full sets of golf clubs.

It’s More Powerful
The Lightning may not produce any emissions, but that doesn’t stop it from packing a punch. The all-electric truck will be powered by a dual-motor powertrain that the automaker claims will be able to produce 563 horsepower and 775 ft lbs of near-instantaneous torque. Thanks to this, the truck will be able to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in the mid-4-second range. These figures are just targets right now, but they would make the truck the most powerful F-150 model and the quickest (yes, even quicker than the popular F-150 Raptor).

Ford F-150 Lightning
Just as important as these numbers, though, are payload and towing capacity. The standard-range Lightning will be able to carry a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds, which is standard for a base F-150. When equipped with an extended-range battery and the Max Tow Package, the truck will be able to tow a staggering 10,000 pounds, which makes it one of the strongest F-150 based on 2021 model technical specs. That number would put it on par with the dual-motor Tesla Cybertruck, too.

When it’s not towing anything, Ford targets a 230-mile range for the standard Lightning and a range of 300 miles for the extended-range model. You’ll also be able to use the truck’s lithium-ion battery—the size of which has not yet been revealed—to charge power tools and as a generator. That’s something that F-150 Hybrid owners in Texas learned can be a godsend in times of need. Topping up the truck at home should also be a breeze thanks to an included 80-amp charging station that can add an average of 30 miles of range per hour and fully charge the truck from 15 to 100 percent in roughly eight hours. On the road, you’ll be able to add 54 miles in 10 minutes using a DC fast charger, and go from a 15- to 80-percent charge in about 40 minutes.

Ford F-150 Lightning
It Can Everything Your Old F150 Can Do—and More
Don’t get it twisted. This is not a more precious F150. Like it’s gas-powered sibling, the Lightning will be a brute that can take a beating. The EV’s two in-board motors are placed on each axle, making four-wheel-drive standard. The 4×4 system includes four different drive modes, too: normal, sport, off road and tow/haul. Thanks to this, you should be able to use the Lightning for almost any task you can think of.

The battery-powered truck features a military-grade aluminum alloy body and a special reinforced frame, specifically designed to support its advance battery tech. There’s also unique underbody protection to further protect the battery. The Lightning is also the first F-Series truck to include an independent rear suspension, which will improve handling on the road and reduce steering roll.

Ford F-150 Lightning
How Much It Will Cost and When Can I Buy One?
Although an official date has yet to be announced, the F-150 Lightning is expected to arrive in dealerships during the middle of next year. The automaker did announce that the standard-range model will start at $39,974, before any federal or state tax credits, while pricing for the mid-range model begins at $52,974. We’re still waiting for more info on different trim levels or a launch edition, so don’t be surprised if it ends up costing a bit more when it first goes on sale.

Still, the figures quoted by Ford are less than the launch prices for the Lightning’s principal competitors, the GMC Hummer EV (the Edition 1 will start at $112,595) and the Cybertruck (which will initially be available for $69,900). It appears that, even in the electric era, Ford has no plans to relinquish the highest-selling truck title without a fight.

 

[docprego]

Tow range is my concern as well. I don't know if this is just marketing exaggeration but look at this image from Ford's Charging on the Go video:

It shows a range of 240 miles and in the very next frame shows this:

 

[petemill]

Tow range is my concern as well. I don't know if this is just marketing exaggeration but look at this image from Ford's Charging on the Go video:

It shows a range of 240 miles and in the very next frame shows this:

Almost definitely just a mockup - 240 mile range at 80% charge is exactly 300 miles, their current range target. It’ll be more precise than that (I didn’t say accurate!).

 

[docprego]

Almost definitely just a mockup - 240 mile range at 80% charge is exactly 300 miles, their current range target. It’ll be more precise than that (I didn’t say accurate!).

Makes perfect sense. The towing range is a huge barrier to ownership on this one for me. If it's in the neighborhood of 200, it might be workable. But I highly doubt it.

 

[Philly]

Just put a reservation in for one.... my biggest concern is range as well, and then charge time. Not that I truly need the range day to day, but if I am going to tow a boat from metro Detroit up to Torch Lake (roughly 200 miles) over the summer it would be nice to not worry about it.

 

[navi]

Agreed, I would want 200 minimum but that seems unlikely. It seems that the Powerboost is the better platform for towing and power generation. Just wish there was more payload on it...

 

[Twilighthan]

I heard the story by a trailer manufacturer that people would show up with their Tesla and take home their trailer but didn't know their battery availability would be cut in half, so if they were farther away that 100 miles, it would take them forever to get home. And that's with a mostly empty trailer.

I had signed up for a tri-motor Tesla truck on announcement. It's supposed to have 500+ miles range. That should help us with our business with no issues. I just wish Tesla will at as a powerstation like the Ford Lightning does. It'll make a world of difference.

 

[navi]

I'm a bit torn too between the Cybertruck (day 1 tri-motor reservation) which we know nothing more about since 2019 or going through with a Powerboost order which checks a lot of boxes minus the terrible payload...

 

[Theo1000]

If you drive it carefully on (read under 55 mph) without a uphill climb I bet you can get 200 miles. But most folks won't want to so this won't be for most folks. The tech is not there yet.

But on the other hand, you transmission cooler won't fail in the middle of TN, you mass air flow sensor won't conk out in Colorado, your throttle body won't jam driving home from WM, your gas tank won't fall off in Topeka when the straps corrode, your transmission won't fail , twice, before you hit 150,000 miles, your timing belt won't need replacement, no coolant flushes, your O2 sensors won't die every 3 years, your fuel pump won't fail after you get some dodgy gas at a rural station, your spark plugs won,t need changing, your exhaust manifold won't crack, your engine belt won't snap in the middle of no where requiring limp home, your coolant pump won't need to be replaced 2 weeks after you replaced the timing belt, you emissions control vacuum hose won't fail, never have to do an oil change or coolant flush where the stealer says your truck needs 7 quarts so we are going to charge $170...

These are just some of the greatest hits from my trucks over the past few years. So I will be glad to move on from my ICE.

 

[Sam James]

If you drive it carefully on (read under 55 mph) without a uphill climb I bet you can get 200 miles. But most folks won't want to so this won't be for most folks. The tech is not there yet.

This is what I’m counting on. We tend to enjoy camping in NW Arkansas and 200 miles will be plenty. Those mountain roads are fun to drive at about 55.

Btw, looking at the charging map on the Ford website shows basically nothing between Springfield, MO and anywhere we’d want to go... until you cross into Arkansas. How the hell are they doing so much better??

 

[wayfarer556]

I seriously expect the aftermarket do develop something like an 80 amp generator you can put into the bed of the truck as a "range extender" to help plug the gap in towing distance and also provide some peace of mind.

 

[Bugs66]

I seriously expect the aftermarket do develop something like an 80 amp generator you can put into the bed of the truck as a "range extender" to help plug the gap in towing distance and also provide some peace of mind.

I started thinking about this right away. I fully expect this and DIY options also. The CyberTruck had plans for solar roof/bed cover. Imagine all the possibilities for the Lightning.

 

[Griddlez]

I don't think comparing the Lightning to any existing EV towing a trailer is fair. The air drag difference between a super efficient/current EV towing vs a truck-brick that already has the consideration it's a brick factored into it's 300 mile range... can't really be comparable, can it?

 

[daemonic3]

It is one issue that the range may be cut to <150 miles, but I would ALSO worry about when you find that charging station, how the hell do you get into the spaces without unhitching? You may be double disadvantaged in that you have to 1) get to a charge station and dedicate up to an hour, and 2) find a way to unhitch safely in a lot or side street, drive to the charger, wait, and hitch up again.

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