What’s your exit plan for the truck?

[MurphysLaww]

I’m curious what your thoughts are for when you plan to trade or sell the truck?

Drive it till the wheels fall off?

Trade at 100k miles, when the warranty is done?

Trade in at 90k miles?

I’m just learning about the front end of buying/living with an EV, but I don’t know what folks are doing on the back end.

Is there “best time” to move onto another?

I’d rather not be buying a new vehicle every few years.

Last truck we'll ever buy.

Built a Solar charging system for it, and have mobilized it, and will be towing an overlanding car-carrier/camper with 4kW of solar on the top of it soon all over the country. Slowly, obviously... but, essentially for free, with very limited additional expense. We may beef up the system to get it to 24amp charging, but that will be it. Over the years I expect to turn it into the ultimate overlander.

The charging system is $500 into paying for itself, and is also running a mini-split cooling/heating the garage as well, enhancing my man-cave.

using this calculator and comparing the lightning to a raptor, similar power, cost:

https://nm.chooseev.com/savings/

We'll take our $2k saved per year, and we'll be at a $60k truck in 10 years in fuel savings alone.

Keeping our fingers crossed on the maintenance, and will be learning how to do major maintenance ourselves as parts/battery modules become available. I do all the work on our solar, so I have a bit of experience already. The Audi that is my avatar is a Tdi, Eurowise, lifted, Audi Q7, I did myself, and I race cars, so have a lot of suspension/fab experience as well.

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[2wheeltraveler]

Ideally I'll hold until either the extended warranty is running out ('22 with 32k miles)

Wife plans to get the Scout SUV which will scratch the new car itch (replacing 2015 Jeep GC Diesel).

Reasons I'd keep longer: Factory upgrade to higher voltage charging system and/or longer range battery using newer tech (highly unlikely, but a boy can dream...).

Reasons I'd exit sooner: Reliability and/or tow range dropping below 75 miles due to degradation.

 

[NAVEWO]

I'm 68 and retired. Only have a little under 5k on my 2023 Lariat delivered in May 2023. I usually plan to keep a vehicle 10 years but kept my 2008 Toyota Highlander for 13 years. My current plan is to keep the Lightning at least 10 years then evaluate my health and the truck and the market at that point. Assuming I continue to live in Arizona...I don't think rust will be a problem.

 

[Jseis]

My 2022 Lightning, hope to drive it for 10 years, strategic plan calls for one more NEW vehicle, then drive that until it's wheels fall off or I punch the time clock of eternity.

The reason I agree is that Dad punched out at 93.. drove and healthy till 92, despite three near-life ending bouts with illnessed that he conquered. If the LT will operate at say 9K-11K miles a year for 20-25 years then why not? I’ve had several 220k-240k ICE vehicles as well as a gaggle of 40-50 year-old farm trucks & tractors. Parked in a somewhat heated garage.. seems possible. I’ve rebooted 10-year-old iPads and iPhones and they seem to “operate” ok save “evolved“ phone & internet access. Parents had a Maytag freezer and fridge that ran for 50 years and where given away. Most older vehicles rusted apart, led outside lives. EVs might have weak points (electrical connections corroding/cascading failure due to module failure) but maybe if we don’t abuse them they last.

 

[HaroldCal]

Wheels fall off *

I have two in service. So I may get to a point that I give my two sons a chance to each buy one as they get higher in mileage such that it would put them within their price range.

But it also depends on what the market looks like to replace them, whenever that time comes around.

 

[itdwebman]

For me, it'll be "wheels fall off."

This is the only way to go.

 

[FatmanOSU]

I plan on keeping it until "wheels fall off" . Previous vehicle was 2001 F150. This is such a step up. I also have a young one going to college in 4 years and will not have money for a long time.

 

[chrislightningnc]

I use mine as a work vehicle, reimbursement program, I plan to keep until the limits of my reimbursement program (6 model years). By then it will have easily paid for itself and there will probably be something available with better range and equal or better cost. May keep it and go to a smaller vehicle for daily use, just depends what is out there.

 

[Bokenator]

Going to drive mine for at least a decade God willing, then "convert" it at truck retirement to a mobile backup battery. The 131kW battery in the Lightning is the equivalent to 10 Tesla PowerWall+'s. Even if it loses 20% of capacity, it would still be 8 of them. Those things are about 10k each. Output is the same at 9.6kW.

 

[Eboss]

Look at the trade in value of your truck on Kelly Blue Book. We are all keeping these trucks forever.

 

[chl]

Might be a nice aftermarket opportunity to whomever can figure it out. If a company came out and said they could double/triple the charge density for 10-20k in 8-10yrs, I'd be really tempted to make the swap.

Well if AMPLE survives, one could go with a modular battery replacement/lease.
https://ample.com/

 

[Athrun88]

Well if AMPLE survives, one could go with a modular battery replacement/lease.
https://ample.com/

I'm a huge fan of modular battery swapping and hope it progresses enough to make it a safe option. Imagine not having to pay for the battery and just roll through an exchange station to swap out for a freshly charged unit. Any defective ones could be caught at the station and be flagged for recycling. Obviously the end user would have to pay for the charge/service, but would be a cool future.

 

[chl]

I'm a huge fan of modular battery swapping and hope it progresses enough to make it a safe option. Imagine not having to pay for the battery and just roll through an exchange station to swap out for a freshly charged unit. Any defective ones could be caught at the station and be flagged for recycling. Obviously the end user would have to pay for the charge/service, but would be a cool future.

Yes, me too, seems like a no brainer.
The most expensive part of the Lightning is the battery, so why not buy a truck but lease the battery?
The trucks would be 50% or more less expensive.
The battery owner can assume the risk of failure, degradation over time, etc.
Perfect for businesses with fleets of EVs.

 

[jetfixr1]

Sorry for your loss. I was shocked at how fast the Lightning was when I bought it given its size and weight. It's a half second faster than our Ioniq 5 AWD 0-60 and the Ioniq seems plenty fast. It certainly could cause a lot of carnage in the hands an immature kid, especially since they usually have one hand on the wheel and the other on their phone.

Do our Lightnings have the ability to dial down the power in the settings like some other cars? If not, Ford should certainly add that and the ability to control it through the app.

Personally I would never let a kid drive my Lightning even if just going to the grocery store.

Ive always said this. My Lightning is quicker than my camaro. Letting a kid, or an inexperienced person drive this truck is just asking for trouble.

 

[user-name-required]

Usually only keep vehicles two years and sell them while still under warranty. Won't do that with our Lightning as its value has tanked more than any vehicle we have ever owned.

You only keep brand new vehicles for 2 years as a general M.O?

To each their own of course, but electric or not, you are taking an absolute beating then on value then as that is the absolute steepest part of the depreciation curve

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