Would a F150 Flash work for me, or should I wait?

[topher10]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post and I am seeking advice on purchasing an electric truck. My current vehicles are a 20-year-old Miata (daily driver, keeping it) and my wife's newish SUV (road trips). My son drives a 2012 F150, but he has moved out of the house, so it's less convenient to use, plus it's starting to wear out. I am considering an EV truck for practicality, power, frunk, and tech. I also scuba dive, so having the truck would be nice for dive trips and wet gear, but here again there are some range concerns for long road trips.

Key consideration: I need to reach my family farm 200 miles away without local chargers. The nearest EA charger is 50 miles from home (so 150 miles on return). A Supercharger is halfway at 100 miles, but it seems not to support non-Tesla charging. The Lightning's range won't work for a 400-mile round trip, but a Silverado/Sierra EV might make it. Or I could install a charger at the farm (it has a newly built house) for overnight charging, though rural electrician availability is a concern.

I'm leaning toward the F150 Flash (aesthetics, price, free charger, 0% financing). Silverado's looks don't appeal to me, the Sierra is too new and expensive, and the Rivian seems nice but too expensive and the nearest service center is 5 hours away. The only issue is battery/range. I am in no rush and can happily wait until something better comes along, or I perhaps snag something at a reasonable price.

Plan:

• In December, contact all Ford dealers within 200 miles and indicate my interest in an F150 Flash for $55K. Do you think I will get any bites?
• If unsuccessful, wait for the end of 2025 model cycle, and repeat including the equivalent Sierra trim
• Wait for a potential Ford T3 or other options with better range. In other words, conceded that EV trucks are either too expensive or too impractical at this time.

Despite the steep depreciation curve, EV tax credit, 0% financing, and included charger make new purchases more attractive than used ones.

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[Quibbs]

If it were me I would get a Lightning (extended range) and install a charger at the farm assuming you can find an electrician. Otherwise it won't really work in a convenient way.
You could get the a GM or Chevy truck EV. Those should make it based on all the road test I've seen of those vehicles. There are lots of range test videos on Youtube you can watch.
I would not get a Rivian. I had a LE and it's the only vehicle in my life I sold due to how bad the service was. I've owned several dozen cars and this was the worst. It may have improved by now but it wasn't a great experience.

My .02

 

[RickLightning]

If you want a more accurate answer, supply the departing and destination cities and someone can look at the route.

It's highly unlikely that you can't support a level 2 charger at the farmhouse, and most electricians install 14-50 outlets (industrial outlet) without blinking an eye.

Your search strategy is very dated. December (year end) doesn't mean all the dealers are desperate to get rid of vehicles.

The utility at the farm may sell discounted chargers, or provide a rebate. There is also a 30% tax credit, location dependent, on the wiring and purchase of the charger.

The "free charger and installation" instead of $2,000 may or may not be a good idea for you.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Think of charging at home while the truck is parked and Your calculations amd Your choices will greatly expand.

FYI it is also possible or potentially probable that with some creativity You can overnight-charge at the other end as well. Electricity is everywhere and our vehicles tend to be parked (meaning "parked and AC charging") for the majority of their time.

Good Luck!

 

[Mach Turtle]

I'd recommend the Lightning Flash for value, or the big GM if you're made of money, if and only if you can get a level 2 charger at your farmhouse...and if and only if you're willing to put up with a few problems along the way, `cause {life} happens. We've dealt with waiting in line for chargers, getting stuck at the slow one, etc. occasionally but things have improved for us a lot during the last year or so. Totally worth it overall.

A look at Plugshare for Louisiana shows that DC fast chargers aren't very common there yet, though this seems to be changing for the better. But if you have Level 2 chargers at each end and stay overnight as suggested above, you can forget the public chargers, save time and money, and have the best possible trip. This is what we've been doing when visiting family 165 miles from my home in our short range vehicles, and we're really happy with that solution. We have permission to plug into their dryer socket with a cheap 16 amp portable charger.

Hope it works out well for you.

 

[21st Century Truck]

We are gasoline - trained over our lifetimes to think of "filling up" as filling a nearly empty bottle (i.e. a tank or battery) with "fluid".

I have found that a more practical way to think of our EV cars is to "harvest juice whenever the car is standing still", if at all possible. Then, even if the harvesting is at a 120V receptacle, the calculation and our mental process changes from "filling the bottle" to "might as well add a bit of juice for literally pennies at an AC receptacle because the vehicle isn't doing anything anyway while parked".

It also changes our time calculation from mentally being sensitive to "gas station time" to starting to notice the "parked while doing nothing" time. For EV usage, that second way of beginning to see our vehicles just sitting there parked, becomes a bit more useful and important.

 

[Henry Ford]

A charger at your farmhouse solves your problem relatively easily. A newly built house will have the infrastructure to support one.

Go drive all of the trucks you are interested in. If you've driven your son's 2012 F150 you'll recognize a Lightning. It's a quiet F150 that rides better and accelerates faster. Technology has improved a bit since 2012 too.

 

[topher10]

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice. It is very much appreciated. I though I would supply some additional information and ask for additional input.

1. I am in Baton Rouge, and Utica MS is the closest town to where the farm/land is. Its interstate almost the entire way. I searched EA and Tesla, but I am not familiar with other options. I saw chargers in Hammond (EA) and McComb (Tesla, but does support non-Tesla). There are likely options in Jackson, but that would be well over an hour out of the way.

2. The farmhouse is new and modern (washer/dryer). I think its 5 years old. I could possibly just charge it with 120V, but we often go on weekend trips (Friday night to Sunday afternoon), and I am not sure there is enough time for 120V charging. I think installing Level 2 for overnight would be safest. We have another location to we sometimes camp, and there is no power anywhere. I would have to get to the campsite with whatever was left after 200 miles of interstate travel, camp for 2-3 days, and then go to the farm and charge for many hours before being able to make it home.

3. Somewhat related. We also like to drive from Baton Rouge to Panama City for diving and the beach. That is a 5-6hr trip. I have checked, and there are chargers on the way, but I simply worry that the limited range of the Lightning will extend the travel time to a point where we would not want to take it. I recognize you somewhat adopt the "EV lifestyle", and I also recognize such as trip is only a few times a year. I just have to sell this choice to my wife, as she is unsure whether an EV is the best choice.

4. Does anyone have thoughts on when to shop for 2024 Flash fort the best deals? It was pointed out above that December might not be the correct time, or maybe I misunderstood that post. Louisiana is not particularly "EV interested," so I wonder if/when dealers might most likely offer substantial discounts to move 2024 models. Maybe I am being naive by even asking.

I very much appreciate the feedback. It helps to think things through with people who have direct experience.

 

[The Weatherman]

Depending on your driving habits and the weather. The one way to your farm is doable in an ER Flash. A 48Amp 240V level two charger should be good enough to get you set for the return.

I really like the 2022 ER Lariat I have and would not swap it for anything on the market right now.

 

[RickLightning]

That route is roughly 145 - 170 miles depending on the route you take. No need for charging enroute.

There is no fast charging enroute if you directly north to Port Gibson, and over. Or if you go Northeast to Bogue Chitto and up. There is EA in Hammond as you note, and that's only 127 miles.

I'd put in a level 2 charger at the farm, you're not doing a roundtrip even to/from Hammond without cutting it close.

Baton Rouge to Panama City is 387 miles. Easily done, there are Tesla SuperChargers in D'Iberville, MS and Robertsdale, AL. Drive 2:07, charge for 5 min to gain 10%, drive for 1:13, charge for 30 min to 70%, arrive with 10%. 5:54 driving, 35 min charging. Panama City has FPL cheap fast charging.

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