Is the Electric Ford F-150 Really Better Than the Original?
Is the electric Ford F-150 Lightning better than its gas-powered counterparts? Short answer: Yeah.
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
When
Ford
conceived the electric F-150 Lightning, did it intend to make it better than any gas-powered F-150 that came before it? If its performance numbers and customer hype
are any indication, they'll probably say "yes, absolutely."Is the electric F-150 really a better Ford F-150?
The electric Ford F-150 Lightning seems to make for a better F-150 in general. The F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for nearly half a century, so when Ford decided to electrify its most popular truck, it set it up to either be its greatest success—or a most bitter disappointment.
Edmunds
also detailed how even the most basic F-150 Lightning still has better performance figures than the gas-powered, performance-oriented F-150 Raptor. Starting at around $41,000, the F-150 Lightning with a standard-range battery pack and dual-motor setup can produce up to 452 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque—already more than any other F-150 currently offered by Ford.That includes the Raptor, which makes 450 horsepower and a paltry-by-comparison 625 lb.-ft. of torque at a starting price of $69,525—nearly $29,000 more than the base F-150 Lightning.
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How does the Ford F-150 Lightning drive?
Edmunds' reviewers said the F-150 Lightning with the extended-range battery is a blast to drive, delivering instant torque for a fast yet more comfortable ride than the Raptor. It's an everyday truck, the publication notes, not a sporty one—and that's great.
Because it uses one-pedal driving, the electric motor can regain some of the energy produced through regenerative braking. The publication notes that this feels a lot like traditional engine braking and that most drivers will rarely use the brake pedal during normal driving.
Better handling
Ford also introduced an independent rear suspension for the F-150 Lightning, making the ride more comfortable and improving its handling by getting rid of the bobbing motion that normal F-150 models would experience.
It's not a luxury SUV, but it can pull its weight in a long-distance drive, the publication notes.
More storage
While the interior doesn't innovate much on the standard F-150's cabin—it's essentially an F-150 SuperCrew with a 5.5-foot bed—it offers more storage in its water-resistant front truck, which replaces the space previously occupied by the traditional gas-powered engine.
This will give drivers about 14 cubic feet of extra space to store whatever they need to keep dry without having to sacrifice cabin storage space or risk having something fly out of the bed if they don't have a tonneau cover.
Lack of public charging could cause problems for the Ford F-150 Lightning
What Edmunds calls the biggest elephant in the room for the F-150 Lightning—and EVs in general, really—is the state of charging infrastructure in the U.S. While home systems are sufficient for most Americans' driving needs, the network of fast chargers available in public places is less than sufficient if automakers hope to make EV chargers as ubiquitous as gas stations.
And that lack of public chargers could be an issue for F-150 Lightning owners in particular; despite undergoing torturous towing tests, Ford has yet to release range figures for owners hoping to haul and tow on the reg.
If tests of the Rivian R1T are any indicator, they can expect much less range when hauling trailers. That means unless there's an adequate number of fast chargers between you and your destination, you may want to stay relatively local if you need to carry something heavy.
4.7
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