How Long Does It Take to Charge the Ford F-150 Lightning vs the Competition
How long does it take to charge the F-150 Lightning on a road trip? Less time than you'd think.
Ford
has unleashed the F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup truck upon the world. With a range of up to 320 miles when properly equipped, the Lightning can go far enough for most drivers' daily needs.But if you want to go farther, you'll have to
charge on the move
. How fast can the Lightning charge on a road trip?Charging on the go
As
The Fast Lane EV
demonstrated in its video, the F-150 Lightning can use DC fast chargers while on the road. Ford has noted that the Lightning Extended Range can recharge from 15 percent to 80 percent in just over 40 minutes, while models equipped with the standard range battery will do the same in about 45 minutes.
On a trip from Detroit to Colorado, the Fast Lane's drivers note that they're averaging about 2 miles per kWh at about 70 mph in rainy weather.
Using an Electrify America fast charging station along the way, the crew charges their extended-range Lightning from 50 percent battery to 63 percent after a few minutes, while the truck indicates it can reach 90 percent charge in another 30 minutes.
The video makers were impressed by the energy the Lightning was drawing since the truck indicated it was accepting 170 kW, which is 20 more than the 150 kW that Ford said it can normally accept.
That's still a little slow, though?
Well, yeah, but it's an electric vehicle. Until they introduce universal swappable batteries, automakers are beholden to the limits of contemporary technology.
While 30 to 45 minutes sounds like a long time to charge compared to the handful of minutes it takes to fill up your gas-powered truck, it gives you ample time to stop for a break on a road trip. As
InsideEVs
notes, it's plenty of time to chill out for a meal at a restaurant.But what this real-world test does show, however, is that it won't take hours upon hours for you to charge your truck every time you stop on your road trip (granted you are using a DC fast charger).
For the savings in fuel costs you get with an electric vehicle, it's likely worth the less-than-an-hour wait to charge.
Ford's electric mealticket
The
F-150 Lightning
is Ford's first electric pickup truck, as well as the first electric pickup truck to market from a large automaker (sorry, Rivian). The Lightning has two battery options—the standard 98 kWh battery produces 452 hp, while the extended 131 kWh battery makes 580 hp.Both options are capable of producing 775 lb. ft of torque, making it a truly capable full-size pickup.
It also boasts a max payload of 2,000 lbs on models equipped with the standard-range battery and a max conventional towing capacity of 10,000 lbs for properly equipped XLT and Lariat models.
Its driving range varies per trim level and battery pack, but it can get between 230 and 320 miles depending on equipment choice.
Are you sold yet? If so, you should be aware that F-150 Lightnings are fetching high markups at some dealerships. If you want to save, do it elsewhere by shopping for insurance coverage with
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