When Ford introduced the F-150 Lightning, no one could believe that such a vehicle really existed. The overall design didn’t change, and there was no radical departure from its overall functionality. Customers loved how familiar they were with an F-150, only electrified. There was even a bit of a fight between Ford CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk over which company would be the first to bring its all-electric pickup truck to market. Spoiler alert: Ford won.
Meet The F-150 Lightning
The F-150 Lightning features dual-emotors with all-wheel drive and comes in two different flavors: a standard range and an extended range battery pack. The standard range Lightning has a 98 kWh battery that produces 452 horsepower and 755 lb-ft of torque, while the extended range models have a 131 kWh battery with 580 horsepower and 775 torque.
Trims, Pricing, And Range
Customers can choose from four different trim levels: XLT, Flash, Lariat, and Platinum. The base trim starts at just $65,090, with the top-line Platinum starting from $88,085. The XLT and Flash trim levels have a driving range of 240 miles, while the Lariat has 320 miles, and the Platinum can drive 300 miles.
Meet The Tesla
The Tesla Cybertruck is the latest hotness that everyone’s talking about. However, how does it really stack up? With such an odd and unique design, are customers able to utilize the Cybertruck as a real truck? Buyers who have recently gotten their trucks have received the Foundation series, which features a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup with 600 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque. Stepping up to the Beast trim gets you a tri-motor Cybertruck with 834 horsepower and 740 lb-ft of torque.
Towing Capacity, Range, And Price
Tesla says the truck can tow a maximum of 11,000 lbs. However, there have been reports of people being frustrated when towing with the Cybertruck due to the range being exhausted very quickly. Many owners have also remarked on how easy it is to mark up the stainless steel panels. Some have stated that it isn’t a serious truck but more of a vehicle that can do light-duty truck things from time to time. The two trim levels are able to achieve 318 and 301 miles of driving range, respectively. Dual motor Cybertrucks have a base price of $99,990, while the Beast has a base MSRP of $119.900.
A Tale of Two Frunks
The Tesla’s bed length is slightly longer at 6 feet compared to 5’5” on the Lightning. However, because of the odd way the Cybertruck’s bed is shaped, they can both hold about the same amount of stuff. The Ford really shows how brilliant it was to turn a standard gas-powered vehicle into a dedicated EV when you get to the frunk. A space that once held an entire engine is now free to give owners 14.1 cu.ft. of space, the same space as a small or midsize sedan’s trunk. In fact, that is actually bigger than the 12.6 cu.ft. of trunk space in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The Tesla only gives customers 7.1 cu.ft.
A BIG Price Difference
The Tesla Cybertruck can tow 1,000 lbs more, but the Ford is a lot less expensive. Without any options, the base model Tesla is nearly $35,000 more expensive than the base XLT F-150 Lightning. Even when talking about the top-of-the-line Platinum, it still is a savings of almost $12,000. Oh, and the Lightning can use Tesla Superchargers with an adapter.
Edmunds Compared The Ford And The Tesla
In a recent test by Edmunds.com that compared the Ford, Tesla, and the Rivian R1T, the team voted the F-150 as the best of all EV trucks and said that in the comparison, it is by far the best at being a pickup with truck usability. That’s precisely why Ben Westby chose the Lightning to own while living off the grid with his family. With 9.6 kW of Ford Pro Power Onboard, owners can easily charge lawnmower batteries, use power tools, operate a mobile business, or even just have fun tailgating with the knowledge that you can power it all from your truck and then drive home afterward.
Ford Blue Cruise Doesn’t Lie
Where Tesla has gotten in trouble is the marketing around FSD, or Full Self Driving. The claim that the vehicles are self-driving has proven false, and the company has had to change how it defines the feature. Ford, on the other hand, has had great success with Blue Cruise, their hands-free advanced driver assistance system. With over 130,000 miles of roads mapped around the United States, buyers who were skeptical of taking their hands off the steering wheel are now full believers. Driving in traffic and on the highway has never been easier to live with.
At Benna Ford, we offer our customers some of the best prices and services. With more than 100 new and used vehicles to choose from, our outstanding sales team and finance department will work hard to make sure you drive away happy. Our fantastic service department will take care of your new-to-you vehicle as if it were their own.
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