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The Verge: Ford F-150 Lightning review (EV)
- Thread starter Biosnake
- Start date
User Banned (5 Days): Hostility over a Series of Posts; History of Hostility
i don't know bro, what's wrong with me for being frustrated at seeing my city being ruined by an increasing number of tank-sized ford raptor 4x4 cumguzzler edition, driven by high income suburbanites for pure vanity. what is wrong with me.
everytime i see one these child-annihilators my keying hand itches
as part of a family that owned a Blazer back in the 80s/90s before they seemed to just stop making them until recently, I was ecstatic to see it was just a slightly bigger Equinox and even moreso that they were making an EV model. I honestly really would like a Blazer EV.
Releasing later has its advantages. The technology is constantly evolving, and its possible they can beat their rivals on features/range/whatever for the price, and they know the numbers they need to beat.
Oh damn that's actually awesomeI haven't followed Ford and their pickups... but just now while looking into it..
They also have the Ford Maverick Hybrid for $20,000 (I don't know how they did it)
42mpg City.
You can deflate tires like a real eco-warrior if you like but I don't see what people choose to guzzle has anything to do with what they drive.
I'll be happy to see the competition. I'm hoping for a significant jump in battery tech with increased competition and R&D money.
I'm not sure EV has what it takes currently to replace the HD market as it currently stands. The diesels have large power numbers, and are quite efficient. Enormous range and capability that often make up for large cost of entry and high maintenance costs.
We could give the benefit of the doubt that drivers are going to be mature truck drivers. But, the douche levels rise too much when guys are driving trucks.
it has Android auto/Apple carplay.
Having driven one for almost a month now, 100% disagree. It's amazing. Great truck. It rides super smooth, it's very comfortable, the ventilated seats are amazing, the range is great. I have 0 complaints so far. Other than the software could be better.
I've hauled 9 sheets of plywood, 8 foam insulation boards. A bunch if 1x2 and 1x8 walnut. Much more convenient than my minivan. Never mind you can't even get 1 sheet of plywood in a minivan.
Checkout all electric family on Twitter/ YouTube. They're towing an airstream. Also was talking to a guy who's towing a 36ft 9700lbs trailer with his.
As someone who owns a 2021 Mach-E, I have to assume the tablet software/hardware for the upper end configuration is similar/the same. I do hate that there are no physical climate controls (I actually think multiple interactions with the screen, especially while driving, is risky), but honestly, as someone who uses CarPlay (and I assume the same for Android Auto), once that ecosystem connects and lights up, it doesn't matter to me that the Sync software itself is slow- climate controls react well enough once the software is running, and CarPlay takes care of the rest for me.
That's not to excuse the software at all, of course- can't wait to see what they do with Android Automotive- but I can't imagine there's a customer base for the Lightning that doesn't have an Android Auto/CarPlay enabled phone in their pocket too.
That's not to excuse the software at all, of course- can't wait to see what they do with Android Automotive- but I can't imagine there's a customer base for the Lightning that doesn't have an Android Auto/CarPlay enabled phone in their pocket too.
Will do! That is exactly the kind of apples to apples info I need. Otherwise we will be pretty limited to jumping 100ish miles a day from campground to campground, when I'd rather boondock living off of solar and just fast charge the truck here and there.
You can reinflate your tires, but you can't unsteal your lug nuts.
Because it's not a truck per-say but rather built on Ford's generalized front wheel drive corporate platform that underpins their crossovers. You lose out on a lot of towing/off-roading potential, but that's really not who this truck is marketed towards anyways.
One of my friends got one a couple months ago. It's a very smart package Ford put together and fills a market void that all auto companies abandoned. Perfect for people who want a compact truck that gets good fuel mileage, has a bed, and can handle small loads that wouldn't fit in your car.
Ram left that segment when they killed the Dakota, Ford came back with the Ranger which was still big, and the Colorado and Tacoma are huge compared to the original compact truck designs.
If I was ever in the market for an EV truck I would go for the Rivian. Much better design and a lot of thoughtful features, and the company seems passionate about the environmental impact (the CEO is vegan). Though they fall into the same trap of a giant touchscreen with few tactile controls.
View: https://youtu.be/JN9lAJ0LiLw
I think more broadly though we need to change the mentality of many Americans in middle and southern U.S. that they need to own a truck, when the vast majority of them don't. The safety issues for other drivers alone is worth getting rid of them aside from professional uses.
View: https://youtu.be/JN9lAJ0LiLw
I think more broadly though we need to change the mentality of many Americans in middle and southern U.S. that they need to own a truck, when the vast majority of them don't. The safety issues for other drivers alone is worth getting rid of them aside from professional uses.
What's the solution for actual work trucks then? Leave them gas? Force people to buy the more expensive diesel options? Subsidize the diesel versions for companies?
The issue with Rivian is they're a) more expensive and b) even more hamstrung by the current world of shortages since they don't have the pull someone like Ford does to get the parts they need. The R1T is first and foremost an adventure vehicle that sits between a Tacoma and an F-150 and at its current price, it might as well be a competitor to a Model S than an actual half ton pickup truck like the F-150 Lightning.
I mean, that's not really concerning. Someone else will buy it used and get a deal and use it for years.
Considering the markups on the Lightning I've heard about, I'm not sure the out the door price would be much different between the two.
Work trucks are an extreme minority of actual trucks though, nobody says they need to go, but they shouldn't be accommodated in general civilian infrastructure; incidentally work trucks don't need to be as large and heavy as the F150.
Extreme minority? I'd love to know what the actual figures are on that. How far does not accommodating them in civilian infrastructure extend? Work trucks generally need to access work sites which can be anything from a wind turbine to a condo under renovation. What size of truck is acceptable to work with? A mid size like a Ranger or Colorado? Those are about 90% the size of a full size with about 2/3 the towing capacity.
Going to need a citation for that. Pickup trucks like the F150 are a staple for contractors, veterinarians, farriers, landscapers, etc., as well as for people who have livestock and/or crops. There are a lot of custom options to replace beds that businesses use. It's a huge part of the industry, and I seriously doubt it's an "extreme minority".
I'd be really interested in the data as well, but I would be genuinely surprised if the majority of pick-ups in the U.S. are indeed for work. "Extreme minority" is probably an exaggeration, but those industries exist elsewhere across the world while those countries' roadways aren't filled to the brim with enormous pick-ups.
It certainly isn't the majority that are used for work, but there are literally millions of trucks on the road that are. Europe is full of work vans, and commercial vans and pickups can have similar footprints, and the global version of the Ranger and Tacoma aren't far off the North American size at all, which in turn aren't far off from a full size.
Something to keep in mind is there are differences in building materials in North America as well, and full size pickups accommodate sheet goods between the wheel wells. It can be done in smaller trucks but you need tall dunnage. Trailering works better but a lot of people are terrible at it, and site access can be poor.
This can all change of course, but it would definitely take government intervention to force industry to change.
they'll actually sell it for more than they paid for it.
paid msrp. As did the vast majority of lightning owners so far.
Have a deposit for one (Lariat Ext Range) along with two other vehicles (Hyundai Ioniq5 BEV and Lexus RX PHEV) and we're pretty much taking the first two that come in.
Honestly I hope it's the Lexus and Hyundai though as the trim we'd want for the Lightning comes to like 115k CAD and I really don't feel like dumping that on one single vehicle lol.
Would kind of limit our trailer hauling abilities but if I needed to borrow a truck to move it I could from a family member in a pinch I suppose.
Regardless, I'm never going back to an ICE-only vehicle.
Honestly I hope it's the Lexus and Hyundai though as the trim we'd want for the Lightning comes to like 115k CAD and I really don't feel like dumping that on one single vehicle lol.
Would kind of limit our trailer hauling abilities but if I needed to borrow a truck to move it I could from a family member in a pinch I suppose.
Regardless, I'm never going back to an ICE-only vehicle.
If I were in the market for one, this would be what I would buy.The XLT and Pro versions have much smaller screens, with a bunch of physical buttons underneath:
This what everyone should buy so manufacturers stop trying to push shit to a touch screen. It's bad enough that we're adjusting stuff while driving in the first place, but at least you can memorize the location for a physical button or knob and know you're doing what you want from tactile feedback.
Hopefully over the next several years we'll have some major breakthroughs in battery tech to make this and other EVs more viable and bring costs down.
I wouldn't buy a new Ford without checking the door sticker for a manufactured date to make sure it's not one of the tens of thousands of vehicles they've had sitting in lots for months rotting.
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Why trucks and not vans? Something like a transit/sprinter gives you size for full sheetrock/wood etc, shelter from the rain, protection from theft, ability to be custom fit out with shelving etc - like a little storeroom on wheels. Truck has an open bed which seems almost inferior in all regards except the ability to have long loads (which shouldn't extend beyond the cab too long for safety anyway)?
Because common folk don't buy vans, they buy SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks.
I put in an order for the Chevy Silverado EV. Despite not liking the look as much. 400 miles per charge on the base model plus several thousand cheaper was too good to pass up. The mileage Moreso though. I don't know if it'll qualify for the tax rebates though by the time it comes out. So many EV's just got removed.
yeah but why though? if you need it for work, buy a van. Why is a truck a consumer thing? I get its a nicer daily driver than a van because you maybe don't want to look like you're working. But you have no lockable trunk (except in the lightning) - just doesn't seem a practical vehicle for day to day use
Because it's fashionably utilitarian instead of just being utilitarian. You can haul shit for work or you can drive out into the wilderness, hope in the truck bed, and stargaze.
If you are loading something, you get the maneuverability of being in an open bed and the flexibility of not being bound by vertical height while also not needing to get a separate vehicle, saving both time and money.
If you're out and enjoying yourself in public, you have the space to engage and do something practical. Show in the park, pull up in reverse, hop in the back of the truck, and relax. So on and so forth.
I guess to play devil's advocate, I would argue that most work trucks hardly need to be that big too. Japanese trucks have been servicing their farming, construction and rural communities pretty well. I have a hard time understanding what North American building materials a truck like this couldn't take with it so please educate me. Personally, I hate the front grill on those F150 truck as it is a people killing design.
i have no use for one, but i would love a lightning. apart from that screen, which is ugh!
I used to drive a van for a few years in the early 90s- delivering bread and cakes it was a gutless, rusted out Toyota Lite-Ace with the rear door so rusted that the rear door opened at an intersection and all of the cakes and bread fell out all over the road. I can only imagine how ruined the cakes would have been had i had stuck a canopy on one of these to use as a delivery van.
I used to drive a van for a few years in the early 90s- delivering bread and cakes it was a gutless, rusted out Toyota Lite-Ace with the rear door so rusted that the rear door opened at an intersection and all of the cakes and bread fell out all over the road. I can only imagine how ruined the cakes would have been had i had stuck a canopy on one of these to use as a delivery van.
Depends on the way you work and what you haul. Open bed means you can haul tall loads, fuel cans, etc. A box can get pressure washed easier than a van interior. I've hauled 16' boards in the box of my truck, sticking out over the cab. Towing a trailer as your tool crib means you can drop it on site as a mini job shack (provided you can secure it on site properly).
The smaller transits are nice for smaller amounts for service type calls when you're not taking everything and the kitchen sink. I've seen quite a few painters use them. Large transits and sprinters are more common with electricians and plumbers who have a lot of fittings, and materials, but they are quite tall and catch a cross wind pretty roughly.
Because for a lot of tradespeople, your work vehicle is also your personal vehicle. I don't know many contractors at a point in their careers where they have a car for grocery trips and a truck for work, and I'm not sure that would be better for the environment anyway.
Cab over trucks like that are decent in tight areas but I assume never took off in North America because of the lack of need for it; generally a lot of space here and trucks have looked roughly like they currently do for over a hundred years. The only cab over trucks I've used for work were 3-ton diesels that needed that hauling capacity.I guess to play devil's advocate, I would argue that most work trucks hardly need to be that big too. Japanese trucks have been servicing their farming, construction and rural communities pretty well. I have a hard time understanding what North American building materials a truck like this couldn't take with it so please educate me. Personally, I hate the front grill on those F150 truck as it is a people killing design.
Trucks everywhere in USA/Canada used to be regular cabs that that held 2-3 people, but extended and then crew cabs became the norm because of what I mentioned earlier; people don't have 3 vehicle households generally, they have 1-2 vehicles. A crew cab truck is versatile enough to do that. Plus, crew cabs cab also hold an actual crew of full grown men, although it means you have to keep your hard hat on your head generally. Working out of a regular cab truck (which I've done all the way up to 5-ton class trucks) is pretty terrible, because you're looking for places to stuff extra work gear (think jackets, gloves, etc.), your hard hats, lunch boxes, etc. I've had days where I've had to sit in the middle and drive around in the middle of two people with two lunch boxes in my lap. It's shit.
Trucks have a versatility that work vans don't, but it's a horses for courses thing, hence why work vans are also extremely popular.
If what you're used to seeing is one person in an empty pickup going to a job site, or an off-hours tradey picking up a kid from school, of course you're going to think "why the hell are those things so big?" but a lot of us regularly do use our vehicles to their capacity and maintaining them and not replacing them with regularly generally is the most affordable path to take.
A cab over with a flat deck would be an option for a utility company or large construction company, etc., but many construction companies are owner-operator outfits, or owner and few employees and having a work truck and a car is just a more expensive proposition.
A big advantage of pickup trucks over vans is that the pickup bed is separate from the cab, so the bed can be replaced with something that better fits a business's needs. Vans have interior space, but pickup trucks offer much greater flexibility. The F150 Lightning is built like an ICE F150, so the bed could easily be replaced and the chassis is still compatible with ICE F150 replacements. In the future, Ford will likely begin selling Pro Lightnings without any bed at all, just like they currently do for the ICE version.
Here's one company that does that: https://www.knapheide.com/
Here's one company that does that: https://www.knapheide.com/
My Focus is a lemon with a bad paint job that started peeling after 6 years and they would not fix it or address the issue. They offered me $2000 trade-in as a "special loyalty promotion" at the 6 year mark, lol.
I had a Ford Fusion that lasted ~10 years and ~100k miles. It also was in two minor fender benders when two people had randomly drove into me at a complete stop. It had a ton of random recalls, but no major repairs. The only reason I traded it in was because I needed a bigger vehicle, but it was still running perfectly fine like the day I bought it.
Don't be too harsh on Ford. They only had 10 years since the first Tesla came out and showed how it should be done. Just give them another 20 or 30y and I bet they'll have great software. 🤞
The replacement costs of such integral screens for the dash and center display or in more and more cases, it's one combined screen that is probably freaking curved too... It's going to be very high. Cars are absolutely becoming more disposable and that is awful for the environment.