Ford F-150 Lightning: What to know about the EV that beat Tesla Cybertruck to market

The electric version of Ford’s iconic F-150 truck, the F-150 Lightning, has made its first sale in Standish, Michigan, beating the world’s top electric vehicle seller, Tesla’s Cybertruck.

Ford’s F-Series has been America’s best-selling vehicle for 40 years running. In good years, the sales of F-Series trucks have been around 900,000, generating more than $40 billion in revenue.

Nicholas Schmidt, the chief technology officer of a grid optimization startup, became the first owner of the F-150 Lightning. Schmidt told Bloomberg that he would replace his gas-powered F-150 with the Lightning. 

The irony here is that Schmidt is a Tesla Model 3 owner who had paid a deposit for a Tesla Cybertruck.

Tesla announced the Cybertruck in 2019, the same year Ford announced The F-150 Lightning. While Tesla has been dealing with delays, CEO Elon Musk hinted that the electric truck will be ready for manufacturing later this year and hopefully be available in 2023 at the opening ceremony at Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory.

How much will the electric F-150 Lightning cost?

The two companies price their respective electric trucks in different ranges. Ford F-150 Lightning’s prices start from $40,000 for entry-level, F-150 Lightning Pro, $52,974 for the XLT, $67,474 for Lariat, and $90,000-plus for the tricked-out, F-150 Lightning Platinum.

While Musk previously said that Cybertruck could cost a million dollars, the cost of the Cybertruck is $39,900 for a single-motor model, $49,900 for a double-motor upgrade, and for a super-powerful, triple-motor at $69,900.

But when it comes to the competition on performance, we have witnessed a Cybertruck pulling a gas-powered Ford F-150 uphill. 

Tesla also has the edge on payload capacity, claiming 3,500 pounds (1,587 kg) of maximum payload for all three versions of the Cybertruck. In comparison, Ford offers only 2,000 pounds (907 kg) with its Standard Range trucks and 1,800 pounds (816 kg) for Extended Range models.

How long will F-150 Lightning last?

When it comes to range, Tesla beats Ford fair and square. The entry-level F-150 Lightning offers 230 miles (370 km) of range, while the extended-range model offers 280-300 miles (450-480 km), depending on trim. 

On the other hand, Cybertruck's entry-level model offers 250 miles (400 km) of range for the same price, the dual-motor model offers up to 300 miles (480 km), and the tri-motor model offers over 500 miles (800 km) of range. 

How fast can the Ford F-150 Lightning charge?

The F-150 Lightning has to charge speeds up to 150 kW, and its battery goes from 15 percent to 80 percent in roughly 45 minutes. But combined with the short-range it offers, long-distance travel will require more charging stops.

The F-150 Lightning uses a Combined Charging System (CCS), allowing standard and direct current (DC) fast charging. While owners can charge the truck almost anywhere, except for a Tesla supercharger, Ford also has a deal with Electrify America, called the Ford Blue Oval Charging Network, which features more than 70,000 stations around North America.

While the competition between those long-awaited electric trucks excites us, we are curious about Tesla’s next move to compensate for this defeat.