F150 Lightning

[BowDown]

Agreed that it's probably more attractive to commuters. But even there, can you imagine if you're distracted while going home and you forget to plug it back in? Or you lived in Texas this past year without electricity for a week; sorry boss, can't come into work because my battery is dead. That's why I think it sounds more workable/attractive on paper than if you actually lived with it day in and out for a year. All these little scenarios one doesn't think about until it happens and then it's like "hmm". When I need extra range for my truck I can drop a few gas cans in my bed and be on my way.

I trully think hybrids are the smarter approach for trucks; it gives everybody time to build up the tech, build up the range, the grid etc. We're decades away from a useful electric truck for many owners.

Again, disagree.
I'm going through a tank of fuel about every 8 days, 420-430 miles. I wouldn't even need to charge the truck for 3-4 days.

The only "negative" of the lighting is what you mention, camping or cross country travel but that's not the intention. Let's be real, must trucks are under utilized, especially 2500/3500's.
I see more of those lifted trucks at the gym with street worn off road tires than I see loaded as they are intended to be used, my 700 hp Z06 is more utilized than those and most trucks so I disagree completely on the lightnings limitations.

This truck at 40k entrance fee - $7500 in federal incentives that lower the price and it estimated range is going to change things significantly and I'm not a Ford fan at all

 

[silver billet]

Again, disagree.
I'm going through a tank of fuel about every 8 days, 420-430 miles. I wouldn't even need to charge the truck for 3-4 days.

The only "negative" of the lighting is what you mention, camping or cross country travel but that's not the intention. Let's be real, must trucks are under utilized, especially 2500/3500's.
I see more of those lifted trucks at the gym with street worn off road tires than I see loaded as they are intended to be used, my 700 hp Z06 is more utilized than those and most trucks so I disagree completely on the lightnings limitations.

This truck at 40k entrance fee - $7500 in federal incentives that lower the price and it estimated range is going to change things significantly and I'm not a Ford fan at all

The intention of a truck is to work it I get that you won't, and for you it's a commuter, but trucks on average are still used to do truck things. Covid has exploded the rv industry, so many more people getting into camping and longer trips.

You may see a bunch of trucks parked at the mall; doesn't mean that 10% of the life (or more) it's not also doing truck things. I see a ton of trucks pulling, hauling, getting beat to snot on the job site. This ford isn't going to do any of that. My truck is mostly a daily commuter as well, but I still need a truck to pull my trailer so just because you see it sitting in my driveway or getting groceries, doesn't mean I can replace it with an all electric.

I'm not saying that a certain percentage of people won't find the truck useful; I'm saying though that for those who want a truck to do typical truck tasks, this still will come up short.

 

[BowDown]

The intention of a truck is to work it I get that you won't, and for you it's a commuter, but trucks on average are still used to do truck things. Covid has exploded the rv industry, so many more people getting into camping and longer trips.

You may see a bunch of trucks parked at the mall; doesn't mean that 10% of the life (or more) it's not also doing truck things. I see a ton of trucks pulling, hauling, getting beat to snot on the job site. This ford isn't going to do any of that. My truck is mostly a daily commuter as well, but I still need a truck to pull my trailer so just because you see it sitting in my driveway or getting groceries, doesn't mean I can replace it with an all electric.

I'm not saying that a certain percentage of people won't find the truck useful; I'm saying though that for those who want a truck to do typical truck tasks, this still will come up short.

No, I use my truck for truck stuff but that's not everyday and I doubt most do including yourself.
I'd be willing to bet most don't use their trucks as intended on a daily basis and even those that do would likely find the lighting more than suitable for their needs, if they were honest.

Secondly, you're comment of "I see a ton of trucks pulling, hauling, getting beat to snot on the job site." isn't representative of the user's or trucks were talking about, were talking about average users with 1500's. The trucks you describe above are usually 2500's or bigger.

My truck is commuting or picking up household items but also has to work.
It hauled a trailer loaded with 2900lbs of landscaping stone a month ago and recently forty 2 or 3 cu ft bags of mulch.
That in addition to track hauler.



However, I could also do this with the new Lighting with no worries

 

[SpeedyV]

Agreed that it's probably more attractive to commuters. But even there, can you imagine if you're distracted while going home and you forget to plug it back in? Or you lived in Texas this past year without electricity for a week; sorry boss, can't come into work because my battery is dead. That's why I think it sounds more workable/attractive on paper than if you actually lived with it day in and out for a year. All these little scenarios one doesn't think about until it happens and then it's like "hmm". When I need extra range for my truck I can drop a few gas cans in my bed and be on my way.

I trully think hybrids are the smarter approach for trucks; it gives everybody time to build up the tech, build up the range, the grid etc. We're decades away from a useful electric truck for many owners.

I lived through 52 hours without power in Texas this past winter. My house reached 37 degrees, despite running my gas fireplace the whole time. It would’ve been absolutely amazing to fire up my gas furnace for a few hours here and there to keep my family warm. With this EV, I could’ve done that!

 

[theblet]

It’s a neat idea these EVs. But there are no charging stations in my area. None. Our electrical grid isn’t prepared. And doesn’t charging an EV with the fossil fuels it’s supposed to replace defeat the purpose? We are far from ready for EVs, except for maybe daily commuters IMO.

 

[ben b]

The backup power for your house does seem like a good idea. But I don't think it is as simple as the publicity types make it seem.

If you plug your truck into your house without the right preparation, 1 of the following will likely happen:
1. The truck will try to power up the entire neighborhood unless you have disconnected the mains. Your truck battery won't like this & will shut down automatically. If it didn't it would put utility workers at risk of electrocution. (Note that solar panels and home battery backups need automatic disconnects during power outages for this reason).

2. If you do remember to shut off your house mains before you plug your truck into your home, then your truck will still see a big load from your home. That is because every electrical device you have turned on in your house will want to draw power from your truck. That includes your refrigerator, lights, furnace fan, etc. But you are probably plugging into a normal house outlet, perhaps in the garage. The breaker for that circuit will limit to 15-20A. Once you try to overdraw, your breaker will trip and you are back to zero power.

3. OK -- let's say you have to foresight to turn off most of the loads in your house. You will still need to get power to the specific circuits that need them. Not an easy task since they are surely on different breakers.

It's true that this can all be handled based on how you have scoped things out before the outage and have anticipated the proper safeguards. But it isn't as simple as "I plugged my truck into my home AC outlet and everything was fine during the blackout."

It's probably a better solution to just put solar on your house roof. Only works during the day (unless you install battery backup), but it is much safer and more reliable than trying to use your truck's batteries.

I apologize for my overly long post.

 

[HeavyRotation]

How fast does it slow down? Getting 3 tons of truck up to 60 in 4.5 seconds sounds dangerous. It also sounds wasteful. Maybe the if the 0-60 was around 7 seconds the range would be futher and its remote emissions footprint would be smaller

No electricity is totally green broseph. AOC says we can totally, like, save the planet by like, driving electric only vehicles. And that's like totally important and stuff.

 

[HeavyRotation]

I disagree, the range on the F150 is purported to be 300 miles, whos driving 300 miles in a day on a regular basis? I could drive that truck from Dallas to Houston on one charge and surely find a spot to recharge in houston for 90 min.
A cross country vacation trip isn't what this truck is intended for nor realistic of how vehicles are used 99% of the time.

I regularly drive 300 miles, each way, on the weekend, just to burn gas and two stroke oil in my dirt bike. Not everyone is a homebody.

 

[Pyleketerson]

Simple answer is nope not yet…maybe later.

 

[silver billet]

No, I use my truck for truck stuff but that's not everyday and I doubt most do including yourself.
I'd be willing to bet most don't use their trucks as intended on a daily basis and even those that do would likely find the lighting more than suitable for their needs, if they were honest.

Secondly, you're comment of "I see a ton of trucks pulling, hauling, getting beat to snot on the job site." isn't representative of the user's or trucks were talking about, were talking about average users with 1500's. The trucks you describe above are usually 2500's or bigger.

A ton of 1500's are used all over to pull travel trailers. Not daily, but even once or twice a summer makes the lightning a non starter. And the trucks I mentioned being worked wasn't 2500s+ (that's mostly jobsite trucks). I take it you've never been to an RV forum? In the summer on the freeway over here, it's literally loaded with half tons pulling campers. Not just once a summer either, but long weekends too.

That's the whole point; on a daily/commuter basis you're just using your truck as a car, it will work fine there. But there are those times in the year when I (and many others) WORK a truck. The lightning doesn't cut it there. If you think the lighting will work fine here, you clearly have no experience towing a travel trailer.

What are you going to do; disconnect your 20' travel trailer while you try and squeeze your truck into a charging station? Only camp < 100 miles away? Rent a truck because the $40,000 shiny thing you bought can't do what you actually need a truck to do?

I suggest you watch the TFL video(s) they did trying to pull a tiny trailer with that Tesla SUV. Just watching it gave me heartburn, I cannot imagine living with it.

 

[silver billet]

I lived through 52 hours without power in Texas this past winter. My house reached 37 degrees, despite running my gas fireplace the whole time. It would’ve been absolutely amazing to fire up my gas furnace for a few hours here and there to keep my family warm. With this EV, I could’ve done that!

The Ford powerboost would have given you that option; and also be a much better option all around if you tow etc.

The hybrids like the powerboost (with an onboard generator) are the true winner's, that's where its at. Jeep just did that to the wrangler too, so we know Ram will do something similar shortly. All electric truck makes no sense to me.

 

[BowDown]

The backup power for your house does seem like a good idea. But I don't think it is as simple as the publicity types make it seem.

If you plug your truck into your house without the right preparation, 1 of the following will likely happen:
1. The truck will try to power up the entire neighborhood unless you have disconnected the mains. Your truck battery won't like this & will shut down automatically. If it didn't it would put utility workers at risk of electrocution. (Note that solar panels and home battery backups need automatic disconnects during power outages for this reason).

2. If you do remember to shut off your house mains before you plug your truck into your home, then your truck will still see a big load from your home. That is because every electrical device you have turned on in your house will want to draw power from your truck. That includes your refrigerator, lights, furnace fan, etc. But you are probably plugging into a normal house outlet, perhaps in the garage. The breaker for that circuit will limit to 15-20A. Once you try to overdraw, your breaker will trip and you are back to zero power.

3. OK -- let's say you have to foresight to turn off most of the loads in your house. You will still need to get power to the specific circuits that need them. Not an easy task since they are surely on different breakers.

It's true that this can all be handled based on how you have scoped things out before the outage and have anticipated the proper safeguards. But it isn't as simple as "I plugged my truck into my home AC outlet and everything was fine during the blackout."

It's probably a better solution to just put solar on your house roof. Only works during the day (unless you install battery backup), but it is much safer and more reliable than trying to use your truck's batteries.

I apologize for my overly long post.

IIRC the ability to power your home only comes if you're using the big charger, 240 I think, not the 110 charger

 

[BowDown]

A ton of 1500's are used all over to pull travel trailers. Not daily, but even once or twice a summer makes the lightning a non starter. And the trucks I mentioned being worked wasn't 2500s+ (that's mostly jobsite trucks). I take it you've never been to an RV forum? In the summer on the freeway over here, it's literally loaded with half tons pulling campers. Not just once a summer either, but long weekends too.

That's the whole point; on a daily/commuter basis you're just using your truck as a car, it will work fine there. But there are those times in the year when I (and many others) WORK a truck. The lightning doesn't cut it there. If you think the lighting will work fine here, you clearly have no experience towing a travel trailer.

What are you going to do; disconnect your 20' travel trailer while you try and squeeze your truck into a charging station? Only camp < 100 miles away? Rent a truck because the $40,000 shiny thing you bought can't do what you actually need a truck to do?

I suggest you watch the TFL video(s) they did trying to pull a tiny trailer with that Tesla SUV. Just watching it gave me heartburn, I cannot imagine living with it.

Again, the truck isn't intoned to replace that type of use yet. The use this truck would replace is 95+% of truck use now which is less than 300 miles a day. No one is claiming that it would replace a travel trailer hauler.
You keep trying to make this about a few incidents where the current ICE powered truck would be a better choice and that's not the point being made, unless you're going camping every weekend, thats a non conversation relative to the discussion of the truck being a viable alternative.

 

[SpeedyV]

The Ford powerboost would have given you that option; and also be a much better option all around if you tow etc.

The hybrids like the powerboost (with an onboard generator) are the true winner's, that's where its at. Jeep just did that to the wrangler too, so we know Ram will do something similar shortly. All electric truck makes no sense to me.

Agreed that extended-range hybrids are a great way to support the gradual shift to electrification for drivers that have a use case beyond the capabilities of current EVs.

 

[BowDown]

The Ford powerboost would have given you that option; and also be a much better option all around if you tow etc.

The hybrids like the powerboost (with an onboard generator) are the true winner's, that's where its at. Jeep just did that to the wrangler too, so we know Ram will do something similar shortly. All electric truck makes no sense to me.

Key words being for YOU.
A 700 horsepower street car makes no sense either yet here we are
I have zero interest in a Lighting but I can appreciate the tech

 

[silver billet]

Again, the truck isn't intoned to replace that type of use yet. The use this truck would replace is 95+% of truck use now which is less than 300 miles a day. No one is claiming that it would replace a travel trailer hauler.
You keep trying to make this about a few incidents where the current ICE powered truck would be a better choice and that's not the point being made, unless you're going camping every weekend, thats a non conversation relative to the discussion of the truck being a viable alternative.

No. I said very clearly from the start (check my posts): this may work for those who use their truck as a commuter, but not for those who use their truck as a truck (to tow/haul etc).

You just don't want to accept the second half of my opinion, even though you know its true. 95% is just a number you pulled from your thumb; the vast majority of the time, most 1500's just drive back and forth, but for many truck owners they still need to tow/haul long distance a small percent of the time in addition to just driving back and forth empty. So for all those people, like myself, electric is out.

 

[silver billet]

Key words being for YOU.
A 700 horsepower street car makes no sense either yet here we are
I have zero interest in a Lighting but I can appreciate the tech

Exactly. I wasn't talking about YOU. I was talking about all those people, like me, who use their truck as a truck.

 

[BowDown]

No. I said very clearly from the start (check my posts): this may work for those who use their truck as a commuter, but not for those who use their truck as a truck (to tow/haul etc).

You just don't want to accept the second half of my opinion, even though you know its true. 95% is just a number you pulled from your thumb; the vast majority of the time, most 1500's just drive back and forth, but for many truck owners they still need to tow/haul long distance a small percent of the time in addition to just driving back and forth empty. So for all those people, like myself, electric is out.

The lighting can do the same jobs you use your truck for with the only caveat being it range, You simply do want to accept that and make up excuses to poo poo the tech but whatever man. We'll see when it hits the market

 

[silver billet]

The lighting can do the same jobs you use your truck for with the only caveat being it range, You simply do want to accept that and make up excuses to poo poo the tech but whatever man. We'll see when it hits the market

"Accept it"... I pointed that out like 10 posts ago. I have no idea what you're arguing for. The entire problem with electric in a truck is range.

 

[HeavyRotation]

"Accept it"... I pointed that out like 10 posts ago. I have no idea what you're arguing for. The entire problem with electric in a truck is range.

Yep, the market will decide. If the bureaucrats are determined to push the cost of gas over 5 bucks a gallon, electric truck sales will boom. If we get another R elected, which is doubtful at this point, gas will be cheap and almost no one will buy electric trucks. Electric adoption rates were pretty stagnant the last 4 years. It's simply less convenient.