Ford needs to let us buy the pro with extended range

[Sun Devil]

For what it is worth to the conversation, remember the Ford guys at the Lightning Tour did say that Ford may very well offer the ER Pro to the public later, just not in 2022. I am hopeful that the ER Pro being exclusive to fleet customers is a launch year issue. ?

Sponsored

 

[ExCivilian]

If I have to pay in the $60ks for 300m range, I may roll the dice on the Rivian.

The problem with that is if you don't already have a pre-order by now you won't be seeing a truck until the end of 2022-2023.

 

[Sun Devil]

The problem with that is if you don't already have a pre-order by now you won't be seeing a truck until the end of 2022-2023.

Although I am needing my Lightning by December 2022 (I have a son turning 16 that month and my daily driver will become the family car), those who get their Lightnings in 2023 or 2024 might get an ER Pro as a consumer. One would hope that as production ramps up that Ford may make it available to consumers.

I really want an ER Lightning, but I am trying to convince myself to just get the SR Pro now and upgrade to the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

I really want an ER Lightning, but I am trying to convince myself to just get the SR Pro now and upgrade to the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025.

This is exactly my thought process and the route I'm taking. I had a day 1 reservation (albeit late in the day), I hope I get one in 2022.

 

[adoublee]

Although I am needing my Lightning by December 2022 (I have a son turning 16 that month and my daily driver will become the family car), those who get their Lightnings in 2023 or 2024 might get an ER Pro as a consumer. One would hope that as production ramps up that Ford may make it available to consumers.

I really want an ER Lightning, but I am trying to convince myself to just get the SR Pro now and upgrade to the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025.

Keep in mind that as it stands today, EVs are the domain of those with disposable income and therefore higher trims/features are expected. The Lightning is a new category, especially with the Pro SR treated as more of a tool. I'm not saying you would have a hard time reselling it anytime soon, but in 5-7 years the residual might take a bigger hit than ER and higher trims. How this launch goes might determine how accessible a 2nd generation is to you in the next 5-7. Personally I would "buy for keeps" which is likely to align with best value long term, even if you sell it.

 

[EVSport7]

I really want an ER Lightning, but I am trying to convince myself to just get the SR Pro now and upgrade to the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025.

I'm in the same boat. I don't live in an area where cold is an issue, so should be a great daily driver for 3-5 years.

With the lack of used EVs on the market, much less EV trucks, I can't see resale being an issue.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

With the lack of used EVs on the market, much less EV trucks, I can't see resale being an issue.

Agree.

People keep mentioning the importance of ER for resale value. For that to make sense you'd have to get back as much (or more money) than your original investment to add ER (unless you'd regularly utilize the extra range, but then that's not about resell value it's about buying the features you will utilize). I have a hard time believing that in 4-5 years the resell value between a Pro SR vs Pro ER or a XLT SR vs XLT ER will make you back all of your original purchase or more from the SR to ER upgrade.

The demand will still be there and we shouldn't have issues selling/trading in our 4-5 year old trucks.

Buy what you plan on utilizing, not what you can get for the features 4-5 years from now...you'd just be throwing money away.

 

[Tomf]

Also in 5-7 years I expect that the dc fast charging as well as destination charging infrastructure will have grown considerably. It might not be as big of a deal then to have 70 more moles of range of you can get that in 15 minutes at every freeway exit.

 

[Kiggulak]

Keep in mind that as it stands today, EVs are the domain of those with disposable income and therefore higher trims/features are expected.

If you consider the $10k I paid for my 2013 Ford Focus Electric the domain of disposable income then I'd agree with you.

However its better stated that buying a New BEV is a very costly endeavor and most BEVs (non-tesla) depreciate as rapidly as your cell phone. The 2013 FFE retailed around $39,2K and I got mine certified pre-owned off lease in 2015. Given the features, technology, and range of the F150 I don't anticipate nearly as bad depreciation.

Also the Ford folks on the tour were talking $10K+ for the ER upgrade price and if the quoted trim entry numbers stay about the same that means a $22K increase from Pro SR to XLT ER. As mentioned in other threads that's the price of most 4 door entry level ICE sedans and some hybrids. All to get ~50-70 miles in a single drive. There are already enough CCS chargers around for me to know I can live happily with ~230. Plus what you get for $22k is not nearly the right upgrades for my taste.

Needless to say I'm going with the Pro SR using the Ford Options route to lower my monthly payment and claim any tax credits still around when my order number comes in. This will be the most expensive vehicle I have ever purchased/leased new. The only (need) options I'm looking to add are 80A EVSE, Cloth seats and pwr/heated if possible, running boards if not std. Everything else is a want or a nice to have use 1-2 times a year. Cloth is only a need for South Florida sun and I can settle for the vinyl seats as they are comfortable and my 1999 Dodge Dakota Sport had manual seats windows and just about everything else pretty equivalent to the Lighting Pro package.

 

[shutterbug]

Although I am needing my Lightning by December 2022 (I have a son turning 16 that month and my daily driver will become the family car), those who get their Lightnings in 2023 or 2024 might get an ER Pro as a consumer. One would hope that as production ramps up that Ford may make it available to consumers.

I really want an ER Lightning, but I am trying to convince myself to just get the SR Pro now and upgrade to the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025.

I'm in a different boat. My MME is and will remain my daily driver. I only want the Lightning for when I need to haul stuff. I have no actual need for ER battery. If I were to make Lightning the daily driver, I would be getting Lariat with SR battery. As it is I'm getting Pro and the only options I'm getting are seat covers, window deflectors, basic running boards, and possibly 360 degree camera. All the other creature comforts, I already have in MME.

 

[Sun Devil]

Needless to say I'm going with the Pro SR using the Ford Options route to lower my monthly payment and claim any tax credits still around when my order number comes in. This will be the most expensive vehicle I have ever purchased/leased new.

I really want the ER Lariat + trim. But my heartburn is that I'm paying $80k+ for something that 5 years later I may wish I had waited. It seems like chargers and batteries are improving rapidly. There is also the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025. What improvements will I wish I had waited for in 2025? My biggest fear that is that the 2nd Gen will have 300 miles on a SR battery and the fast DC charges will be able to recharge it in 15 minutes. Then I will kick myself for having spent so much on something I want to upgrade. As @Kiggulak said, it is a $20k jump from SR Pro to a ER XLT. I can't imagine the depreciation on the SR Pro will be that bad.

My goes like this: $40k for SR Pro less $7.5k credit. So for $32.5k I sell it in 2025 to buy the 2nd Gen. Depending on what the federal credit looks like then (I don't believe it will be around in 2025), I should be able to sell my SR Pro for around $25k. Let me know if you think my thinking or math is off.

By the way, can someone tell me why Ford Options is the way to go on the Lightning? It seems that I am paying off the balance or walking away from the Lightning just like a lease with Options. Why not just buy with normal financing?

 

[sotek2345]

I really want the ER Lariat + trim. But my heartburn is that I'm paying $80k+ for something that 5 years later I may wish I had waited. It seems like chargers and batteries are improving rapidly. There is also the 2nd Gen Lightning in 2025. What improvements will I wish I had waited for in 2025? My biggest fear that is that the 2nd Gen will have 300 miles on a SR battery and the fast DC charges will be able to recharge it in 15 minutes. Then I will kick myself for having spent so much on something I want to upgrade. As @Kiggulak said, it is a $20k jump from SR Pro to a ER XLT. I can't imagine the depreciation on the SR Pro will be that bad.

My goes like this: $40k for SR Pro less $7.5k credit. So for $32.5k I sell it in 2025 to buy the 2nd Gen. Depending on what the federal credit looks like then (I don't believe it will be around in 2025), I should be able to sell my SR Pro for around $25k. Let me know if you think my thinking or math is off.

By the way, can someone tell me why Ford Options is the way to go on the Lightning? It seems that I am paying off the balance or walking away from the Lightning just like a lease with Options. Why not just buy with normal financing?

The real benefit of Ford Options (beyond low interest rates and potential rebate cash), is risk transfer. The Lightning will be a Gen 1 product and no one really knows how it will turn in out. If it has lots of problems, or if new tech comes out and tanks the resale value, then you hand it back and Ford has to deal with it. If the truck is great and/has great resale you can just buy it out.

A lease is similar to this, except with options you will own the truck (title in your name), which means you get the tax rebate and don't need to deal with the insurance issues / costs that you can sometimes get on a lease.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

By the way, can someone tell me why Ford Options is the way to go on the Lightning? It seems that I am paying off the balance or walking away from the Lightning just like a lease with Options. Why not just buy with normal financing?

You can read up on it in this thread:
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/leasing-an-f-150-lightning.5846/

I think what you're missing is the Balloon Payment option at the end of the term, you have smaller monthly payments and then at the end of it you can sell it back to Ford for a pre-determined price, or buy it yourself. The key is unlike Leasing, Ford Options lets you receive the tax rebate.

 

[astricklin]

You can read up on it in this thread:
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/leasing-an-f-150-lightning.5846/

I think what you're missing is the Balloon Payment option at the end of the term, you have smaller monthly payments and then at the end of it you can sell it back to Ford for a pre-determined price, or buy it yourself. The key is unlike Leasing, Ford Options lets you receive the tax rebate.

Other manufacturer financial services as re passing through the tax credit with a lease (Nissan, VW) why GM chose not to(mostly) and now Ford is not at all I don't really understand. Fingers are crossed that congress will at least make the tax credit refundable for those of us who can't get the full amount.

 

[Kiggulak]

By the way, can someone tell me why Ford Options is the way to go on the Lightning? It seems that I am paying off the balance or walking away from the Lightning just like a lease with Options. Why not just buy with normal financing?

With Ford Options you can private sell the vehicle for more than the balloon payment and payoff the balloon, or re-finance or payoff the balloon and keep the 2022, or turn it in to dealer because it depreciated more than the balloon residual.

On a traditional lease there is no private sale option and the vehicle goes back to the dealer without ability to profit. The latter two options are the same as the Ford Options Balloon payment. Also baked into the profit/depreciation consideration is mileage. If you go under on the lease you paid for the miles but unless you keep the truck you hand that money to the dealer.

Plus there are additional lease initiation fees that don't exist with Ford Options.

You can compare what the monthly payment over 4 years look like between a 10K mile lease and buying with normal financing. The lease monthly out of pocket is significantly lower. You can use any car financing calculator with your expected trim level pricing to conduct the comparison.

The Ford Options is a way to lease with lower monthly out of pocket, gives the purchaser the current up to $7.5k tax credit, and allows for profit if the truck depreciated less than the miles you used.

Sponsored