Ford’s F-150 Lightning is falling behind Tesla’s Cybertruck in deepening EV crisis

[Pottsie]

All I keep thinking every time I read an article or hear people scared of progress is ….”you do you.”
I have had zero complaints and glad Ford had the fortitude to dare to try.

Is it perfect…probably not. But progress always has to start somewhere. Amazed by how humans seem to forget how progress begins. Again…you do you, Fortune.

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[Kev12345]

You’ll probably be waiting awhile. A general opinion may be that the lightning was designed to do truck stuff but with a battery. The CT is tech on wheels designed to look different and maybe do *some truck-like things.

apples and pears, maybe.

in fairness, considering most use cases, the two trucks can do the same things. id say the lightning has an advantage for contractors with the standard bed shape and more useful frunk but that's about it.

in fact, I think ford should concentrate on commercial fleets for their pure EV's. makes the most sense considering the range limitations. I bet most trades guys would love to trade in their fleet f150 xl's for a lightning pro.

let the public buy the plug-in hybrids.

 

[StevenC56]

I've been an automotive enthusiast since I was a young teen. Hot rodded cars and ended up working as a Service Tech for over 22 years at a GM Dealership before moving into a Service Manager position at a multi line Motorcycle Dealership for the last 18 years of my working career. Always keeping up with and enjoying advances in Technology. Purchased our 2024 Lightning Lariat September 30th last year. Decided it was time to try something besides an ICE vehicle. My wife and I are both very impressed with the EV Technology and love the truck. We're thinking a Mach E may be the replacement for her 2017 Explorer Platinum in the next year or 2. Not really any early adopter, but we're convinced this is definitely the future. Resistance is futile. I sure wish people would stop the "you can take my fossil fuel burning vehicle when you pry it from my cold dead hands" BS and just give it a chance.

 

[Scorpio3d]

I read this article on yahoo finance yesterday and the thing I find interesting is the guy is talking about driving uphill in winter-does he not ever go back down the mountain?
I did not post the article because I felt like this is an incomplete story, not to mention the headline being about Tesla versus Ford and that there was virtually nothing about that written in the article!!!!
I’m glad someone posted it, but it would be like me saying this one time I drove up a hill…

What passes for Journalism these days is somewhat ridiculous. IMHO

 

[iam-s-Hon]

in fairness, considering most use cases, the two trucks can do the same things. id say the lightning has an advantage for contractors with the standard bed shape and more useful frunk but that's about it.

in fact, I think ford should concentrate on commercial fleets for their pure EV's. makes the most sense considering the range limitations. I bet most trades guys would love to trade in their fleet f150 xl's for a lightning pro.

let the public buy the plug-in hybrids.

The bed shape and many more rack options is a big differentiator for truck stuff imo for contractors and non-contractors alike.

even an old el Camino could do some truck-lite stuff.

and I didn't want a plug-in by choice.

 

[Ventorum94]

….If he would have purchased the extended range instead of the standard range, he would be perfectly fine with his Lightning…

I think the ER battery pack is overrated as a solution for those with range insecurity:
1) it’s only about 30% more kWh than the SR. This is not insignificant, but it’s not like it’s going to provide vastly more range. (it’s also downright puny compared to the 210kWh GM packs in those 9000lb trucks- if that’s one’s idea of practicality)
2) if you have an SR and run it between 10%-90% SOC as a general rule, you have the same kWh for range as the guy with an ER who operates it from 20%-80%.
3) Efficiency (mi/kWh) is more important for range than whether SR/ER, and is largely under the control of an intelligent and disciplined driver. Once one has learned how to drive a BEV for efficiency when required, battery pack size is less important.

 

[RickKeen]

F150 Lightning outsold the Cybertruck in Q4 as CT sales decreased and Lightning Sales continued to increase.

Ford still has the lead in overall total EV Truck sales and now pulling away again from CT.

 

[iam-s-Hon]

. We're thinking a Mach E may be the replacement for her 2017 Explorer Platinum in the next year or 2. Not really any early adopter,

Never was much of a car enthusiast nor consider myself an early adopter.

I was planning on buying a PHEV in 2021 until I test drove a MME.

I’ve really enjoyed driving it. It was definitely an upgrade to a 12yo Accord. In form and function.

 

[Bills R Electric]

I suspected this already, but now we know why Ford keeps cutting things out of the truck.

https://fortune.com/2025/02/05/ford...-behind-tesla-cybertruck-deepening-ev-crisis/

“We are working very hard on EV affordability, because I think that will be the catalyst for much wider adoption,” Bill Ford, the company’s executive chair and great-grandson of founder Henry Ford, told reporters at the Detroit auto show on Jan. 9

That is all you really need to take from this article.

Bottom line is it took Tesla 10-12 years to get to breakeven, it will take Ford at least that long since they are not 100% focused on doing EVs.

I look forward to the 2027 Ford Lightning. If it is only 20% "better" than my current Lightning, I will be delighted.

PS Always buy an Extended Range EV. You will be glad you did.

 

[PrimeRisk]

You’ll probably be waiting awhile. A general opinion may be that the lightning was designed to do truck stuff but with a battery. The CT is tech on wheels designed to look different and maybe do *some truck-like things.

apples and pears, maybe.

Very much so.

I own Teslas in addition to my Lightning. I had an order in from the very early days for a CyberTruck to replace my very well worn 2000 Dodge, but then our local Tesla store got one. You can love or hate the appearance based on your personal preferences, but for me I need a truck to be able to do truck things.

The CyberTruck is what I categorize as a "show truck" that certainly can do some truck things, but it's target mode of operation is empty bed, tonneau cover closed, and just zipping around town. The tech on it is great and it really is a rolling computer, but if I want to tool around town, I'll take my Model Y.

The Lighting is a good old F-150 that just happens to have electric motors instead of an ICE. It does real truck things like hauling dirt, rock, and materials to a jobsite. It is prepared to go off road or across a field.

I hope that Ford doesn't lose its vision to deliver a real truck that is an EV, because it is the only real EV truck available today IMHO. There is nothing wrong with the CyberTruck as long as what you want it for fits what it is capable of doing.

 

[djstough]

What passes for Journalism these days is somewhat ridiculous. IMHO

The headlines are often written by someone other than the writer. So they quickly pull out a “fact” from the article. I’ve been laughing at headline vs story for years.

 

[WHPHLightning]

The Lightning owner at the beginning of the article who's unhappy with his truck chose poorly for his situation. If he would have purchased the extended range instead of the standard range, he would be perfectly fine with his Lightning and the writers would have been forced to look for another "victim" that didn't do their homework and made a poor purchase choice for their needs.

That's simply not true. The Lightning advertises a range of 230 miles, everyone on this forum demands that you never charge the battery to above 90%. Off the rip, you are at 207 miles of range. Factor in weather conditions, driving speeds, and altitude changes, the lived range is 160-180. The truth is that the manufacturers are not clear with the reality of these vehicles, and the owners are so defensive that getting clarity doesn't generally arrive until you own. And that is where the disappointment really crystallizes. simply put these trucks are not what they advertise, and the word is getting out.

 

[TaxmanHog]

The Lightning advertises a range of 230 miles, everyone on this forum demands that you never charge the battery to above 90%. Off the rip, you are at 207 miles of range.

You are encouraged to charge to 100% for long haul journeys, nevermind the internet.....

 

[jefrank]

in fairness, considering most use cases, the two trucks can do the same things. id say the lightning has an advantage for contractors with the standard bed shape and more useful frunk but that's about it.

in fact, I think ford should concentrate on commercial fleets for their pure EV's. makes the most sense considering the range limitations. I bet most trades guys would love to trade in their fleet f150 xl's for a lightning pro.

let the public buy the plug-in hybrids.

Saw an article with Farley saying exactly that yesterday... now I need to find it again.

 

[StevenC56]

That's simply not true. The Lightning advertises a range of 230 miles, everyone on this forum demands that you never charge the battery to above 90%. Off the rip, you are at 207 miles of range. Factor in weather conditions, driving speeds, and altitude changes, the lived range is 160-180. The truth is that the manufacturers are not clear with the reality of these vehicles, and the owners are so defensive that getting clarity doesn't generally arrive until you own. And that is where the disappointment really crystallizes. simply put these trucks are not what they advertise, and the word is getting out.

Nobody here is "demanding" that you never charge past 90%. To the contrary, if you are going on a trip it is recommended that you charge to 100% and precondition just prior to departure. The owner in the article said his truck has 230 miles of range, and on his 130 mile trip from Fresno to Capitola he arrives at his destination with only 40 miles of range left. He must have the standard range battery that actually has 240 of advertised range. My point was that if he'd purchased an extended range model instead, he'd most likely have 80-100 miles of range remaining and would not be so concerned making that trip on a regular basis. Sounds like maybe you are in a similar situation with your XLT, especially if you never charge to 100%.

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