I need retraining after 1 month driving my Teslas. . .

[flyct]

We bought 2 new Tesla Model Y Junipers last month. Our Lightning wasn’t driven much in the last month because we wanted to get familiar with the Tesla tech and their Full Self Driving (FSD) features that Tesla included free for 30 days. We’ve put a little over 1000 miles on the Teslas and got very familiar with the tech features. The FSD feature initially was scary but after a while we managed to learn to trust it, it made trips so much more relaxed.

Well today I took the Lightning for a ride and I felt I needed retraining. I realized how basic the Lightning tech features are compared to Tesla. Also realized how much wider the Lightning is and not as easy to maneuver and park in mall lots.

The Lightning’s smooth ride was like putting on a pair of old comfortable shoes.

i’ve already had 2 software updates on each Tesla where the Lightning got one update, months ago. Ford needs to get off the butts and hire some Tesla gurus to add features like Dog mode and Apple Watch support. They also need to add more roads to the Blue Cruise mapping. Tesla FSD works almost everywhere including mall parking lots, rural dirt roads and highways.

Did I mention Ford smooth ride is awesome.

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[RickLightning]

Ford hired a Tesla guru, Doug Field, 4 years ago... The issue is largely that Ford has many modules, all produced by different companies, and software changes have to flow through them and work with all the other modules. Ford was supposed to rollout Android Automotive nearly 2 years ago as I recall, and didn't, and that shows you the difficulty they have in doing software.

I expect that we will see nothing change until the new $30,000 pickup platform rolls out. I also believe that the Lightning and Mach-E are near the end of significant software changes, i.e, 2021 Mach-E / 2022 Lightning - 2024 aren't going to get much more changed.

 

[earlyadopt]

We bought 2 new Tesla Model Y Junipers last month. Our Lightning wasn’t driven much in the last month because we wanted to get familiar with the Tesla tech and their Full Self Driving (FSD) features that Tesla included free for 30 days. We’ve put a little over 1000 miles on the Teslas and got very familiar with the tech features. The FSD feature initially was scary but after a while we managed to learn to trust it, it made trips so much more relaxed.

Well today I took the Lightning for a ride and I felt I needed retraining. I realized how basic the Lightning tech features are compared to Tesla. Also realized how much wider the Lightning is and not as easy to maneuver and park in mall lots.

The Lightning’s smooth ride was like putting on a pair of old comfortable shoes.

i’ve already had 2 software updates on each Tesla where the Lightning got one update, months ago. Ford needs to get off the butts and hire some Tesla gurus to add features like Dog mode and Apple Watch support. They also need to add more roads to the Blue Cruise mapping. Tesla FSD works almost everywhere including mall parking lots, rural dirt roads and highways.

Did I mention Ford smooth ride is awesome.

I am really interested in the drive quality of the Tesla. You hear from time to time that the ride is not as smooth or quiet as the MachE. To compare to the lightning is apples to oranges since the wheel base and weight are much different. Any comments are helpful, I will be looking to replace my MachE and interested in ride and build quality. Software is a no brainer, Tesla rules, their focus is on electric only. Ford is caught between the past, Trump's ire over electric vehicles (oil lobby must be strong) and the tariffs that are plaguing the world. Curious, did the US citizens vote for mass tariffs??

 

[Hank42]

OP: I can totally relate. I give Ford a pass on this considering the EV part was shoe-horned into an existing F-150 base product. Compared to the Tesla, the "EV" experience is clearly separate from the truck experience. Why does my truck have an antenna?
Why do I need to push a button to "Start" and "Stop" the "Ignition"?

It's unfair to compare the two. I'm sure Ford will do a fantastic job on their next attempt - use the Tesla driving experience as a target, and try to do better.

 

[flyct]

@earlyadopt

When I bought our 2924 Lightning I was at the dealer looking to buy a Mach-e. I’m a big guy and getting into and out of the Mach-e wasn’t as easy as our Tesla Y. Ford had huge incentives on Lightnings so we ended up swapping our 23 Lightning Lariat for a 24 Platinum.

I can’t compare a new refreshed Model Y Juniper either a Mach-e. But it rides much better that our 2023 Model Y that we traded.

Tesla had a great demo ride offer online. Take a demo ride and compare for yourself. Test both RWD and AWD.

We bought 2 new 2026 Y’s. One is an AWD and the other is a RWD. I don’t see any difference in ride quality between the 2. The ride is much better than the 2023 Y we had. In Florida AWD is unnecessary. The RWD gets better efficiency. Sorry we didn’t buy 2 RWDs.

 

[MaintGrl]

I am really interested in the drive quality of the Tesla. You hear from time to time that the ride is not as smooth or quiet as the MachE. To compare to the lightning is apples to oranges since the wheel base and weight are much different. Any comments are helpful, I will be looking to replace my MachE and interested in ride and build quality. Software is a no brainer, Tesla rules, their focus is on electric only. Ford is caught between the past, Trump's ire over electric vehicles (oil lobby must be strong) and the tariffs that are plaguing the world. Curious, did the US citizens vote for mass tariffs??

I keep getting told, yes . . .it was the whole package...

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

Ford hired a Tesla guru, Doug Field, 4 years ago...

While Field worked for Tesla for a few years, he is primarily known for his two stints at senior engineering levels at Apple. Interestingly, he got his career start at Ford, decades ago.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougfield/

 

[Hank42]

I keep getting told, yes . . .it was the whole package...

I hear we're going to bring these back soon: https://www.thefabricator.com/thefa...troen-prime-example-of-fabrication-innovation

 

[Rip]

OP: I can totally relate. I give Ford a pass on this considering the EV part was shoe-horned into an existing F-150 base product. Compared to the Tesla, the "EV" experience is clearly separate from the truck experience. Why does my truck have an antenna?
Why do I need to push a button to "Start" and "Stop" the "Ignition"?

It's unfair to compare the two. I'm sure Ford will do a fantastic job on their next attempt - use the Tesla driving experience as a target, and try to do better.

I wouldn't hold my breath. EVs are an afterthought at best, at Ford. I like my Lightning a lot, but I was disappointed after driving a Model Y for four years at the lag in tech. Ford engineers used to know that they had to benchmark others and beat them if they wanted to capture the market. Instead, they just seem to have cobbled together what they could to get into the EV market. So the tech is a patchwork. Nav is a joke. Thank God for Android Auto and Google Maps - not perfect but so much better than the native "Navigation" function. ABRP is pretty good, too, but doesn't integrate with the onboard tech, so it doesn't (for example) feed your distance information into the dashboard like Google Maps does.
The one thing I think they do better than Tesla (Techwise) is provide a realistic charge estimation. It is adaptive, so my estimated mileage remaining is lower in winter or when driving at speeds on a highway. Tesla would just give me the max, and then adjust down as I drove...made it a little harder to plan.
I do love the ride, and the form, fit and function on my Lightning. I hated having to get my Model Y body panels adjusted every 4-6 months, and their roadside assistance was a bad joke. Service at Ford has gone downhill a bit, but still is much better than what passed for "service" at Tesla during the four years I drove the Model Y.
Frankly, reading the threads in here, I'm not sure how committed Ford is to their EV line, especially now with the new anti-environment, pro-oil political situation. I'd like to see some sign that I can be optimistic, but lately they've been few and far between.

 

[Altivec]

I also believe that the Lightning and Mach-E are near the end of significant software changes, i.e, 2021 Mach-E / 2022 Lightning - 2024 aren't going to get much more changed.

If true...This will be my last Ford. If your philosophy is to just move on to new things and abandon your loyal customers, you won't get too far anymore. When the lightning came out, it was all the rave with promises of ushering the software update era. Do you think I am going to believe it when they say their new 30k EV is going to be the rave with promises of a new software update era. The saying is "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"

To be clear, I am not expecting substantial new software. What I do expect, is the fixes, and refinement of what is already there. That along with the promises they made such as pro power with truck off updated to the 22 and 23 models. Heck you can even argue, that many features were taken away (ie. zone lighting in the app)

As was described by the OP with his Teslas. That is the level of customer satisfaction the competition is delivering. As a customer, that is the level I expect if you want to retain me as a customer. Now its up to Ford to decide, stick with their legacy ways or get with the program and match or exceed the new standard.

 

[flyct]

I'm the OP.

I struggled when deciding to buy another Tesla because of political factors and the overall public distaste for Tesla and the CEO. Twice this week I have been asked why did I buy another Tesla. Once from my sister who owns a Nissan Leaf and once from a close friend who owns a Cadillac Lyric. My response was the value and technology is the best that I could find today. I actually wanted to trade one of our old Teslas for a Mach-E but after a demo drive I decided it would be a step backwards.

I love the Lightning but I wish it had better technology, better APP features and software upgrade support. What can't be beat is the 240v 30a ProPower to power the cabin in outages, the ride comfort, massaging seats, roomy Fronk, amazon Alexa support, Apple CarPlay support etc.

I am fortunate that the local Ford dealer is very EV friendly and knowledgeable. They provided quick and easy mobile service at the house. I can text or talk to a real person in service.

Local Tesla service center is booked 6 weeks out and you only can book appt with the APP. But the Autopilot, easy to park, ability to watch Netflix while waiting for the wife in the grocery store, Dog mode, Sentry mode, Camera recording and playback, efficiency and handling around town make it a great EV to own.

I hope Ford steps up and invests in the EV Market in the near future. They have a good product their first venture into the EV truck market with the Lightning, just build on it.

 

[Mal106]

Two minor considerations to add.

I have to cut Ford some slack in the software area. They, no doubt
wanted the truck to appeal to current ICE truck owners so the least change possible from the current F150 had the best chance. Witness the Cyber Truck. So things like the start button, the shifter and F150 add ons were likely to ease the transition.

Also the politics of Tesla are sorely misplaced. The CEO is not hurt by selling or not buying a Tesla. The only people actually hurt are the hard working Americans that he employs. Sell your stock if you must but buy a Tesla if you want one. It goes without saying how stupid it is to vandalize anything.

My description of the Lightning is: if you want a Tesla but need a truck...Lightning.

 

[Henry Ford]

I expect that we will see nothing change until the new $30,000 pickup platform rolls out. I also believe that the Lightning and Mach-E are near the end of significant software changes, i.e, 2021 Mach-E / 2022 Lightning - 2024 aren't going to get much more changed.

Nothing is going to change at Ford. They dumped their next gen vehicle infrastructure earlier this year. They are going to continue to cobbler together hardware and software indefinitely. I'm not saying they won't have new stuff, they will, but it will be based on the same infrastructure as the Lightning...and the 1998 Crown Victoria.

 

[flyct]

Two minor considerations to add..........................................
My description of the Lightning is: if you want a Tesla but need a truck...Lightning.

Or buy one of each. That what I did.

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