Sell Lightning and go back to gas pickup?

[luebri]

maybe the real question should be, would you sell your lightning if ford built an F-150 plug in hybrid with around 50 miles EV range?

1000% I would

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[sotek2345]

1000% I would

For me - no. Before we owned an EV, I would have said yes, but now - no way. PHEVs just seem like the worst of both worlds to me. You get a little better efficiency, but need to stress out all the time about running out of electric range. You have all off the ICE maintenance (maybe worse because it doesn't run as often), and none of the performance benefits of a full EV drivetrain. Battery degradation hits much harder too.

Full EV all of the way us.

 

[FordLightningMan]

For me - no. Before we owned an EV, I would have said yes, but now - no way. PHEVs just seem like the worst of both worlds to me. You get a little better efficiency, but need to stress out all the time about running out of electric range. You have all off the ICE maintenance (maybe worse because it doesn't run as often), and none of the performance benefits of a full EV drivetrain. Battery degradation hits much harder too.

Full EV all of the way us.

I agree with this. If I ever did but a non-EV again (unlikely), the last thing I'd look for is a hybrid. It does two things okay, rather than one thing very well.

 

[Beans]

I would argue your issue is infrastructure, not technology. In the Northeast we have no issues traveling long range with an EV and no issues with charger availability or reliabiliy.

The good news is that NEVI should take care of this for the vast majority of Americans over the next few years.

It's a little of both - I wouldn't be convincing my buddies that they should get EVs if our 12 hour hunting trip now takes 18 hours to get there and we spent 6 hours hanging out in the back of a WalMart parking lot. We need both faster charging capabilities (or even better, rent for long trips like @FordLightningMan said above) and more infrastructure.

I hate to be the negative guy, but NEVI will take several years if not 5 to even be noticed. Supply chain constraints put a new EV station 1 - 2 years away if the equipment is ordered today.

 

[sotek2345]

It's a little of both - I wouldn't be convincing my buddies that they should get EVs if our 12 hour hunting trip now takes 18 hours to get there and we spent 6 hours hanging out in the back of a WalMart parking lot. We need both faster charging capabilities (or even better, rent for long trips like @FordLightningMan said above) and more infrastructure.

I hate to be the negative guy, but NEVI will take several years if not 5 to even be noticed. Supply chain constraints put a new EV station 1 - 2 years away if the equipment is ordered today.

EVs don't add nearly that much travel time unless you are a cannonball type driver (eat while driving, pee in bottle/diaper, huge fuel tank so you don't stop for gas). If you stop to take bio breaks (bathroom / eating) that ends up being the majority of your charging stops. I have to do a ~500 mile trip every few months for work and taking an EV only adds ~30 minutes vs. taking an ICE vehicle in real world time, and I much prefer taking the EV (much cheaper and more relaxing).

 

[Tyler Durden]

EVs don't add nearly that much travel time unless you are a cannonball type driver (eat while driving, pee in bottle/diaper, huge fuel tank so you don't stop for gas). If you stop to take bio breaks (bathroom / eating) that ends up being the majority of your charging stops. I have to do a ~500 mile trip every few months for work and taking an EV only adds ~30 minutes vs. taking an ICE vehicle in real world time, and I much prefer taking the EV (much cheaper and more relaxing).

And if we're being really pedantic...you get to "bank" all the time you no longer divert to and spend at gas stations. Assuming you have home charging--I concede this doesn't help OP.

 

[VTbuckeye]

For me - no. Before we owned an EV, I would have said yes, but now - no way. PHEVs just seem like the worst of both worlds to me. You get a little better efficiency, but need to stress out all the time about running out of electric range. You have all off the ICE maintenance (maybe worse because it doesn't run as often), and none of the performance benefits of a full EV drivetrain. Battery degradation hits much harder too.

Full EV all of the way us.

My phev experience has been ok, but lots of gas anxiety. I have about 2300 miles on 9 gallons of gas since March 1st, but that is only possible because of the warm weather of summer and my ev range is about 16 miles and my commute is 14.5 miles. In the winter the range is less, the engine runs for 2 minutes at a time never actually warming up other than on long drives (which it is great for) and by the end of winter one in twelve parts of the oil is gasoline (after a long drive to boil out as much water and fuel) according to Blackstone labs ( but no excessive wear metals). I do not want to buy another vehicle that I can't plug in at home and based on my use, anything with a gas tank will likely be parked most of the time. Renting for long trips would be possible, but traveling in the winter without a properly equipped vehicle (snow tires) is not something that I want to do (we do our best to not compromise on safety). And as for battery degregation, in 6.5 years (34600 miles) it is down about 3 miles or 15ish percent.

 

[SmokingtheMeats]

I would argue your issue is infrastructure, not technology. In the Northeast we have no issues traveling long range with an EV and no issues with charger availability or reliabiliy.

The good news is that NEVI should take care of this for the vast majority of Americans over the next few years.

I’m probably just going to wait until that happens. Might go for the second gen

 

[SmokingtheMeats]

EVs don't add nearly that much travel time unless you are a cannonball type driver (eat while driving, pee in bottle/diaper, huge fuel tank so you don't stop for gas). If you stop to take bio breaks (bathroom / eating) that ends up being the majority of your charging stops. I have to do a ~500 mile trip every few months for work and taking an EV only adds ~30 minutes vs. taking an ICE vehicle in real world time, and I much prefer taking the EV (much cheaper and more relaxing).

This is me. I only stop for fuel when I need to when I drive, and that’s around 450-520 miles for me. When I drove to Hilton Head and Savannah this year, I stopped twice for ~700 mile trip. And the second time was to stop to fill up before we got on the island. It was 11 hour drive. I don’t want to spend much more time, possibly 3 ish hours it would take me to charge 3-4 times to get there.

 

[sotek2345]

This is me. I only stop for fuel when I need to when I drive, and that’s around 450-520 miles for me. When I drove to Hilton Head and Savannah this year, I stopped twice for ~700 mile trip. And the second time was to stop to fill up before we got on the island. It was 11 hour drive. I don’t want to spend much more time, possibly 3 ish hours it would take me to charge 3-4 times to get there.

I used to do that, but now enjoy taking my time a little more and not arriving at my destination exhausted and cranky!

I also found it is impossible to drive like this with kids along, so you adapt.

 

[Weapon X]

After driving my Mach E for a year and a half, I will never go back to gas.

 

[p52Ranch]

My $0.02. My adapting to the Lightning has been more about the differences in the previous trucks I've owned. Before the Lightning it was always a 3/4 ton regular cab long bed. My adaption has been the difference in utility and not so much range. I can still put a ton of cattle cubes in the bed of the Lightning. I just can't put a ton and a half of cattle cubes in it.

Now that I have the Lightning, I want to use it as the primary vehicle for all trips. So now range comes into play when it is time for trip planning. But trip planning is the only time I have to think about range the rest of the time it is charged up in the garage and ready to go.

If you are getting the Lightning because it is the newest (and possibly greatest) F-150 and want to get noticed, don't bother. This truck is a stealth vehicle. Nobody notices it. I've made several trips to the airport to drop off and pick up passengers and even when opening the Frunk for luggage I don't see any heads turning. In 2,000 miles of driving I've had about 5 people who have noticed it was a Lightning.

 

[Rando]

And if we're being really pedantic...you get to "bank" all the time you no longer divert to and spend at gas stations. Assuming you have home charging--I concede this doesn't help OP.

The banking thing doesn’t really work with little kids. With a toddler in the car on a trip I’m not cashing in any previous time savings. Driving with that kiddo is like the movie Speed. If I slow down and stop on a trip for too long it wakes up and explodes.

 

[neririn]

My corporate gas card provider called to ask if I was ok, or if I just lost my card and needed a new one. EV has changed my life to the point that third parties are noticing. I'll buy another ICE truck when gas is $0.10 per gallon again. IE never.

 

[wheelz2000]

For me - no. Before we owned an EV, I would have said yes, but now - no way. PHEVs just seem like the worst of both worlds to me. You get a little better efficiency, but need to stress out all the time about running out of electric range. You have all off the ICE maintenance (maybe worse because it doesn't run as often), and none of the performance benefits of a full EV drivetrain. Battery degradation hits much harder too.

Full EV all of the way us.

Alternative I think would be the powerboost. As it goes 700 miles on a tank and the wife gets 24mpg. With the on board generator abd multitude of other features...if ford leaves me out fir much longer from being able to order a Lightning, I may just get another abd forger the whole thing.

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