Why isn’t the Lightning getting more of the gas F150 market?

[Jseis]

Boom proof plug n’ play, less visible tech, simple hvac controls. Make it simple, simple, simple. Price point obviously.

$$$ on home charging. Even $1,000 would go a long way. I’d guess $2,000 more typical for new breaker, wire run & direct wire in. Was a PITA for me as I have a garage full of crap and it took some head scratching re-run 8 AWG copper to the direct wired CP Home Flex.

Turns out, cleaning a space in a typical garage for a charger is a major task and it gets harder with two BEVs.

I was lucky in that we’ve a separate 100 amp sub panel. Which will need to be upgraded to a 200 amp panel if our MME wants to charge faster.

Ford probably did the math on this and chose not to. The greatest BEV savings comes with cheap power, charge at home. We’ve saved ~$20,000 net in charging 110,000 miles at home & split between MME and Lightning). Our power is .064 per KWh. Typical nightly charge is 35-40 kWh. About 20 miles range per charging hour.

If you’re a jobber and you dropping 200+ miles a day and your home is your base, you’ll need serious juice and the conversion up-fitting of local power services just gets more $$$.

My step-daughter building a new house at our farm property and they are BEV wannabes. I said put in a 300 amp service panel now or pay later.

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[hturnerfamily]

while I don't personally care too much about whether the typical truck buyer will migrate to a LIGHTNING, or any other EV Truck, I can generate some natural mis-perceptions, from my experience and conversations, and, well, even arguments with some, that cause future buyers to hold back:

- if I don't have a huge v8 gas or diesel guzzler, I won't be able to 'tow'...

- I'm not going to stop and 'sit' somewhere for hours just to 'charge'...

- EVs are too expensive

- I don't trust a battery

- I have a fear of the truck putting me down, in the middle of nowhere...

- should I bring a generator?

- I don't know anything about DC Fast Chargers, and since I don't see one at every gas station, I'll stick with what I know...

- I need to be able to drive cross-country without stopping

- when the battery dies in a few years, I'm screwed...

Most MEN just don't yet get it... women probably will pick up on it before we do... it's going to take someone special to put a 'face' on the Truck EV thing... just sayin.

I like mine, though... I REALLY like it...

 

[The Weatherman]

while I don't personally care too much about whether the typical truck buyer will migrate to a LIGHTNING, or any other EV Truck, I can generate some natural mis-perceptions, from my experience and conversations, and, well, even arguments with some, that cause future buyers to hold back:

- if I don't have a huge v8 gas or diesel guzzler, I won't be able to 'tow'...

- I'm not going to stop and 'sit' somewhere for hours just to 'charge'...

- EVs are too expensive

- I don't trust a battery

- I have a fear of the truck putting me down, in the middle of nowhere...

- should I bring a generator?

- I don't know anything about DC Fast Chargers, and since I don't see one at every gas station, I'll stick with what I know...

- I need to be able to drive cross-country without stopping

- when the battery dies in a few years, I'm screwed...

Most MEN just don't yet get it... women probably will pick up on it before we do... it's going to take someone special to put a 'face' on the Truck EV thing... just sayin.

I like mine, though... I REALLY like it...

Can you say the Nastiest word in the English language? At least for a large majority of folks over 30.

It’s………………..…CHANGE!!

Oh well, never been a problem for me.

 

[Joe Dablock]

Well, when was the last time you saw a Ford commercial advertisement for any electric vehicle?

 

[flyct]

while I don't personally care too much about whether the typical truck buyer will migrate to a LIGHTNING, or any other EV Truck, I can generate some natural mis-perceptions, from my experience and conversations, and, well, even arguments with some, that cause future buyers to hold back:

- if I don't have a huge v8 gas or diesel guzzler, I won't be able to 'tow'...

- I'm not going to stop and 'sit' somewhere for hours just to 'charge'...

- EVs are too expensive

- I don't trust a battery

- I have a fear of the truck putting me down, in the middle of nowhere...

- should I bring a generator?

- I don't know anything about DC Fast Chargers, and since I don't see one at every gas station, I'll stick with what I know...

- I need to be able to drive cross-country without stopping

- when the battery dies in a few years, I'm screwed...

Most MEN just don't yet get it... women probably will pick up on it before we do... it's going to take someone special to put a 'face' on the Truck EV thing... just sayin.


I like mine, though... I REALLY like it...

Great posting. So on point.

Let me add some other things I’ve personally heard

1- my electric bill is already too high I don’t want it to double

2- I travel a lot. I don’t want to loose the trunk space that the huge battery takes up.

3- I don’t want to pat $28,000 to replace the battery every 3 years.

I was at Harbor Freight with my lariat to pick up some fence posts. The middle aged guy loading the posts asked how much it cost. When I told him what it cost after rebates, discount and tax credit his eyes went wide. He said his 150 ICE Lariat cost him $10,000 more. Then I opened the front truck and he was shocked.

 

[WXman]

I got this STX loaner while my Lightning was getting fixed and with it 700 miles of range for $50k this is where I think our trucks need to get eventually to capture more of the 700k+ gas F150 sales. My original post on X / Twitter hit 75k+ views, so I went deeper with this video! ?Why do you think is holding back the Lightning from capturing more of those huge gas sales?

I think it's all pretty simple.

- Lightning costs WAYYYYYYYYY more than a nicely equipped ICE F-150
- The range on Lightning would be equivalent to having a 15 gallon tank on the ICE F-150 which is atrocious
- You can replenish 100% of the range of an ICE F-150 on any street corner in America in 5 minutes, compared to 45 minutes MINIMUM with the Lightning after you search for a suitable charging station which is likely miles away.

I agree 100% that if Lightning had at least 500 miles of range, could charge 50% faster, and cost less money it would definitely sell in much higher volumes.

 

[RLXXI]

Can you say the Nastiest word in the English language? At least for a large majority of folks over 30.

It’s………………..…CHANGE!!

Oh well, never been a problem for me.

Hell I'm 60 and can't wait for the next latest greatest technological breakthrough. Just isn't moving fast enough for me, I'm ready for a hover truck. lol

 

[flyct]

Hell I'm 60 and can't wait for the next latest greatest technological breakthrough. Just isn't moving fast enough for me, I'm ready for a hover truck. lol

Funny you should say that. That is the way I felt 10 years ago when I was 69. I bought our first EV, a 2015 Nissan Leaf with an 80 mile range. I bought it at a dealership 100 miles from home and had to stop at an L2 charger for 2 hours to get enough range to make it home.

Since then I owned 8 other EVs. Still own 2 today.

Can't wait for greatest technology.

 

[PreservedSwine]

Virtually everything I thought was important about EV ownership turned out to be completely unimportant once I owned one. I remember stressing about the infrastructure of charging stations more than anything, as well as time to charge on the road. Fast forward over a year and a half later, for my purposes, this isn't important at all. 99.9% of charging is done at home.

Unfortunate, but true. When my co-workers have driven my truck, they do a complete 180 on EV's. But it's only temporary, they eventually revert back to their original opinions. It's difficult to reason someone out of a position they never reasoned themselves into to begin with. If it ever stops being political, and batteries become cheaper, they're the superior choice for most. Those on long road trips that are time sensitive, and those that tow, are still best served with ICE, imo.

 

[Warren]

I think it's all pretty simple.

- Lightning costs WAYYYYYYYYY more than a nicely equipped ICE F-150
- The range on Lightning would be equivalent to having a 15 gallon tank on the ICE F-150 which is atrocious
- You can replenish 100% of the range of an ICE F-150 on any street corner in America in 5 minutes, compared to 45 minutes MINIMUM with the Lightning after you search for a suitable charging station which is likely miles away.

I agree 100% that if Lightning had at least 500 miles of range, could charge 50% faster, and cost less money it would definitely sell in much higher volumes.

I disagree
My Pro after rebate was about 47k. With just my stock features, that is comparable to an Ice with the same package.

As for charging, charging at home is done on down time. I plug it in, walk inside, carry on with my life. No lines, no fumes, no weather, and all at an 80 percent cost reduction. The twice a year trip charging is easily manageable. Tons of places to charge when you start looking for them. Average time is about 30 minutes. Enough time to stretch, grab a snack, and use the restroom

The number one issue for anyone considering an EV should be home charging. If that can't be set up easily, you are not ready for an EV in my opinion. Everything else is just minor adjustments.

 

[Pod]

Long and short of it as stated before…CHANGE. EV is superior tech that will continue to evolve. Petroleum power has reached its zenith.

if the same social/ political environment had existed at the start of the last century, we would still be in the horse and buggy era.

 

[Joe Dablock]

When I encounter an EV denier, I put my hand on their shoulder, smile, and say “before you die, you will own an EV, and when you do, you are going to love it!”

 

[MidAtlanticLightningClub]

Can you say the Nastiest word in the English language? At least for a large majority of folks over 30.

It’s………………..…CHANGE!!

Oh well, never been a problem for me.

Is that because the weather is always changing?

 

[Vulnox]

I think it's all pretty simple.

- Lightning costs WAYYYYYYYYY more than a nicely equipped ICE F-150
- The range on Lightning would be equivalent to having a 15 gallon tank on the ICE F-150 which is atrocious
- You can replenish 100% of the range of an ICE F-150 on any street corner in America in 5 minutes, compared to 45 minutes MINIMUM with the Lightning after you search for a suitable charging station which is likely miles away.

I agree 100% that if Lightning had at least 500 miles of range, could charge 50% faster, and cost less money it would definitely sell in much higher volumes.

#1 is definitely not true. My Platinum MSRP is basically the same as a Platinum ICE, before you get into rebates. Once you get into rebates my Plat was cheaper than my 502a Lariat 2023 PowerBoost was.

The Flash and a 302a XLT are pretty close together on price as well. The Lightning has increased in price from when it was introduced, but the ICE F-150 has increased at a greater rate it seems. As of 2024 MY, you aren't seeing "WAYYYYYY" more price difference when matching like for like.

I just threw together a 2.7L XLT F-150 303a, no other additions, and it came out to $65k MSRP. A Flash Lightning with no other additions was $73k. After listed incentives the XLT was $63k and the Flash was $64k.

And that is basically an extreme, I don't consider the 2.7L to be anywhere near a like-for-like comparison. You would have to go to the 3.5L or PowerBoost, which raises the price to $66k, or $65k after incentives.

The difference is there and in some combos I wouldn't call it negligible, but it's not miles apart. Once you add in oil changes and gas stops the line blurs further.

I also hate this "You can refill the tank in five minutes..." line I always see. It never, ever, everevereverever, took me only five minutes to refill an F-150. I even filled up generally at half a tank which would be the 15 gallons you considered atrocious (since the PB tank is 30.6 gallons). Between stopping at the station, paying (even with tap to pay), and then starting the pump and having it fill 15 gallons, it was well over 5 minutes.

It's still faster than stopping for a DCFC, but I do the DCFC thing a few times per year. I was getting gas every other week. The cumulative time I spent at gas stations was, in your words, "WAYYYYYY" greater than the time I have spent at DCFC in the last two years. Especially since you have to stand at the gas pump until it's done. I just plug in and walk inside and use the bathroom and get some food, which is another misconception. I am never "waiting" on my truck to charge. I am doing other things. I know there are some terrible people that leave gas pumps unattended while it pumps, but that will never be me. So it was just pure lost time.

 

[RickKeen]

Reviving this old thread has made Ford's strategy on EV's obvious to me.
Clearly their strategy is to make sure they have a competitive product for those who already want an EV, but they are not going to be the ones to convert people to EV. Thus no advertising, no sales incentives or training for dealers, and even backing off the dealer mandates.

Meanwhile, they quietly lead in EV pickups, are at the top or near the top on EV work/fleet vans, and have a competitive choice for cars (Mustang EV is often rated higher than Teslas in the press even if the sales numbers have not followed). They really just need an EV Explorer-class SUV to round out their EV product line.

Ford is mostly hedging their bets so that when the world goes EV they are not left behind. Like Kodak when it half heartedly participated in digital photography. That Kodak story needs to be a cautionary one. Kodak never went all-in and it didn't work out. Out of the blue, phone makers (Apple) became the most popular way to take pictures on the planet in the course of a few years time.

Ford knows that its dealer model is one obstacle to EV sales. They attempted to mandate changes to the dealers. I think that generated some backlash more than the desired results. They had to back off.

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