The F-150 Lightning is Dramatically Cheaper to Operate Than a Gas F-150

In many circumstances, the Ford F-150 Lightning can save thousands of dollars over an ICE F-150, but there are some stipulations.

Since the launch of the Ford F-150 Lightning, we’ve been treated to all sorts of informative videos breaking down the differences between the EV pickup and its ICE brethren, revealing both its advantages and disadvantages in that regard. By now, most are well aware of the fact that the F-150 Lightning is incredibly quick, cheap to maintain and charge, and yet, also not terribly great at towing while also taking far longer to “refuel” compared to a gas-powered F-150 – not to mention its rather hefty price tag. However, this new video from Ben Sullins takes a deep dive into what it costs to charge a Ford F-150 Lightning versus the fuel costs of a regular F-150, and it’s truly an interesting piece.

Here, we get to see some real-world costs in terms of operating both – not some hypothetical, imaginary exercise. First, Sullins goes over the EV pickup, which averages an energy consumption of around 2.1 miles per kilowatt hour, with an average of around 1,400 miles per month in terms of distance covered. The average price per kilowatt currently comes in at 22 cents, meaning that he’s consuming a devilish 666 kilowatt hours per month at a cost of $146.67 monthly, or $1,760 a year and $8,800 over five years.

For an ICE F-150, Sullins chooses the more popular configuration – a SuperCrew, short bed, four-wheel drive model, which averages out at 20 miles-per-gallon according to EPA data, though there are plenty of engine options in that regard with lower and higher figures. Sullins lives in Southern California, which means that gas is incredibly expensive at $4.88 a gallon, but regardless of where you might reside, the ICE F-150 uses around 70 gallons per fuel per month in this exercise, or around $342 per month, $4,100 a year, and $20,512 across five years.

This makes for a massive gap in terms of energy/fuel costs – $11,712 – which is truly astounding, even if these numbers can and will vary greatly depending on where one lives and how much gas costs at any given time. The other important consideration here is the upfront cost of both trucks – in this exercise, Sullins went with a Lariat ICE F-150 with an MSRP of $78,379, while his Ford F-150 Lighting cost $79,094, making this a bit of a wash, as well as tilted sharply toward the EV variant.

So the answer here is yes – the F-150 Lightning can be far cheaper to operate than an ICE F-150, though this all depends on a number of factors. One could certainly purchase a bare-bones pickup, live in a state where gas prices are low, and probably wind up saving money over driving the EV version. Or, you could charge at home with much cheaper rates and likely make this gap even wider. The point is, there are scenarios where an EV can save you a ton of money, which is sure to make them more appealing to some.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.