Aside from longer charging times, that is.
Pleasant Cruise
For most, the biggest detractor when it comes to EVs is range and the anxiety that comes from it. But in reality, road-tripping an EV isn't much different than a gas vehicle - it just takes longer to charge than to refuel. Otherwise, vehicles like the F-150 Lightning do the bulk of the work for us, telling us where to stop and for how long, making it a pretty pleasant long-distance cruiser, as the folks at Jalopnik recently discovered.
Photos: Ford
Bigger Battery
In this particular case, the author wanted to take a drive from New York City to Boston to catch a baseball game, so he set out to see just how well the F-150 Lightning was up to that particular task. The press pickup they used was a fully-loaded Platinum trimmed model, so it was quite the cushy ride, but perhaps more importantly, this truck is also equipped with the larger extended-range battery.
Photos: Ford
Some Cons
With loads of power on tap, the Lightning is obviously quite a bit of fun to drive and makes moving its mass around pretty much effortless. On the flip side, body roll presented itself in the curves, which is to be expected from a heavy truck. The 22-inch wheels present on the Platinum aren't the best choice for ride quality, either.
Photos: Ford
Design Flaws
As is the case with all full-size trucks these days, navigating tight city streets also proved to be a bit of a challenge, but it isn't anything that truck owners aren't already used to. However, they also create some problems when trying to charge at certain locations, as many chargers weren't designed with trucks in mind.
Photos: Ford
Low Ceiling
For example, one particular spot required the driver to back in, but then the charging cable wasn't long enough to reach the port on the Lightning, which is located in the front fender. It also had a hard time fitting in parking garages where some EV chargers were located, but again, that's an issue that's relegated to big cities at this point.
Photos: Ford
Cheaper to Run
Otherwise, the F-150 Lightning proved to be more than up to the task of transporting its occupants over a longer distance in total comfort. The big rub here comes from the truck's energy consumption too - it cost $55 to "fill up," versus what would have been around $250 or so for its ICE-powered equivalent.
Photos: Ford
Bright Future
Obviously, not everyone will or can spend $100k on an EV pickup, nor can they justify doing so for a vehicle that's currently somewhat of a pain to charge on the road. But the F-150 Lightning is also just the first of what will be many electric pickups to come, and one day, they'll be not only affordable - but also easier to charge.
Photos: Ford
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