As a lightning owner, this is a excellent video on pros and cons. Only thing I would add is you can get a 50amp home charger for under $300 and it will charge from 10% to 90% in about 4 1/2 hours for the flash.
Thanks, and great call on the home charger! I don't stress that option enough in my videos so I'll add it into future EV reviews I do. How has the Lightning been for you so far? Any pros and cons that you can share with other potential owners?
ford is supposed to give me a free home charger and have it wired in. Is that the charger you are talking about, or should I buy a different one? If I need a different one, can you recommend one? thanks.
@@briankeithwood I own a Ford Lightning and a Tesla. IMO, the best charger for my Lightning is Tesla's Mobile Connector. It's small and supports both level-1 (NEMA-5-15) and level-2 (NEMA-15-40) charging for $275. And for another $245, you can opt for their NEMA adapter bundle, which allows you to charge from ANY type of 120V or 240V plug (drier, AC, oven, campsite, etc). And since it has Tesla's connector, which Ford and the rest will soon be using (instead of J1772), it's a better long-term investment IMO. 🙂
A 10-90% charge requires ~105kWh (80% of the battery's 131kWh effective capacity). L2 chargers deliver 9.6-15.4kW depending on amperage (50A for a typical 240-volt plug-in, 60A for a typical hardwired L2, and 80A for the Ford Charge Station Pro). Even the fastest 80A option takes about 7 hours to deliver that much energy. (All those rates are so far below the Lightning's maximum charge rate that it's not a faster.) That's still a non-issue if you're able to charge overnight, but it's not quite as rosy as 4.5 hours.
Great video, dude. Love the value comparison approach to your review! Too often reviewers focus on the wizbang tech features, without discussing the value or the reasons an average person, with an average budget should shell out for a Lightning. Just a minor point of constructive criticism: you gotta figure out the difference between kW and kWH. Multiple times in the video you're describing power outout from ProPower Onboard outlets or power inputs via the charging port as kWH, when really you're referring to power not capacity. Might seem nitpicky, but it was odd for me, as someone who's got some experience with electricity and EVs, for a newbie with little knowledge on the subject, it could be downright confusing! Hope this helps and keep up the great videos!
Thanks, always great to hear when people like all the detail I cover off. Appreciate the feedback too. All the videos I do are improvised and I'm usually good at catching mistakes in editing but the kW and kWh was obviously one I overlooked. I'll keep an eye out on that for future EV videos. Cheers!
I really liked the Flash, great value overall! There's a few thousand dollars in dealer profit in the Flash trim that you could try to negotiate down if you try a dealer or two, that's above the regular MSRP and delivery allowances
You didnt show the app. Not sure if you mentioned it. I have seen numerous vids that say the Lightning app is lacking quite a bit compared to Tesla and Rivian. Not a deal breaker for me because I never had one of those lol. I have the 23 XLT ER with 16k on it and tire rotation is all Ive had done. Once. 30 bucks. Fuel savings vs ICE truck is ridiculous. Love it!!
Didn't realize people would want that shown but I'll make sure to highlight it for a minute in future videos! I wouldn't consider a Tesla truck if you're planning on using it for actual truck purposes haha but for a daily driver and no budget... Good to hear you're loving yours at least! Any positives or negatives you've found so far since you've owned it?
The app is steadily improving. They update it every couple of months. You have remote climate start (where you can set temp, seats, steering wheel), You can set schedules for charging, lock/unlock doors, frunk, tailgate, On some of the higher trim levels (not sure with the flash) you can use your phone as a key, auto locks and unlocks as you approach and leave, You can see the location of your truck on a map, do a trailer light check, set up permissions for other drivers. The great thing about the app is that the App its free. Some manufactures give you a 3 year trial and then you need to get a subscription. Not sure what the Tesla or Rivian app has above this, but I've been generally happy with the app.
@@CarsWithSteve Agree on the tesla truck for work vehicle. But honestly I dont know enough about it to truly say that. But the Lightning is an F150 which is a great work vehicle. Ilove the truck. I think the only thing missing is pet mode. Turn radius is not great but it is a truck lol. The frunk takes this thing to a whole different level. As does Pro Power and the ride comfort. Did I mention the fuel and maintenance savings? Game changer!!!!
I am looking for it to do small home repair jobs. Need a few sheets of plywood or maybe want to pick up a new stove. Not dragging a trailer across the country, but still the occasional light truck stuff.
I run a home building company with a fleet of trucks. The lightning is the most capable (tows and hauls better) than any 1/2 ton we've ever had, and by far the cheapest to operate. The only disadvantage is repeated long distance driving or towing. We rarely ever travel over 100 miles a day so its perfect for us (we will be getting more). It's not that you can't go long distances with it, you just have to have the patience to wait for charging. If you do long trips a couple of times a year, it's worth a few stops for all the benefits you gain for the other 99% of the time. Just wanted to chime in to say, the truck is even more capable than an ICE f150, so whether it's a few sheets of plywood or a whole lift of plywood, it can handle it like a champ. The only criteria that people should have on if they should get it or not is if they do a lot of long distance driving. If they do, EV trucks are not ready yet, stick to ICE.
Thank for review! Hello everyone, I watched a lot of reviews on this particular truck, and nobody is talking about : what we are going to do with it after let’s say 5-6 years? A ICE truck will be a lot easier to sell, trade-in, and it will hold its value , of course depending on mileage, shape etc.. while an ev truck, I honestly think, it will be very hard to get rid of.. your thoughts?
You're welcome! Resale is definitely something to consider, especially if you don't plan on driving it until the wheels fall off. Most EVs will have a 40-50% depreciation after 4-5 years depending on the mileage on them but there's always someone ready to buy. Could always look at leasing and buying out at the end if the numbers make sense
Only problem with just a long range is that people who want a cheaper option or don't need extra range are paying extra unnecessarily. Ford has been streamlining their lineup quite a bit though so once battery tech improves there could be a chance that there's only a long range battery
Nice clean looking Truck. The interior looks fantastic but the body work could do with a bit more artistic input. I don’t think Electric Trucks will Energise 4x4 owners in the UK. There is a lot of disappointment in the electric vehicle market in the UK, not necessarily Ford- predominantly down to range anxiety. However, in saying that, all it takes is one Bright Spark (excuse the pun), to spearhead a design Team that runs riot with the design and manufacturing of a Ford Electric Pick Up so that it’s so distinctive that its presence and performance strikes you like a bolt of lightning.
What types of changes do you think would make the outside look better? Any examples of trucks I could check out for reference? I completely understand range anxiety.. charging ties into that though. If a battery could fully charge up in 5-10 mins and charging infrastructure was closer to that of petrol stations it would make sense for a lot more people
@ the wheel arches are somewhat plain, the front could have mouldings to give the impression of an air intake. Subtle aerodynamic curves which catch your eye. Like an elegant lady walking into the cocktail party in a crushed velvet dress - a feature which caught your eye, then closely followed by the fine grade VS1 diamond necklace. Subtle but desirable. A spoiler on the tail-gate - a nod to the muscle cars of yore. The list could go on. I can understand why MSRT, in the UK, has production models (all approved by Ford), that makes that particular vehicle a “Stand-out” model in the range.
Manual shifter but not normal climate control buttons. I definitely prefer climate buttons at least they are always on the bottom and not like Tesla where you have to click to find.
I hear that about the physical buttons all the time in cars/trucks without them.. They're laid out easily which is nice, plus you can always use your voice to adjust things out as well. You can change the fan speed, climate etc using the voice command prompt
When you're plugged in you can't start the truck up so you'd have to stop and turn off to charge. I'm sure an electrician could probably find a way a way to do it but it's got to do with limiting the likelihood of overheating
@@CarsWithSteve Bummer I know Dodge Ramcharger has the issue solved it charges while you drive it, but they used a gas powered generator where a diesel should be. Being a new release it will be 2 years before the used market has supply of them. Used lightnings are easy to get but was just planning to wire to current system but if is can't run down the high with a boat in tow that does not help it
Ah the Ramcharger! Different setup though.. the Ram is a more capable hybrid. I'm sure someone could probably figure out how to slap a generator or motor onto this truck as well. Get whistling diesel in on it haha
@@CarsWithSteve I would not say its a hybrid as it runs on electric like all the others it just can get some of the electric from gas vs coal if I had one that I plugged in a home if would be fueled by coal.
I look at it the same way as plugin hybrids.. the can charge using the gas motor but they have a much larger battery than non plugin hybrids. I really like that thought process with the Ramcharger though.. ideally I'd love to see more cars, SUVs and trucks with much larger batteries with a smaller motor to charge it as you drive
I'm a 2023 XLT ER owner. The integrated home backup doesn't work. Check any of the boards. If that is important to you, don't buy the truck; otherwise, it's a good truck.
Most of the forum posts I've seen on it not working are due to a grounding issue which is usually solved with an gfci interlock or disconnecting the ground wire on the charge cord
@ Sun Run is a problem, the software is a problem, and Ford is absolutely no help. The reliance on blue tooth communication between the Ford charger and the truck is always a crap shoot. Try and get Ford or Sun Run to do an episode with you about it.
Declaring it doesn't outright work is a bit misleading. Many people are having huge issues with vehicle to home integration. The main culprit is that because Ford is one of the first, most installers don't have a clue of what they are doing and can't troubleshoot worth a darn. There are many people that have the system fully functioning with no issue. Your warning is correct though, if this is important to you, be forewarned that you "might" need extreme patience, time and money, to get it going. Although, home back up is a feature I want to have, I am holding off a couple more years before I get mine done. I want the kinks all worked out and the price to drop first. In the meantime I can still manually backup some of the things in my house in the event of a major power outage by running extension cords to the outlets in the bed and frunk. It's not pretty but if I really need heat from my furnace, or don't want to spoil food in my fridge, at least it's better than nothing.
It's a worse deal in EVs though.. Even if a gas F150 has its range cut in half when heavy towing (it doesn't), it would be 3 mins to fill up vs having to wait 20-30 mins to fast charge to 80% in the Lightning. I still love the Lightning but for long distance heavy towing, the infrastructure and charge times aren't there yet
As a lightning owner, this is a excellent video on pros and cons. Only thing I would add is you can get a 50amp home charger for under $300 and it will charge from 10% to 90% in about 4 1/2 hours for the flash.
Thanks, and great call on the home charger! I don't stress that option enough in my videos so I'll add it into future EV reviews I do. How has the Lightning been for you so far? Any pros and cons that you can share with other potential owners?
ford is supposed to give me a free home charger and have it wired in. Is that the charger you are talking about, or should I buy a different one? If I need a different one, can you recommend one?
thanks.
@@briankeithwood I own a Ford Lightning and a Tesla. IMO, the best charger for my Lightning is Tesla's Mobile Connector. It's small and supports both level-1 (NEMA-5-15) and level-2 (NEMA-15-40) charging for $275. And for another $245, you can opt for their NEMA adapter bundle, which allows you to charge from ANY type of 120V or 240V plug (drier, AC, oven, campsite, etc). And since it has Tesla's connector, which Ford and the rest will soon be using (instead of J1772), it's a better long-term investment IMO. 🙂
A 10-90% charge requires ~105kWh (80% of the battery's 131kWh effective capacity). L2 chargers deliver 9.6-15.4kW depending on amperage (50A for a typical 240-volt plug-in, 60A for a typical hardwired L2, and 80A for the Ford Charge Station Pro). Even the fastest 80A option takes about 7 hours to deliver that much energy. (All those rates are so far below the Lightning's maximum charge rate that it's not a faster.) That's still a non-issue if you're able to charge overnight, but it's not quite as rosy as 4.5 hours.
Almost 24k on my lightning ⚡️ and no complaints. I love it. The only thing I have done is upgrade the tires for winter.
Nice! How are you finding range in the winter time compared to the warmer months of the year?
Great video, dude. Love the value comparison approach to your review! Too often reviewers focus on the wizbang tech features, without discussing the value or the reasons an average person, with an average budget should shell out for a Lightning.
Just a minor point of constructive criticism: you gotta figure out the difference between kW and kWH. Multiple times in the video you're describing power outout from ProPower Onboard outlets or power inputs via the charging port as kWH, when really you're referring to power not capacity.
Might seem nitpicky, but it was odd for me, as someone who's got some experience with electricity and EVs, for a newbie with little knowledge on the subject, it could be downright confusing!
Hope this helps and keep up the great videos!
Thanks, always great to hear when people like all the detail I cover off.
Appreciate the feedback too. All the videos I do are improvised and I'm usually good at catching mistakes in editing but the kW and kWh was obviously one I overlooked. I'll keep an eye out on that for future EV videos. Cheers!
a great thorough review. Outstanding 👍
Thanks Mike!
Yeah Sir you sold me I’m going to lease this on Thursday.
Nice! What build do you think you're going with?
@ the flash because it’s the cheapest and the truck market is insane lol.
I really liked the Flash, great value overall! There's a few thousand dollars in dealer profit in the Flash trim that you could try to negotiate down if you try a dealer or two, that's above the regular MSRP and delivery allowances
Me too, got a lariat coming
You didnt show the app. Not sure if you mentioned it. I have seen numerous vids that say the Lightning app is lacking quite a bit compared to Tesla and Rivian. Not a deal breaker for me because I never had one of those lol. I have the 23 XLT ER with 16k on it and tire rotation is all Ive had done. Once. 30 bucks. Fuel savings vs ICE truck is ridiculous. Love it!!
Didn't realize people would want that shown but I'll make sure to highlight it for a minute in future videos! I wouldn't consider a Tesla truck if you're planning on using it for actual truck purposes haha but for a daily driver and no budget...
Good to hear you're loving yours at least! Any positives or negatives you've found so far since you've owned it?
The app is steadily improving. They update it every couple of months. You have remote climate start (where you can set temp, seats, steering wheel), You can set schedules for charging, lock/unlock doors, frunk, tailgate, On some of the higher trim levels (not sure with the flash) you can use your phone as a key, auto locks and unlocks as you approach and leave, You can see the location of your truck on a map, do a trailer light check, set up permissions for other drivers. The great thing about the app is that the App its free. Some manufactures give you a 3 year trial and then you need to get a subscription. Not sure what the Tesla or Rivian app has above this, but I've been generally happy with the app.
@@CarsWithSteve Agree on the tesla truck for work vehicle. But honestly I dont know enough about it to truly say that. But the Lightning is an F150 which is a great work vehicle. Ilove the truck. I think the only thing missing is pet mode. Turn radius is not great but it is a truck lol. The frunk takes this thing to a whole different level. As does Pro Power and the ride comfort. Did I mention the fuel and maintenance savings? Game changer!!!!
@@darpompie4354 I agree Im good with the app also....could use pet mode though. Thats really not an app thing though, more of a feature.
I am looking for it to do small home repair jobs. Need a few sheets of plywood or maybe want to pick up a new stove. Not dragging a trailer across the country, but still the occasional light truck stuff.
I'd say that's close to ideal for the Lightning. Even with some payload, the Lightning would work well. Have you had the chance to test drive one yet?
@@CarsWithSteve I drove the xlt, looking to buy the Flash version if I can get that done before the 1st.
Good luck! Custom order one if your local dealer doesn't have one on the lot
I run a home building company with a fleet of trucks. The lightning is the most capable (tows and hauls better) than any 1/2 ton we've ever had, and by far the cheapest to operate. The only disadvantage is repeated long distance driving or towing. We rarely ever travel over 100 miles a day so its perfect for us (we will be getting more). It's not that you can't go long distances with it, you just have to have the patience to wait for charging. If you do long trips a couple of times a year, it's worth a few stops for all the benefits you gain for the other 99% of the time. Just wanted to chime in to say, the truck is even more capable than an ICE f150, so whether it's a few sheets of plywood or a whole lift of plywood, it can handle it like a champ. The only criteria that people should have on if they should get it or not is if they do a lot of long distance driving. If they do, EV trucks are not ready yet, stick to ICE.
@@darpompie4354 thanks, I bought a Flash the day after Christmas, 400 miles away and figured out charging and such on the drive home.
Thank for review!
Hello everyone, I watched a lot of reviews on this particular truck, and nobody is talking about : what we are going to do with it after let’s say 5-6 years? A ICE truck will be a lot easier to sell, trade-in, and it will hold its value , of course depending on mileage, shape etc.. while an ev truck, I honestly think, it will be very hard to get rid of..
your thoughts?
You're welcome! Resale is definitely something to consider, especially if you don't plan on driving it until the wheels fall off. Most EVs will have a 40-50% depreciation after 4-5 years depending on the mileage on them but there's always someone ready to buy. Could always look at leasing and buying out at the end if the numbers make sense
Personally, I wish Ford would just stick the one, long-range battery, in all F-150 Lightning models.
Only problem with just a long range is that people who want a cheaper option or don't need extra range are paying extra unnecessarily. Ford has been streamlining their lineup quite a bit though so once battery tech improves there could be a chance that there's only a long range battery
@@CarsWithSteve Good point.
Nice clean looking Truck. The interior looks fantastic but the body work could do with a bit more artistic input. I don’t think Electric Trucks will Energise 4x4 owners in the UK. There is a lot of disappointment in the electric vehicle market in the UK, not necessarily Ford- predominantly down to range anxiety. However, in saying that, all it takes is one Bright Spark (excuse the pun), to spearhead a design Team that runs riot with the design and manufacturing of a Ford Electric Pick Up so that it’s so distinctive that its presence and performance strikes you like a bolt of lightning.
What types of changes do you think would make the outside look better? Any examples of trucks I could check out for reference? I completely understand range anxiety.. charging ties into that though. If a battery could fully charge up in 5-10 mins and charging infrastructure was closer to that of petrol stations it would make sense for a lot more people
@ the wheel arches are somewhat plain, the front could have mouldings to give the impression of an air intake. Subtle aerodynamic curves which catch your eye. Like an elegant lady walking into the cocktail party in a crushed velvet dress - a feature which caught your eye, then closely followed by the fine grade VS1 diamond necklace. Subtle but desirable. A spoiler on the tail-gate - a nod to the muscle cars of yore. The list could go on. I can understand why MSRT, in the UK, has production models (all approved by Ford), that makes that particular vehicle a “Stand-out” model in the range.
You should design a body kit if that's something up your alley
Manual shifter but not normal climate control buttons. I definitely prefer climate buttons at least they are always on the bottom and not like Tesla where you have to click to find.
I hear that about the physical buttons all the time in cars/trucks without them.. They're laid out easily which is nice, plus you can always use your voice to adjust things out as well. You can change the fan speed, climate etc using the voice command prompt
The XLT and Pro trim has the smaller screen with physical buttons.
Can you charge it with a diesel generator while driving it?
When you're plugged in you can't start the truck up so you'd have to stop and turn off to charge. I'm sure an electrician could probably find a way a way to do it but it's got to do with limiting the likelihood of overheating
@@CarsWithSteve Bummer I know Dodge Ramcharger has the issue solved it charges while you drive it, but they used a gas powered generator where a diesel should be. Being a new release it will be 2 years before the used market has supply of them. Used lightnings are easy to get but was just planning to wire to current system but if is can't run down the high with a boat in tow that does not help it
Ah the Ramcharger! Different setup though.. the Ram is a more capable hybrid. I'm sure someone could probably figure out how to slap a generator or motor onto this truck as well. Get whistling diesel in on it haha
@@CarsWithSteve I would not say its a hybrid as it runs on electric like all the others it just can get some of the electric from gas vs coal if I had one that I plugged in a home if would be fueled by coal.
I look at it the same way as plugin hybrids.. the can charge using the gas motor but they have a much larger battery than non plugin hybrids. I really like that thought process with the Ramcharger though.. ideally I'd love to see more cars, SUVs and trucks with much larger batteries with a smaller motor to charge it as you drive
I'm a 2023 XLT ER owner. The integrated home backup doesn't work. Check any of the boards. If that is important to you, don't buy the truck; otherwise, it's a good truck.
Most of the forum posts I've seen on it not working are due to a grounding issue which is usually solved with an gfci interlock or disconnecting the ground wire on the charge cord
@ Sun Run is a problem, the software is a problem, and Ford is absolutely no help. The reliance on blue tooth communication between the Ford charger and the truck is always a crap shoot. Try and get Ford or Sun Run to do an episode with you about it.
I'll reach out to Ford media and see if I can set something up!
Declaring it doesn't outright work is a bit misleading. Many people are having huge issues with vehicle to home integration. The main culprit is that because Ford is one of the first, most installers don't have a clue of what they are doing and can't troubleshoot worth a darn. There are many people that have the system fully functioning with no issue. Your warning is correct though, if this is important to you, be forewarned that you "might" need extreme patience, time and money, to get it going. Although, home back up is a feature I want to have, I am holding off a couple more years before I get mine done. I want the kinks all worked out and the price to drop first. In the meantime I can still manually backup some of the things in my house in the event of a major power outage by running extension cords to the outlets in the bed and frunk. It's not pretty but if I really need heat from my furnace, or don't want to spoil food in my fridge, at least it's better than nothing.
@@darpompie4354agreed
Towing negatively impacts all vehicles.
It's a worse deal in EVs though.. Even if a gas F150 has its range cut in half when heavy towing (it doesn't), it would be 3 mins to fill up vs having to wait 20-30 mins to fast charge to 80% in the Lightning. I still love the Lightning but for long distance heavy towing, the infrastructure and charge times aren't there yet