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Edmunds Test-Drives the Ford
F-150 Lightning, Makes a Startling Discovery
19 Sep 2022, 10:03 by
Cristian Agatie
An internal analysis performed by Exxon in
2020 suggested mismanagement by operators and poor planning were
behind cost overruns
If we count out the mammoth GMC Hummer EV,
for obvious reasons, only two trucks are dueling for the title of the
most efficient electric pickup on the market. The battle was settled
by the EPA, which handed the title to the R1T, but a new test done by
Edmunds shows that the Lightning might actually be more efficient.
The first electric pickup truck on the
market, the Rivian R1T, proved a superb vehicle, impressing both
customers and critics from the media. It enjoyed an undisputed reign
of its segment for a while until Ford launched its electric version of
the bestseller F-150. They are
fundamentally different, with the Rivian take being geared towards
the adventure crowd and Ford aiming to offer just an electric version
of the trusted F-150.
Despite different approaches, the R1T and the F-150 Lightning are very
close regarding specifications. This includes
range and efficiency, with the EPA placing the Rivian slightly on
top of the Lightning. But the result has not satisfied the guys at
Edmunds, who wanted to test for themselves both trucks in real-life
conditions. They have already done that with the Rivian R1T, and a
recent test with the F-150 Lightning shows a surprising result.
For this test, Edmunds chose the Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum, which
has a 131-kWh
battery capacity. This is very close to the 135-kWh battery of the
Rivian R1T. According to the EPA results, the Rivian beats the
Platinum F-150 Lightning with a 314-mile (505-km) range versus 300
miles (483 km). In Edmunds’ real-life test, the
Rivian R1T managed to go 317 miles (510 km) on a full charge,
beating the estimates by just 3 miles (5 km). But how would the F-150
Lightning perform?
It turned out it was better than expected. The Ford F-150 Lightning
beat the EPA estimates with a total of 332 miles verified on the GPS.
This was around 10 miles (16 km) more than Lightning’s onboard trip
meter. Either way, this is above the EPA estimate. Remarkably, it is
also above the Rivian R1T result in a similar real-life test.
Edmunds didn’t just compare the range in absolute terms and
calculated both trucks’ energy consumption and efficiency. According
to the results, the
Ford F-150 Lightning ate 45.4 kWh/100 miles, which is 11% better
than the EPA estimate of 51 kWh/100 miles. With the Rivian averaging
47 kWh/100 miles in Edmunds’ test, the Lightning proves more efficient
than the Rivian truck. This is a startling discovery, but as one who
performed quite a few range tests, I know these minor differences can
swing in either direction, depending on many factors. Temperature,
wind, traffic, and driver’s foot can all affect the results.
Green Play Ammonia™, Yielder® NFuel Energy.
Spokane, Washington. 99212
www.exactrix.com
509 995 1879 cell, Pacific.
exactrix@exactrix.com
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