What Reviewers Think of Ford's Electric Truck

Automotive journalists got to take the new Ford F-150 electric pickup for a spin, and the reviews are downright glowing. Gas-powered F-series trucks have long been the best-selling vehicles in America, and the electric Lightning may continue the trend if the reviews are any indication. The truck, now in production, starts at a base model of about $40,000, but a federal subsidy knocks that down to about $32,500.

• "The Ford F-150 Lightning may be the best pickup truck the company has ever made," begins the review by Peter Valdes-Dapena at CNN. He calls it "a real truck, not a toy for campers and not a weird design exercise," and that's a familiar theme in reviews. As for the drive, the most surprising thing "was just how much more nicely the Lightning drives than gas-powered F-150s," he writes. "That's largely due to the improved weight balance that comes having heavy battery packs spread out between the front and back wheels rather than a big engine under the hood."

• "There are certainly trade-offs to electrifying something as popular and beloved as the F-series," writes Andrew J. Hawkins at the Verge. "But thankfully, the good outweighs the bad," and he's "optimistic" about the shift from gas-powered trucks. One concern: "I found myself a little worried about how F-150 Lightning owners will handle the instant acceleration in denser settings, like the suburban communities where most F-150 owners live." That "torque can be shocking," but the brakes seem up to the task.
• "To get to brass tacks, the Lightning is the best-driving, best-riding, and best-handling F-150 you can buy," writes Scott Evans at MotorTrend. "The only reasons not to buy one over a gas- or diesel-powered F-150 are that you have nowhere to charge at home, you actually tow hundreds of miles at a time on a regular basis, or you simply don't like—or won't let yourself like—electric vehicles. All other reasons are invalid." Ford had to "absolutely nail" this design, he adds, and the company did just that.
• It's a "game-changer," writes Tim Stevens at CNET. "The ride quality is remarkably good, smooth and compliant, and easily the kind of thing I'd see myself wanting to do for long trips." But for "those of you who actually want to do proper truck stuff with a Raptor, don't worry, this isn't just a garage queen," he writes. "My tester and its 37-inch performance package offer 13 inches of front and 14.1 inches of rear suspension travel. Payload and towing have improved for this generation, as well, now resting comfortably at 1,400 pounds and 8,200 pounds, respectively."

(The truck has an unusual perk: It can power a home during a power outage.)