F-150 Lightning Review - Throttle House

[damnitjim]

Just sharing, thought it was interesting.

 

[cvalue13]

As an owner of a F150L, I vouch for this review’s tone and take. Namely :

• the F150L is (I think) intentionally “unremarkable,” and that is a good thing (for what, I think, Ford is accomplishing)

• I traded in a 2018 F150, and the transition to the F150L is almost imperceptible [with the exception of (A) charging-related paradigm,(B) speed/handling/noise (vastly improved), and (C) the frunk (amazing)]

• it even looks exactly like an ICE F-150, inside and out, to any average onlooker, and that’s the point

• best riding/driving full-sized BoF truck on market (arguably)

• long-distance (>150mi) towing, by a full BEV, of any material weight/profile load, is still yet a far-away dream

 

[damnitjim]

As an owner of a F150L, I vouch for this review’s tone and take. Namely :

Yeah, they seem quite fair in all of their reviews. I am eager to watch their review of CT when they can get their hands on one!

And I am glad you enjoy the F-150L! I would look there but I really do want this CT.

 

[charliemagpie]

The design of the lightning looks old etc.. but seeing it and the Rivian side by side, it's the Ford for me.

 

[cvalue13]

The design of the lightning looks old etc.

In terms of the philosophical design approach to making a case for the adoption of an EV truck, I place Ford and the CT on opposing ends of the spectrum. The CT challenges everything you know about trucks, while the Lightning confirms everything you know about trucks.

Both of these strategies are equally fruitful, in terms of bringing people around to the adoption of an EV truck. With the Ford, there are many people who (as mentioned in the OP video) want to pull up to a job site and not be noticed; conversely with the CT, being noticed is sort of the point. The Lightning design philosophy says “everything you’re comfortable with is still there.” The CT says, “everything you’re uncomfortable with is fixed.”

For me, the Rivian on this spectrum is somewhere in the middle, and as a result isn’t compelling in its design philosophy. It’s neither here nor there. It’s as though someone directed the designer: “draw all the normal truck parts, but be sure not to copy a truck that already exists.” The result is … merely unfamiliar. The Rivian design philosophy says, “we’re a truck, but different!” Which neither reassures me that they’ve kept what I like, nor that they’ve fixed what I dislike.”

Anyhow, while the Lightning and CT couldn’t look more different, they’re actually very similar in terms of both deeply reflecting a coherent and uncompromised design philosophy on how pickup trucks can relate to an EV future.

I’ll take one of each, please!

 

[charliemagpie]

The Rivian looks cute... appealing to the surf set ,, kombi van type. Its not ugly, not for me.

On the other hand, I include this photo in my desktop slideshow.

Mic Drop !!!

Might as well compare a Model T to Bugatti Chiron

 

[rr6013]

In terms of the philosophical design approach to making a case for the adoption of an EV truck

tl;dr
Both posts you made tell ”how” FORD has been the #1 pickup truck over decades - four in a row. F150L is an informed, innovative conservative plaid pants design that reflects its buyers needs and wants. That knowledge, experience and loyalty to the design is the FORD defensive moat.
The gauntlet Tesla laid at FORD’s feet was emblematic of an entire automotive industry resistance to change. FORD just happened to have the highest and best example of this staid reliance on selling oil burning products.
Three years later, in hindsight, Elon Musk pulled the trigger on Cybertruck. Its cryptic punk cyber-type font has deflated, disappeared but the proto-type vehicle design has not. It still sits proudly awaiting its GigaFactory ramp. Elon Musk knows “how” hard building a new vehicle production line can be. Elements of the cyber-truck hadn’t been fully invented, developed and designed when the world got its first ride into the future. Tesla is hellbent engineering the “Hell” out of cyber-truck production.
FORD went with what they know, what they had and what works producing the F150 “Lightning”. A success but for stopping sales to rejigger its production. The new Lightning has had its price increase and sales reopened. FORD then laidoff 3000 additional workers. This following an earlier reduction in force which came on the heels of splitting the company into two – ICE and electric.
Financial projections exist that show FORD running out of cash reserves ~2026. Tesla financial projections differ. On the spectrum they are at opposite ends. Cybertruck is looking emblematic of where the world is going, what people will need and for the least bucks. Tesla is leaning on bucks to produce the demand that people will want a cyber-truck.
In 2026 FORD will have F150L and Tesla the Cybertruck. How many people are going to want their grandpa’s pickup over the designed for tomorrow pickup? I admire what FORD has done with the F-150. I like its innovations, ride quality and ranch naming schemes. But its pricing is not something that lends itself to making money. The old fashioned way money was made FORD pickups hauled it. Tesla is pointing at a cyber-truck making cyber-money. Cyber opportunities through taxi, turo and telecommunications via SAT/NAV while being able to pickup a load still is how Cybertruck was designed.
FORD once production is ramped has F150L to meet the challenge of a future where OTA has huge leverage on making money with a pickup. It will have the next generation to sell into its first FORD. Rivian teaches that with enough engineering, innovation and clever design a retro-design pickup can compete at 15/16’s scale – if you know how to produce it.
Loved ’64 1/2 Mustang, ‘67 Fairlane XL Hardtop, ‘67 FORD F-250, ‘72 Continental 2dr, and an ’83 Taurus rental car blew my mind that FORD could engineer a car that handled so well. But renting a Taurus couple years later disproved that the premiere suspension didn’t survive.

 

[cvalue13]

tl;dr

hell of a post to start with “tl;dr”

(I really tried but couldn’t quite read yours, though I came away with a vague sense that you’re butthurt about Ford for some reason, and mistook my post as saying anything other than “both these companies are playing their respective rolls in bringing BEV trucks to the masses”)

I have a CT order for a reason since day 1, and will almost certainly pay for one whenever it finally exists - and comparing it to whatever version of the F150L and other competition that then-exists.

Until then, though, it takes two apples to exist to compare apples-to-apples.

 

[cvalue13]

In 2026 FORD will have F150L and Tesla the Cybertruck. How many people are going to want their grandpa’s pickup over the designed for tomorrow pickup?

I did gather and wanted to respond to this, odd, bit, though:

a strange consequence of how CT timing has gone is this: as forward-looking (to some) as the CT appeared in 2019, by 2026 how is that design going to age? Won’t we have seen photos and mannequins of it for over 7 years by then?

meanwhile, your comment assumes that the styling of the F150L in 2026 will be remotely similar to the MY22/23 styling - which is already known to be false (Gen. 15 is 2025).

meanwhile, what we CT fans are prone to forgetting: huge swaths of the future purchasers of EV’s either or both (1) think the CT styling is a face not even a mother could love, and (2) despise the concept of large trucks altogether.

assuming the CT is the future of design or purchaser preferences is a thin limb to go out on

 

[damnitjim]

In terms of the philosophical design approach to making a case for the adoption of an EV truck, I place Ford and the CT on opposing ends of the spectrum. The CT challenges everything you know about trucks, while the Lightning confirms everything you know about trucks.
...

Dude, you need to write reviews more often. I think you've put into words what many can't.

 

[cvalue13]

Mic Drop !!!

low blow!

But I don’t take it personal, since we all know that F150 was the smallest-engined, rear-wheel drive, unloaded, F-150 made at the time.

But it does now raise the possibility of a more interesting comparison

perhaps needs a new thread!

 

[CyberGus]

a strange consequence of how CT timing has gone is this: as forward-looking (to some) as the CT appeared in 2019, by 2026 how is that design going to age? Won’t we have seen photos and mannequins of it for over 7 years by then?

The TMC forums from 2019 are full of Tesla stans that were ready to burn their "Cult of Elon" membership cards over the CT design. Clearly, many have warmed to it since, but there are still naysayers that claim it's a gimmick that will never be built. Ha!

It's hard to imagine within our online bubble, but there are still many people out there who've never heard of "Tesla", let alone "Cybertruck". It's a big, shiny, odd-shaped vehicle that will draw attention to itself constantly.

I periodically drive my 40-year-old DeLorean, and it's a circus every time. I get followed, photographed, and harangued wherever I stop. Friends will text "hey was that you I saw on 3rd street at 2:37 PM" before I even get home.

I expect Cybertrucks to evoke the same response until they become ubiquitous.

 

[charliemagpie]

We will know when the season proper starts

 

[cvalue13]

We will know when the season proper starts

If you’re referencing the tow-battle again (which it seems like), I’d want to point out one small item of potential embarrassment:

The ironic thing about that tow-battle was, the only people it impressed were people who understood nothing about towing.

To people who understood towing (or physics), that display merely showed the natural consequence of a ~6,000 pound “thing” pulling at a ~2,300 pound “thing” (because the Ford SXT 2WD has an ~5,000 weight but a ~60/40 weight distribution over the rear wheel).

Interestingly, now that a similarly-constructed F150L exists, also with dual motors, AWD, a 50/50 weight distribution, etc., an on-paper comparison suggests a tow-off would be slightly more relevant.

But un-interestingly, that 2022 tow-off would very likely now reduce down to a question of only which vehicles tires had the better friction coefficient (because the other relevant trim-for-trim stats, mainly weight and AWD, are a near wash).

Which would mean that a 2022 rematch would, quite boringly, conclude that it’s not about which truck you choose but instead which tires you choose to put on the truck.

The main difference between 2019 and now: more EV owners understand this.

 

[rr6013]

by 2026 how is that design going to age?

Tesla lives and dies by cyber, despite name-plating, haven’t impressed with the cyber half yet. If cyber falls flat the Cybertruck will as well.

By 2026, A.I. is the narrative and Tesla is literally on that bleeding edge with TeslaVISION and FSD. NHTSB nixes FSD Tesla have no cyber game.