How many CyberTruck prospective buyers have even driven a Lightning or a Rivian?

[Keeney]

Wondering how many Tesla owners and prospective CyberTruck buyers have even driven a Lightning or a Rivian?

So much of the hype for the CyberTruck strikes me as general hype for EVs without any consideration that not every EV is a Tesla. People seem to overlook that the Lightning and Rivian ARE EVs. The have super smooth, silent, rapid acceleration. They charge at home. They drive effortlessly in traffic. They have 300+ mile range.

Had a Tesla owner in my F150L the other day and they were amazed that the F150L actually drives like an EV. They assumed it would be more ICE like because its built by Ford and shaped the same as the ICE version?

 

[Ahuch]

Wondering how many Tesla owners and prospective CyberTruck buyers have even driven a Lightning or a Rivian?

So much of the hype for the CyberTruck strikes me as general hype for EVs without any consideration that not every EV is a Tesla. People seem to overlook that the Lightning and Rivian ARE EVs. The have super smooth, silent, rapid acceleration. They charge at home. They drive effortlessly in traffic. They have 300+ mile range.

Had a Tesla owner in my F150L the other day and they were amazed that the F150L actually drives like an EV. They assumed it would be more ICE like because its built by Ford and shaped the same as the ICE version?

I literally went to go try and test drive one tonight and the dealer was giving me the runaround... 20 minutes of sales pitches without letting me sit in the freaking vehicle or a test drive.

I'm actually strongly considering the F150L right now because I can get a Lariat with the extended range battery quite a bit cheaper than the dual motor CT and I value things like turn signals, working auto wipers, and ultrasonic sensors for parking more than some of the awesome CT features. That and I can get one ASAP and not wait probably close to a year for the CT to come to Canada.

 

[alockbox]

I’ve driven both and own a Lightning. Actually on my second. Owned a Mach E GT Performance before. R1T at the time was too expensive. I’ve also driven M3 and MY.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I have driven other EVs though not trucks. I was not happy and carefully documented my concerns. I have also documented what I like about Teslas. Based on these I do not need to physically drive either a Rivian or a Lightning to make my choice. The biggest issues I have are lack of charging infrastructure and the powertrain efficiency. Their features are wonderful.

 

[Keeney]

I have driven other EVs though not trucks. I was not happy and carefully documented my concerns. I have also documented what I like about Teslas. Based on these I do not need to physically drive either a Rivian or a Lightning to make my choice. The biggest issues I have are lack of charging infrastructure and the powertrain efficiency. Their features are wonderful.

10,000 CCS Fast Charger in the US.
15,000 more tesla Supercharges coming available early in 2024, long before you will likely get a CyberTruck.
37 Tesla Supercharger sites you can already use with CCS EVs right now.
CT drive train is not so much more efficient as the truck is just smaller and more aerodynamic. Mostly due to the sloped back and bed cover.

 

[BayouCityBob]

I own a Rivian and a Tesla. The reality Ford is facing is that most F150 buyers do not want an EV and most EV truck buyers do not want an F150. The data speaks for itself. It is not just the Lightning, I cannot think of a single ICE vehicle with an electric powertrain that is a good seller anywhere in the world. You need to offer something ground-up unique to appeal to EV buyers. Lightning is the same as the ICE truck but with a big premium and an electric powertrain (with all of its plusses and minuses).

The number 1 reason I am giving up my Rivian for a CT, for the record, is that I miss the Tesla FSD, which I love, and driver+ is basically awful. Not Toyota awful, mind you, but still pretty awful. The #2 reason is slow charging speed which makes it not great on road trips (and teh CCS charging totally blows) and Rivian is significantly better than Lightning on this dimension. Different people have different priorities and preferences. (I will also confess that even if I preferred the Lightning, I would never buy a Ford again because dealers suck.)

 

[Keeney]

I literally went to go try and test drive one tonight and the dealer was giving me the runaround... 20 minutes of sales pitches without letting me sit in the freaking vehicle or a test drive.

I'm actually strongly considering the F150L right now because I can get a Lariat with the extended range battery quite a bit cheaper than the dual motor CT and I value things like turn signals, working auto wipers, and ultrasonic sensors for parking more than some of the awesome CT features. That and I can get one ASAP and not wait probably close to a year for the CT to come to Canada.

Shame the dealer was lame.
Had no problem test driving 2 or three Lightnings before buying. at a couple different Ford dealers back in summer of 2022.
Buying back then was an issue, but found a demo truck from a dealer a couple states away that I was able to buy.

 

[Keeney]

I own a Rivian and a Tesla. The reality Ford is facing is that most F150 buyers do not want an EV and most EV truck buyers do not want an F150. The data speaks for itself. It is not just the Lightning, I cannot think of a single ICE vehicle with an electric powertrain that is a good seller anywhere in the world. You need to offer something ground-up unique to appeal to EV buyers. Lightning is the same as the ICE truck but with a big premium and an electric powertrain (with all of its plusses and minuses).

The number 1 reason I am giving up my Rivian for a CT, for the record, is that I miss the Tesla FSD, which I love, and driver+ is basically awful. Not Toyota awful, mind you, but still pretty awful. The #2 reason is slow charging speed which makes it not great on road trips (and teh CCS charging totally blows) and Rivian is significantly better than Lightning on this dimension. Different people have different priorities and preferences. (I will also confess that even if I preferred the Lightning, I would never buy a Ford again because dealers suck.)

Curious what drives "don't want an F150"? Just want it to look different? New? Or is there some functional difference between the CT and the F150 that is a non-starter (beside the mentioned CCS fast charging, charging speed and Ford dealers)? The specs on the F150L Lariat and CT AWD are neck and neck...

 

[BayouCityBob]

Curious what drives "don't want an F150"? Just want it to look different? New? Or is there some functional difference between the CT and the F150 that is a non-starter (beside the mentioned CCS fast charging, charging speed and Ford dealers)? The specs on the F150L Lariat and CT AWD are neck and neck...

I do not know. I suspect that there are a lot of reasons that differ for different people. But the data are just relentless and overwhelming and not just for the F150. People do not buy electrified ICE models. Not the Niro. Not the Focus. Not the F150. I know for me personally wrt the F150, but I do not know for others. It remains to be seen if the Silverado is different and distinctive enough to sell in decent numbers.

 

[cvalue13]

Truck tribalism is neither new nor interesting

depending on one’s must-haves, it’s either a “deal beake” for or against

Owned a lightning for ~18 mo, and have driven in a CT - both great trucks, each w various pluses/minuses, and outcome depends on how one weights each

the rest of the bluster is little different from the Calvin and Hobbes sticker, peeing on [insert other guy’s truck maker here]

 

[Bkb13]

Never considered another truck EV. Getting close to 500 miles of range was a deal killer to replace my truck. I have the extended range battery on order with my cyberbeast. I’ll just deal with the issue for 6 months…

 

[cvalue13]

Worth reminding, too, that the Lightning was just Ford’s stop-gap chimera offering before rolling out the T3 ground-up platform (@BayouCityBob)

I worry that interest rates will have an unnatural impact on BEV adoption at a critical point in the transition history. Zero interest environment was the converse.

 

[Rutrow]

I've considered Rivian and Lightning. My CT deposit was to pull my retirement travel trailer, and the CT delay is eating into my leisure plans. But, my wife had to put off retirement to train her replacement (such a loyal worker) so it gives me a little time to finally decide. My urge to stick with Tesla is ~95% based on sticking with a reliable Fast Charging network. Had NACS been adopted by Rivian or Ford and all SuperChargers opened up to their vehicles already, I'd likely have made the jump already. Trying to go full time EV RVing I need both range while towing and the most options for charging.

Aside from the price, I am delighted at the Range Extender option. It's a flexibility that I was politicking for since way back. If it's a pack that can be removed when you don't need it (?) it will be the ideal solution. I'm trying to think of a way to install a jib crane in the corner of the bed to offload the battery pack to remain at the RV for boondocking or just to shed weight and bed obstruction while day tripping in the truck away from basecamp.

 

[EVOverlanding]

I've had a Model S, 3, and now a Rivian R1T. I love the Rivian, the flashlight in the door, the camp speaker, the built in air compressor, gear tunnel, good range, full size spare built into the bed, and fully adjustable suspension with different drive modes.

I miss the Tesla Super Charging Network (which in a few years wont matter since nearly every manufacture is moving to the tesla charging standard) and they've already started opening up super chargers to non-teslas. I prefer the tesla charger plug, actually still use my tesla wall charger with an adapter to work with my Rivian today. I think I'd miss FSD but it wasn't far enough along when I sold my Model S & 3.

The CT may be my swap for my Rivian but it'll be a hard sell, as I haven't had any problems with my R1T over the 1.5 yrs of ownership, the Rivian fits in my garage comfortably and is easier to park downtown then something the size of a f-150 or the CT. I will only have 2 inches of clearance in the garage with the CT. I have found significant use of the air compressor and gear tunnel in my R1T, so when it comes to it, I hope we learn some more of the major innovations and features of the CT that haven't been discussed or released yet to help make more of an argument for the CT.

 

[Rutrow]

Never considered another truck EV. Getting close to 500 miles of range was a deal killer to replace my truck. I have the extended range battery on order with my cyberbeast. I’ll just deal with the issue for 6 months…

Will you be doing any towing? I was heartened by Drew Baglino's comment to Sandy Munro that towing an aerodynamic trailer should only sap 20-30% of your rated range. My Airstream would be more like the 50% hit he said a horse trailer would cause, but I was fearing 60% or greater and worried that some western state SuperCharger distances would leave me stuck.