Until the recent announcement of the new Silverado EV, the Ford Lightning did not have any real competition in the truck market.
Once the 2024 model year arrives, these two trucks will go head to head in nearly every category in a long battle of one-upmanship that we have witnessed between these two brands for more than forty years. Before you put your brand loyalty to the test, you’re going to want to know what each of these trucks brings to make sure you can have the power and drive you’re looking for when you get ready to put one of these trucks to work.
Can You Drive All Day?
Whether you’re going to use one of these electric trucks to handle the work you’re faced with at a job site, or you want to drive your truck for recreational purposes, you’ll want to know that it can drive all day long for you. It won’t do you much good if you can’t reach your desired destinations or if you have to wait around for the batteries to charge before you can get back on the road.
When the Chevy Silverado EV arrives, it will have a longer driving range than the Ford Lightning. The expected range of the Chevy is 400 miles on a single full charge, while the electric version of the F-150 is only rated to reach 230 miles of range with the smaller battery pack and 300 miles when the larger battery is installed. We have been told that after the first year, the Chevy truck will have a shorter range battery pack, but that might not be the preferred option considering the new Silverado EV is already expected to offer 400 miles of driving on a single full charge.
With Ford and Chevy, the Workload Matters
How much weight can these two trucks pull behind them? How much can they carry? How big is the bed? Is the bed made to help you get work done? When it comes to the towing and payload numbers, the Ford Lightning is the truck you want to drive. This electric truck is rated to tow 10,000 pounds and carry up to 2,000 pounds in the bed. The Chevy Silverado EV can pull between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds, which nearly matches the Ford, but the Chevy can only carry up to 1,300 pounds in the bed.
When it comes to the length of the bed, the Silverado EV is ahead of the Ford Lightning. The Silverado has a bed that measures 5 feet 11 inches in length, while the Ford is five inches shorter. The Silverado EV is also made with an available Midgate feature that allows the rear seats to be folded down and the rear glass removed to create cargo room that reaches into the cabin area to allow for longer items to be carried in this truck.
Both of these trucks give you a front trunk, but we can’t compare these two areas just yet. We know the Ford has a front cargo area that measures 14.1 cubic feet, but Chevy hasn’t offered specs for this space just yet.
The Conversation You’ll Have
When talking about the new electric truck you’re driving, you’re going to be asked about the power that this vehicle gives you. When it comes to horsepower, the Chevy Silverado EV clearly tops the Ford Lightning.
The power for the Silverado EV WT model comes in at 510 horsepower, but if you opt for the RST model, you’ll enjoy 664 horsepower from the electric motors. The Lightning gives you 426 horsepower for the short-range version and 563 when you have the long-range battery pack installed.
Torque is another story altogether. Both versions of the Ford Lighting give you 775 lb.-ft. of torque while the Silverado EV WT brings you 615 lb.-ft. of torque. If you want to have the most torque between these two trucks, you’ll have to reach to the RST version of the electric Silverado and enjoy 780 lb.-ft. of torque for the drive. You will be asked about the power you’ve got in your truck, be ready to talk proudly about this for either of these new electric truck models.
Advanced Trucks Deserve Advanced Features
Both of these trucks will be offered with optional hands-free driving features that help you relax just a little while you’re out on the highway. Ford calls their system BlueCruise, and Chevy is going to adopt the Super Cruise name that has been part of the Cadillac brand. The Super Cruise feature will offer automatic lane changes, and it will be capable of being used while towing a trailer, both qualities the BlueCruise will not have.
When the Chevy arrives, it will bring optional four-wheel steering, an air suspension, and the Multi-Flex tailgate to give you items that you want when using this new truck for work. The Ford model brings some good things as well, including a stowable shifter, folding work platform, and a fully reclining front seat if you select the top trim level.
With these special, advanced features offered in each of these trucks, you might have a hard time choosing between the new Silverado EV and the Ford Lightning.
Pricing and Availability Make a Huge Difference
For the current model year, you only have one option when you want an electric pickup truck made to get work done. That option is the Ford Lightning. The starting price of this truck is a relatively affordable $41,669 before the tax credits you’ll receive.
Unfortunately, the Silverado EV won’t be offered until the 2024 model year, and when it does arrive, the starting price will be $105,000 for the RST model, which will be the first version offered. That’s a huge difference when compared to the Ford truck. By 2025, the base price will come down to $39,900 for a model that has a smaller battery pack and is the Work Truck trim, but that means one more year of waiting while the Lightning builds a strong following.
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