The Ford F-150 Lightning is one of just a few electric pickup trucks to finally come to market. As truck shoppers consider an electric option, one of the most important questions they should ask themselves is if they plan to tow. Towing with an EV is typically a piece of cake, but you may not want to choose an EV, and especially one with minimal range, if you plan to tow heavy loads over long distances.
According to the EPA, the 2022 F-150 Lightning has a range of 230 miles with the Standard Range battery pack and 320 miles with the Extended Range pack. While you can save money choosing the base work truck with the smaller pack, it may not suffice if you typically take long road trips.
Gallery: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning: First Drive
If you plan to tow on those road trips, choosing the larger battery pack is almost a no-brainer. The availability of DC Fast Charging stations in your area is also a factor, but still, 230 miles of range is likely not enough for most people. Factor in winter temperatures and steep climbs and you're probably looking at having to charge more often than you'd appreciate.
At any rate, YouTube channel Out Motorsports range-tested the F-150 Lightning XLT with the Extended Range battery pack. The goal was to see how far the 320-mile electric truck could tow 7,000 pounds. They used an enclosed car trailer and headed into an area with relatively mountainous terrain. How far do you think the F-150 Lightning made it?
Out Motorsports shared a list of chapters with corresponding timestamps, which we've included below. This makes it easier to navigate through the video.
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:08 F-150 Lightning XLT Interior Tour
- 03:22 Trailer Hookup and Trailer Setup
- 06:22 Max Tow vs Tow Technology Packages!
- 07:07 Towing Impressions
- 09:36 Regen Braking Downhill!
- 11:46 Charging With a Trailer... Hmmm
- 13:35 That's All!
Without giving away all the interesting details in the video, we will share that the Ford electric pickup truck would likely only be able to tow such a load for about 120 miles before range anxiety set it in and you'd need to quickly find a place to charge. Check out the video and then leave us your thoughts in the comment section below.
