The Ford F-150 Lightning entered the market in 2022 as the first mass-produced, all-electric truck for the 21st century. It’s a true truck, not a futuristic-looking toy, and is made to actually do truck things. Well, mostly.

The long and the short of it is that if you’re in the market for a pickup truck and like doing truck things, but don’t tow very much or for very long, then the Ford F-150 Lightning is a perfect match. Most of those driving a half-ton truck today will likely find the Lightning compelling.

The standard battery sees a bump in range this year, thanks to tweaked EPA testing standards, but in the real world, range estimates are generally a ballpark and not reality. Most drivers should see more than 200 miles per charge out of their regular battery and about 300 miles with their extended battery upgrade. That’s more than enough for the majority of what we do on the daily.

Towing in the Ford F-150 Lightning is rated at up to 10,000 pounds, which is less than most light-duty pickups in the full-size category. But the reality is that most people don’t tow as much as they think they do. Most campers, toy trailers, and small horse trailers, when loaded, are under 8,000 pounds. Range anxiety will be a factor when towing with the Lightning, however, which can lose as much as 2/3 of its estimated range when towing at highway speeds.

Those needing a utility vehicle that can haul things, has a spacious interior, and looks and feels like a truck will love the Lightning. With most truck owners towing only occasionally and only for short distances, there is a likelihood of a good match with the Ford F-150 Lightning.

The closest competitor to the Lightning, the R1T is more futuristic in appearance and much more performance-oriented by comparison. It tows a little more, handles more like a sports car, and has some very clever storage areas. That said, comparatively, the refinement and daily ergonomics of the Ford really show the difference between an established automaker with a long history of truck making and a newcomer aiming at a high-end buyer.

In our minds, the best side-by-side comparable to the Lightning is the F-150 Hybrid model. With a few similarities, such as the useful 120-volt outlets in the bed and the ability to act as a jobsite generator (a system called Pro Power Onboard), the hybrid model shows how much Ford knows about the use cases for its trucks. The hybrid may be a better fit for many buyers, with similar towing and hauling capabilities, but no range anxiety or limitations.

The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning has a starting price of $57,869 plus destination. Most buyers are likely to be above the $70,000 purchase mark with creature comfort additions and a potential battery upgrade added in.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

The F-150 Lightning hit dealerships in 2022 and doesn’t see too much change for 2023. A slightly higher maximum range estimation from the EPA for the standard battery and the addition of the Pro Trailer Hitch Assist feature as an option are all that’s changed.

Range estimation testing tweaks from the Environmental Protection Agency boosted the estimated range for the F-150 Lightning from 230 to 240 miles. The larger 131 kWh battery pack remains at 320 miles of estimated range.

A semi-automated system for helping attach trailers, called Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, now appears on the Lightning. Also available on other F-150 models, the system helps guide a hitch ball to a trailer and can lower suspension to allow the ball to go under the tongue for attachment. It’s part of the Pro Trailer Backup Assist system, which appears only on the top-level Platinum version of the Lightning with the Two Technology package added.

The Ford F-150 Lightning drives like a crossover-SUV, but also has some truck qualities (such as its size and bulk) that truck owners will be familiar with. We found visibility and drive appeal to be good in the Lightning. Unlike many full-sized trucks, the Lightning has all-wheel drive that rivals four-wheel drive systems, thanks to control with electric motors on the axles instead of a traditional, mechanical drivetrain.

That AWD system and the control it gives means better handling on the road and in inclement weather conditions. The extended battery option ups horsepower to up to 580 as well. When towing, the F-150 Lightning is smooth and gets off to an easy start thanks to the heavy torque from the electric motors.

The Lightning is comfortable and confident as a daily driver and work truck. We were impressed with its myriad of storage options and well-designed drivetrain. We think most will enjoy driving the Lightning, whatever the weather or circumstance.

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have crash-tested the F-150 Lightning. Although nominally similar to the F-150 standard models, the Lightning is too unique to try to draw from those models to gain safety scores. So we cannot score this truck.

After some initial issues with battery problems and other recalls (most of which occurred before most models were shipped), the F-150 Lightning seems to be doing well in the 2023 model year when it comes to reliability. There are few complaints or reports of them on reliability websites. We feel that the Lightning will, overall, be a reliable truck. Those with battery concerns should note that the battery is required by federal law to have an 8-year replacement warranty.

For the money being spent, we think that the XLT with the 312A High package added is the best setup for most needs. This model keeps the F-150 Lightning’s well-done cloth seating, but adds useful things like adjustable pedals, a rear window defroster, storage under the rear seat, and the 360-degree camera system. The High package adds more bling with 20-inch wheels and a lot of helpful convenience items like a power tailgate, heated seating and steering wheel, the Pro Power Onboard system, and more. While keeping the price point for a 2023 model under $70,000.

Ford offers the following warranty on the new purchase of an F-150 Lightning.

• Basic: 3 years / 36k miles
• PowerTrain: 8 years / 100k miles
• Battery: 8 years / 100k miles
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

A used Ford F-150 Lightning in good condition would be quite a find. While there have been a few on the market as either “flip” sales (bought new, then marked up and resold) or wrecks, the Lightning hasn’t been on the market long enough to generate a backlot of traded or up for sale used models.

We recommend shopping around to avoid markups at some Ford dealerships, where supply might be limited, and finding a new model that fits your needs.

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