Is a Ford F-150 Lightning EV or a Silverado EV a Good Alternative to a Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban.

[Rdr854]

Does a Ford F-150 Lightning or it’s Silverado equivalent provide a good alternative to a Tahoe/Suburban SUV if you need the secured storage/hauling capacity, but do not need the third row seat?

If you look at the Ford F-150 Lightning EV, what used to be the engine compartment is now a 14.1 cubic foot trunk with a weight capacity of 400 lbs. With the cargo capacity of the trunk and the interior of the cab, are we better off with a pick up bed which would allow the hauling of “messy” items? I know one downside of the Ford pick up bed is that it is 5.5 feet long.

I think that the new EV pick ups — especially the mainstream ones, may provide alternatives to the large SUVs.

 

[Tiki]

I’d put my money on shared frame architecture and Suburbans following suit. I’d love the new Rivian SUV over my Suburban in current form. Electric Motors > AFM Tom foolery!

 

[Doubeleive]

I suppose if you do not need the seats, I have both a suv and a pickup, the truck serves a purpose the suv serves another. However I can fit my family in both, the suv has more space for passengers is all.

 

[Banks22]

EV sucks

 

[DougAMiller]

Yeah, I don't see these replacing our trucks anytime soon. Consider that one of the reasons many of us have them is that they are great for road trips, particularly when you want to haul people/stuff. Best case range of today's EVs is 300-400 miles, but more realistic is 200-300 due to temperatures, weather, terrain, load, etc. Then, what most people don't realize is that a supercharger station takes an hour or so for a full recharge, a 240 volt charger takes around 10 hours and a 120 volt charger only does about 2-3% per hour. Supercharger stations aren't yet very common outside of the large cities, so planning that long road trip can be be difficult. Also there is the issue of since it takes quite a while to recharge, EVs are connected to them for sometime and there may not be one open when you get there. It's not like a gas station where if there is someone at the pump, you wait 5 minutes and they're gone.

I'm getting ready to take a trip to Missouri next week, about 850 miles door-to-door. It takes me about 12 hours driving time. I usually can make it in about 14 hours with gas/break stops. I would have to take two days to make it with an EV. Not that I have anything against EVs, I'm an electrical engineer and I have often thought about doing a conversion for fun, but they still have their limitations and I guess I am getting a little bit tired of the people who are trying to force ICEs out in favor of EVs. They certainly are not less costly to operate or better for the environment like some want you to believe.

 

[mikeyss]

EV

I agree!! While the tech is still sort of new in regards to range of the batteries, I'm totally down with EV trucks and I congratulate Ford and the others for going in this direction. Thinking about it, we are heading into an era of no gas engines, and we gotta get used to it

 

[swathdiver]

Does a Ford F-150 Lightning or it’s Silverado equivalent provide a good alternative to a Tahoe/Suburban SUV if you need the secured storage/hauling capacity, but do not need the third row seat?

If you look at the Ford F-150 Lightning EV, what used to be the engine compartment is now a 14.1 cubic foot trunk with a weight capacity of 400 lbs. With the cargo capacity of the trunk and the interior of the cab, are we better off with a pick up bed which would allow the hauling of “messy” items? I know one downside of the Ford pick up bed is that it is 5.5 feet long.

I think that the new EV pick ups — especially the mainstream ones, may provide alternatives to the large SUVs.

If you do not need the range, then the EVs are fine for targeted local driving. The EVs range plummets with a load on, either payload or towing or climbing a mountain. When TFL did Eisenhower Tunnel runs with Teslas and towing, they usually towed them to the area or if they were driven, they needed a long charge at the other end of the mountain, so one would need a hotel for a night to recover from crossing the mountain. There's a reason why so many EV charging stations are in hotel parking lots!

 

[Rdr854]

Yeah, I don't see these replacing our trucks anytime soon. Consider that one of the reasons many of us have them is that they are great for road trips, particularly when you want to haul people/stuff. Best case range of today's EVs is 300-400 miles, but more realistic is 200-300 due to temperatures, weather, terrain, load, etc. Then, what most people don't realize is that a supercharger station takes an hour or so for a full recharge, a 240 volt charger takes around 10 hours and a 120 volt charger only does about 2-3% per hour. Supercharger stations aren't yet very common outside of the large cities, so planning that long road trip can be be difficult. Also there is the issue of since it takes quite a while to recharge, EVs are connected to them for sometime and there may not be one open when you get there. It's not like a gas station where if there is someone at the pump, you wait 5 minutes and they're gone.

I'm getting ready to take a trip to Missouri next week, about 850 miles door-to-door. It takes me about 12 hours driving time. I usually can make it in about 14 hours with gas/break stops. I would have to take two days to make it with an EV. Not that I have anything against EVs, I'm an electrical engineer and I have often thought about doing a conversion for fun, but they still have their limitations and I guess I am getting a little bit tired of the people who are trying to force ICEs out in favor of EVs. They certainly are not less costly to operate or better for the environment like some want you to believe.

If I still had three kids at home, a pickup would not work for the reasons you stated. For that matter, an ICE pick up is not as versatile for travel. The game changer for me is the frunk and 300 mile range which will get me to most of my destinations where I can recharge before coming home. Additionally, I also have a wagon and a sedan if we are going somewhere that charging is not available.

 

[SeventhFullsizeGM]

I have actually been wondering this myself, and actually do have a "reservation" for a new Lightning pickup on the books. I was intrigued enough by the design, and figured for the low fully-refundable reservation fee, why not? Now that it's much closer to being able to place the actual order (and thus sell/trade-in my 2019 XL Denali), I think I am going to pass...for now. It's a brand new model/trim line, with some pretty advanced tech. I think it should be amazing in theory, but with everything else going on with production issues, chip shortages, questionable chip quality, etc, etc...I think it's just not the right time to "gamble" on something like that. I'll keep the Denali for a couple more years, and see where things shake out. That being said, I do REALLY like the overall design & innovation of the Lightning in particular.

 

[Rdr854]

I have actually been wondering this myself, and actually do have a "reservation" for a new Lightning pickup on the books. I was intrigued enough by the design, and figured for the low fully-refundable reservation fee, why not? Now that it's much closer to being able to place the actual order (and thus sell/trade-in my 2019 XL Denali), I think I am going to pass...for now. It's a brand new model/trim line, with some pretty advanced tech. I think it should be amazing in theory, but with everything else going on with production issues, chip shortages, questionable chip quality, etc, etc...I think it's just not the right time to "gamble" on something like that. I'll keep the Denali for a couple more years, and see where things shake out. That being said, I do REALLY like the overall design & innovation of the Lightning in particular.

I don’t disagree and therefore put a second reservation in so that I am both at the front of the line and at the back in case I want to wait a few years. The other part of the equation fir me is the ridiculously high prices being offered for trades by dealers anxious for Suburban/Tahoes/Yukons. Right now, covers what I paid almost to the dollar except for interest on the loan and maintenance.

 

[SeventhFullsizeGM]

I don’t disagree and therefore put a second reservation in so that I am both at the front of the line and at the back in case I want to wait a few years. The other part of the equation fir me is the ridiculously high prices being offered for trades by dealers anxious for Suburban/Tahoes/Yukons. Right now, covers what I paid almost to the dollar except for interest on the loan and maintenance.

Yep, I understand that one as well. Since I purchased my 2019 XL Denali in 2020 with 13k miles, it has gone up in value about $12,000 due to the current situation. That's a mighty tempting proposition, but on the other hand I feel I have a "good one", it is treating me well, still only has 29k on it, so I will probably just let my reservation go. I can see the merit of canceling my current early reservation, and putting in a new one as a place holder.

 

[TahoeFL2017]

When the tech is fully developed, sure.

 

[BG1988]

EV sucks

EV Series

 

[BG1988]

When the tech is fully developed, sure.

it will be about as safe as the hybrid version

 

[Bigkevschopshop]

Really good read for you EV fanboys out there. Imagine stopping every 90 miles on a 600 mile trip to recharge while towing.

Thanks but no thanks...

We Bet F-150 Lightning's Range Is under 100 Miles when Towing at the Max

Ford promises EPA ratings of 230 and 300 miles, but towing and hauling near the claimed 10,000-pound maximum is going to seriously cut into those figures.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[Miami-Dade]

Really good read for you EV fanboys out there. Imagine stopping every 90 miles on a 600 mile trip to recharge while towing.

Thanks but no thanks...

We Bet F-150 Lightning's Range Is under 100 Miles when Towing at the Max

Ford promises EPA ratings of 230 and 300 miles, but towing and hauling near the claimed 10,000-pound maximum is going to seriously cut into those figures.

www.caranddriver.com

I could only imagine the fun going [1300 miles] from Miami to Queens N.Y several times a year with a EV.

I will give the EV a big pass and do my best to keep my 5.3 Tahoe running forever. If I have to I will just keep fixing everything just as the Cubans do in Cuba.

 

[sealandsky]

Wrong group.

 

[jared999]

Does a Ford F-150 Lightning or it’s Silverado equivalent provide a good alternative to a Tahoe/Suburban SUV if you need the secured storage/hauling capacity, but do not need the third row seat?

Not sure I would call any pick up bed secure. I feel a lot more comfortable pulling my 3rd row seats out and putting stuff in the back of my Tahoe.
That said, it really comes down to how much and what stuff is being hauled. As you say, if its messy, a pickup is the only way to go as you will tear up the inside of the Tahoe at some point.

 

[SpyShops212]

I could only imagine the fun going [1300 miles] from Miami to Queens N.Y several times a year with a EV.

I will give the EV a big pass and do my best to keep my 5.3 Tahoe running forever. If I have to I will just keep fixing everything just as the Cubans do in Cuba.

Off topic but I live in Fresh Meadows Queens and have a home in Golden Beach which is in dade-broward county line. I also grew up the and spent my first 23 years in Florida. I also travel back and forth a couple times a year. Where in dade and queens you stay?

 

[SpyShops212]

I wouldn’t buy a ev yet. I remember when gas prices first hit $4 back in 2005 that everyone wanted a hybrid. When I was buying my 2008 Escalade I thought about the hybrid version then I said it cost 10k more and I need to change the battery at 5k I did the math and it didn’t make sense. Now where are the hybrid k2xx trucks? None because only the gmt900 had them and they stopped. The tech is too new and when they make it last 1200 miles per charge then I will go for it. My 2018 Escalade will be paid off soon so I will keep it because it is so beautiful and mint.