Drove a lightning yesterday...

[BlkGS]

I was at the Ford dealer driving an Ecoboost f150, and they said "if you like fast, drive this" so I did. It certainly made an impression on me. My thoughts are below.

Ford was wise to make it be an f150 at the end of the day. That platform sharing yields dividends in making it feel normal. I wish they had gone further with it and not done the weird fabric interior and stuff, and gave you the full f150 options set up.

The senter screen is neat, in that it changes what the knob does, but useless. Everything is buried in a stupid touch screen, and you can't do 2 things at once. So if you're married and you want to change something while she endlessly changes her temperature, you're screwed. That screen is going to cause a lot of divorces.

The power. It was impressive, stupid, fun, but also kinda odd. It chirps the tires EVERYWHERE if you stomp it. They didn't put the right tires on it at all. The thrust is impressive, and was my second favorite part of it.

The brakes on the other hand, are horrific and dangerous. They do not stop the truck with anywhere near the same urgency. People are absolutely going to crash these a lot because they put on so much speed so quickly but then are helpless to shed that speed.

The suspension and ride is the best part. The light inf is noticeably lowered from a regular 4x4 f150, by at least 2 inches all around. This yields major improvements in body roll and stability. It rides like a truck with 1000 pounds in the bed, the way a truck should ride. I suspect it's gonna rattle some feathers with normal truck buyers that like the bounce, and I wonder how it will handle loads and payloads

The price was egregious, and the range was pathetic. It just isn't nice enough for the 80 to 100k it costs, and the interior was a notable step down in quality from the ICE f150. They desperately need a range extender motor, I would gladly trade the frunk and a ton of range for it. I think Ford had the best idea in the industry though, take the regular truck and EV it. I think the better option would have been to make it a powertrain option for regular f150, and offer it as a PHEV or range extended electric. Overall, I liked what Ford did, and I think it was a swing and a hit, but they only got to second base (despite what they claim to their friends).

 

[2kwik4u]

Oh yea......well I bought one



More thoughts when I get back to a regular keyboard.

 

[steveinmd]

So if you're married and you want to change something while she endlessly changes her temperature, you're screwed.

I'll never understand this. She HAS to change it as soon as the engine is up to temp and I turn on the climate control. Mine is set to foreva/perma 65. Rarely do I have to change my side.

 

[CaTiRo]

Around here the charging stations are located in parking spots. How do you charge the truck if a trailer is hitched to it?

 

[CarolinaJet]

Around here the charging stations are located in parking spots. How do you charge the truck if a trailer is hitched to it?

This is a challenge right now. I will be happy to switch to an electric tow vehicle when we can reliably find pull-through chargers.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I have my reservation still, they are projecting in the next 3-4 months I will be up. Not sure. The range isn't great and I would like to tow the boat some distances. May just pass on it when it comes up. Was looking at new Expeditions they are crazy priced as well.

 

[BlkGS]

I'll never understand this. She HAS to change it as soon as the engine is up to temp and I turn on the climate control. Mine is set to foreva/perma 65. Rarely do I have to change my side.

Mine is set to 75 to 78 forever depending on what temperature it is outside and what I'm wearing. My wife insists on CHANGING THE FAN SPEED. It takes it out of auto mode then.

Interestingly enough, it's also my fault she can't get her temperature right.

 

[HangOutdoors]

My wife insists on CHANGING THE FAN SPEED. It takes it out of auto mode then.

Same thing every time. Always screwing with the fan.

 

[CarolinaJet]

Mine is set to 75 to 78 forever depending on what temperature it is outside and what I'm wearing. My wife insists on CHANGING THE FAN SPEED. It takes it out of auto mode then.

Interestingly enough, it's also my fault she can't get her temperature right.

why are you driving around with my wife?

 

[BlkGS]

I have my reservation still, they are projecting in the next 3-4 months I will be up. Not sure. The range isn't great and I would like to tow the boat some distances. May just pass on it when it comes up. Was looking at new Expeditions they are crazy priced as well.

So we have a 2019 Limited Expedition for the wife, and honestly love it. I will say the expedition is WAY higher quality inside, I like the interior layout more, and bring a 3 row SUV works a lot better for us seating wise, especially with baby 2 due any day now. With just a truck, of family came down to visit we wouldn't be able to take them and the kids somewhere in one car, and they fly down and don't rent a car.

If I could change anything about it, it'd be these few things.

1) Ours is a stealth edition and still has chrome along the windows. I will eventually wrap this with vinyl. Blue Ford badges should be black too.

2) There's no rear center console. In SE ways it's good because it's a walk through and on road trips it's extra storage, but I kinda wish it had one, ideally removable like the new pathfinder.

3) My wife didn't want the Max with it's extra length. I wish we had gone Max. It comes with a little bigger fuel tank, and a little more room. Like a truck bed, you don't need that extra length often, but sometimes you want it.

4) More wireless chargers. It has 1. Every seat should have a wireless charger. I don't think this is a thing on any vehicle yet, but it should be.

5) Passenger side should have controls for all the windows as well. That is my wife's spot, and as copilot, she should be able to access functions like that.

6) Blatantly steal the fam.cam from Wagoneer. It's genius, and if we had it, I wouldn't need these little mirrors on the hearests to see the kids.

All that said, I love our Expedition. Frankly, if ours was wrecked, I'd buy another one without much thought of other vehicles. The only other option would be a wagoneer L, my wife really likes those.

 

[TimW451]

I’m in the same situation as @HangOutdoors . Got a res for the Lightning supposedly coming up to order before the end of winter. I haven’t cancelled yet, but between changes in EV rebate and the fact that I need the larger family vehicle to be a practical driver from Northern MD to SC and FL a few times a year, I probably won’t go through with it. (The trips are possible with the Lightning, but risky with the inadequate charging infra.) I’d rather keep the RAM and add a Lyriq, Mach-E, or Model X to the stable.

My Ford dealer has three used Lightnings for sale. One is courtesy vehicle, two are returns.

 

[BlkGS]

My dealer had 3 or 4 lightnings, 3 lariats (what I drove) and an XLT or whatever. The XLT was a customer car that handt been picked up yet (sounded like they didn't think it would get picked up but had to wait before they could show or sell it), and the other 3 we're all orders that showed up and people decided they didn't want. I dunno if it's the price, the tax incentives, the fear of recession, or the (most likely IMO) fact that interest rates went up by like 5% while they waited.

To be honest, I don't really see the draw of the mach E at this point. It's kinda small, no faster than a lightning (ok, Ford claims it's a few tenths faster to 60, but I doubt that is consistent in the real world), and in the same price range for no a GT model. I guess the base model at under 50k has some merit, but I'd have a very hard time buying something that's basically an edge or escape in terms of use but can't tow for f150 money.

 

[BlkGS]

Ome other thought I had after reflecting. I can't imagine that businesses will want these for their employees. If you had a lawn care or similar business, would you really want the liability of giving your employees something that rips to 60 as fast as a hellcat? Smells like lawsuit city to me.

I feel like we are at or near peak EV performance, before the government steps in and says to cut it out. I dunno what the wrapper will be, maybe environmental concerns or energy use , maybe public safety,maybe road wear and tear... but I just can't see the feds allowing EVs to get even faster. If the first light ings are doing 0 to 60 in 4 seconds, a performance version or a second gen would likely be flirting with the 2s in a bid to encourage upgrades. It just feels highly improbable that our govt allows that to happen.

 

[HangOutdoors]

So we have a 2019 Limited Expedition for the wife, and honestly love it. I will say the expedition is WAY higher quality inside, I like the interior layout more, and bring a 3 row SUV works a lot better for us seating wise, especially with baby 2 due any day now. With just a truck, of family came down to visit we wouldn't be able to take them and the kids somewhere in one car, and they fly down and don't rent a car.

If I could change anything about it, it'd be these few things.

1) Ours is a stealth edition and still has chrome along the windows. I will eventually wrap this with vinyl. Blue Ford badges should be black too.

2) There's no rear center console. In SE ways it's good because it's a walk through and on road trips it's extra storage, but I kinda wish it had one, ideally removable like the new pathfinder.

3) My wife didn't want the Max with it's extra length. I wish we had gone Max. It comes with a little bigger fuel tank, and a little more room. Like a truck bed, you don't need that extra length often, but sometimes you want it.

4) More wireless chargers. It has 1. Every seat should have a wireless charger. I don't think this is a thing on any vehicle yet, but it should be.

5) Passenger side should have controls for all the windows as well. That is my wife's spot, and as copilot, she should be able to access functions like that.

6) Blatantly steal the fam.cam from Wagoneer. It's genius, and if we had it, I wouldn't need these little mirrors on the hearests to see the kids.

All that said, I love our Expedition. Frankly, if ours was wrecked, I'd buy another one without much thought of other vehicles. The only other option would be a wagoneer L, my wife really likes those.

I currently have a 2017 Expedition Limited. One kid just turned 18 and the other one turns 16 this summer. As they go to college and other things, the Expedition may not be the only choice moving forward, maybe. Right now I need to lug around 8 people and gear all the time, especially to the lake. I was going to swap out this winter but they were scarce and the payment was ridiculous. I have about 110k on mine. It runs good. bought it used 2 years ago for 30k. Still have 15k miles left on the extended premium care warranty. Would prefer just a regular 1/2 ton truck, but still getting out voted...... for now....

Been thinking just keeping it once it is paid off in a year or so and just getting something else for me and keep it just for towing the boat and stuff.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Your braking problem could have been the brand new brakes… but maybe not.

Charging concerns aside, as a long time electrical utility worker where my 30 year experiece covered distribution, generation, sub transmission, transmission, power & fuel purchasing / selling in both the long range-years out, short range-months out, day ahead, and spot market, as well as holding NERC’s highest level of certification, RC or reliability coordinator, I will say again that the grid in North America does not have the capacity to support a fleet of electric vehicles, and by that I mean there is not enough generation PERIOD. There has been multiple area’s of the country that have been and are now experiencing rolling black outs due to the decommissioning of fossil power plants, gas and coal which has led to a severe resource shortage as well as reserve capacities shortage. Second the high voltage transmission system and lower voltage (but still high voltage) sub transmission system as well as distribution voltage system (still high voltage 17KV, 15KV, 12KV, 4KV) cannot carry the loading of vehicle charging.

As with all commodities when there is high demand and low supplies (read boats) the prices will sky rocket. With the formation of the ISO’s / Independent System Operators the public was told how power was going to be cheaper etc etc.. It used to be that “high” prices for spot energy purchases were in the high $30 per MW hour, now those prices on the high end are $5000 per MW hour, thats $3 cents per KWh vs. $50 per KWh.

And where is the money going to come from to pay for the roads when people stop purchasing gasoline and diesel fuel? Its going to be tacked onto your registration, just like CA is doing now, but not just for electric, for any ultra high mileage vehicle. And since that $250 is a “fee” and not a tax ca will raise those “fees” to whatever they see fit.. pretty hard to do something about it when the sale of ICE cars and trucks will be banned by 2035.

 

[BlkGS]

I currently have a 2017 Expedition Limited. One kid just turned 18 and the other one turns 16 this summer. As they go to college and other things, the Expedition may not be the only choice moving forward, maybe. Right now I need to lug around 8 people and gear all the time, especially to the lake. I was going to swap out this winter but they were scarce and the payment was ridiculous. I have about 110k on mine. It runs good. bought it used 2 years ago for 30k. Still have 15k miles left on the extended premium care warranty. Would prefer just a regular 1/2 ton truck, but still getting out voted...... for now....

Been thinking just keeping it once it is paid off in a year or so and just getting something else for me and keep it just for towing the boat and stuff.

I've come to learn and appreciate that you really end up wanting a full size truck, and a large SUV of you like to do stuff.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Around here the charging stations are located in parking spots. How do you charge the truck if a trailer is hitched to it?

This is a great point. Maybe you see them at some interstate truck stops? All the rural ones that I see are located at the edge of the parking lots, including all the new Tesla charging stations going in at the Wawa stations. Would be a PIA to have to disconnect the trailer from the truck to charge it. I see a small EV in our future (wife and I) but I don't see replacing my Ram 1500 for towing.

Jim

 

[redthumper9]

I had a Lightning reservation. Actually got notified about a month ago to place the order but declined. I was only going to get it to flip it and try to make a profit. When the first round of them were delivered last year, wholesalers were paying up to $26k over msrp. That’s not the case anymore so I passed. My 2023 Super Duty has a build date of 2/12 so I am sticking with diesel again.

 

[Coult45]

My dealer had 3 or 4 lightnings, 3 lariats (what I drove) and an XLT or whatever. The XLT was a customer car that handt been picked up yet (sounded like they didn't think it would get picked up but had to wait before they could show or sell it), and the other 3 we're all orders that showed up and people decided they didn't want. I dunno if it's the price, the tax incentives, the fear of recession, or the (most likely IMO) fact that interest rates went up by like 5% while they waited.

To be honest, I don't really see the draw of the mach E at this point. It's kinda small, no faster than a lightning (ok, Ford claims it's a few tenths faster to 60, but I doubt that is consistent in the real world), and in the same price range for no a GT model. I guess the base model at under 50k has some merit, but I'd have a very hard time buying something that's basically an edge or escape in terms of use but can't tow for f150 money.

Have you driven or ridden in the Mach E? Just curious what you're comparing it to when you call it kinda small. It's roomier than it looks.

We've put about 15k miles on our base model Mach E over the last 18 months. If someone's looking for a full sized SUV, or a high-performance sports car, or a tow vehicle, it isn't any of those things. If someone's looking for a mid-size SUV that's a great ride, capable in a snow storm, holds five adults comfortably with room for luggage in the back, is fast as hell for a mid-size SUV, and has a range that meets 95% of normal daily needs, it fits the bill pretty well, for us anyway.

If we're doing a trip that's more than 150 miles, we're probably taking my truck unless we know there's an easy Fast Charge spot near our destination.

 

[BlkGS]

I had a Lightning reservation. Actually got notified about a month ago to place the order but declined. I was only going to get it to flip it and try to make a profit. When the first round of them were delivered last year, wholesalers were paying up to $26k over msrp. That’s not the case anymore so I passed. My 2023 Super Duty has a build date of 2/12 so I am sticking with diesel again.

Seems to be pretty common. Lot of people reserved EVs to try to flip for profit, and that's not happening anymore.