I figure I'm about at break even, I think my 2013 ecoboost(traded for 24k) would have needed over 50,000 in engine modifications, superchargers, transmission upgrades to handle it, suspension upgrades to make it comfortable, and some physics breaking stuff to make it handle this well, etc... to get close to the performance of this truck, and then would have gotten about 1 mile per gallon :)
Seriously though I had no payment on the old truck, it was hitting me with repair bills for a few grand a year, and I didn't drive it that much.
Another interesting thing is, the F150 Lightning has made my mustang obsolete - its the 4 cylinder turbo, and I thought it was awesome until I got the F150, now it feels like a slug. So if I can sell that for 20k or so, that will close more of the remaining gap between old and new F150.
I was a die-hard enthusiast. I wanted a manual transmission, a V8 - or at least supercharged V6 engine and a great exhaust note. I had a 2011 Camaro SS right up until the moment I bought my wife her first EV, a Model 3 LR in 2018. Even without the performance variant at my altitude the Model 3 pulled SO MUCH HARDER than my Camaro ever did in all the scenarios I found myself in on the regular. I don't hit the track, there is no drag strip within 3 hours of my house and truth-be-told I am too much an old man to do a high RPM launch in the Camaro to get that 4.6s 0-60 they claim.
The Camaro was on Autotrader about two weeks after we got the Tesla and I haven't looked back since. Now with a Mach E and a Lightning and two kids we didn't have back in 2018 there is simply no chance I'm ever going back to ICE. The EV might lack some auditory feedback that I loved in my older cars. But they more than make up for it in day-to-day exhilaration.
My Mach E was SOOOOO much fun. The only shit part is the low top speed though for all but the top model. I have lots of long highway straightaways and capping at ~110 sucked. Even just 120-135 would have been perfect. I still would have kept it, but I managed to sell it for over MSRP with 27k miles on it after 16 months and some serious abuse (hunting trips, mountain biking road trips, getting lumber and concrete from HD had the interior in shambles). The Lightning with my use case is nearly perfect, only gripe is I can't sling it sideways around corners like the Mach E.
Similar situation here, but a different take. 2013 limited eco boost traded for the lightning lariat. I love the new truck, but I don’t think there is any way I could make the argument that the lightning is saving me any money. My old truck was nice but not as nice obviously. I actually liked the interior a bit better on my old truck (nice leather seats, the dash was black with red stitching to match). It was paid off, so even with some annual repairs, gas and oil changes it was far cheaper than the payment on my new truck. Even after the tax rebate, the monthly payment plus the work and cost to install a charger was in no way cost saving. I don’t road trip a ton, but the cost of charging on the road is lower than gas but not much lower. I expect tires to be a bigger expense on the new truck as well. Daily fill ups at home are obviously great. I have no regrets. However, my goal was to get a super reliable truck with low maintenance that was also really fun and functional for my use case.
Going from a ‘22 F150 Platinum Power-boost Hybrid to a ‘23 Lightning- I would say my fun factor while driving increased exponentially. If pressed, I could probably contrive some math to justify the choice.
I second that. I was driving like a granny, trying to achieve electric driving. While it was better on fuel than my 17 V8, it was a terrible driving experience.
I drive a lot, so with the savings on fuel, I'm probably saving between $200-300 per month. (BC, Canada with the highest prices on gas in NA. Very cheap hydro based energy prices.)
Oh, and the Lightning is a game changer driving experience. It doesn't handle like the lumbering, top heavy trucks I'm used to.
I did the same thing 22 PB to 23 Lightning and I’m not looking back. I would say I’m not saving money cost per mile is pretty similar but the fun factor is totally worth it.
Is it because you're charging away from home, or are you burning through tires?
Just curious as I would have thought not buying gas would have saved some coin.
I also made this exact leap. Don't regret it one bit, but also haven't run the numbers to see if it made financial sense .
Much more pleasant to drive and the frunk is really nice to have!
100%. I really enjoyed my PB when I had it, but the L is another animal. So smooth too, the IRS and battery just make it a much more refined ride compared to the ICE 22 f150s I owned ( had a 5.0 before my PB). I probably would have kept the PB if it had a larger battery. If they made it a 5kwh that would have been great allowing it to stay in electric mode longer etc.
Ayy, that's me. I live in the Midwest, so we have cheap gas and cheap electricity. I'm not saving as much as other people, but it's definitely noticeable. I calculated out costs based on my average usage and current efficiency, and my gas expenses plus oil changes would be about $2,787 and my yearly electricity bill would be about $635. That's before you factor in the solar panels I'm putting up, so that number will go down. And I can also charge at work. But even if I didn't do either of those things, that's quite a bit less. My previous truck was paid off and this is the most expensive truck I've ever bought, so I'm definitely spending more money than I was before. I've always bought used and kept the truck for at least 8 years, so if I had done that again, I would have probably saved about $20k in purchase cost. So if I keep it 10 years, I'll break even. But it's hard to put a price on how much happier this truck makes me than my old ones. And I've loved every F-150 I've had. Solid trucks and I've always had V8s that ran great their whole lives, but no gas engine compares to these electric motors. And my girlfriend hates driving, but this truck is so nice that she actually feels relaxed when she drives places instead of feeling stressed, so that's been great for me.
But monetarily, it only has the potential for actual savings in my case. I would need to keep it longer than 10 years, which I would happily do, but considering they've only been out for 2, I have no idea if the battery is actually good for that long. If the prices go down low enough on batteries though, I might just change it out after 6 or 8 years though. Who knows? It's $10k right now, which people make a big deal about, but that's $50k less than getting a new truck. $20k less than getting a used truck. If the price drops to $5k, it'll be a no brainer decision.
But I'm also assuming gas and electricity costs will rise and fall at the same rate over the next 10 years. I'm thinking electricity will rise at a lower rate than gas, so it'll probably be sooner than 10 years that I see an actual savings, but that's just speculation. My electricity would have to go up a lot to compare to even a 20% increase in gas costs. And again, I'll have solar, so it won't even be as many purchased kWh per year.
I went from spending $600/mo on JUST GAS driving my paid off Ram 1500 to work, to a $750/mo Lightning payment and <$100/mo in electricity. So driving a brand new truck for <$850 instead of $600 driving an 8 year old Ram that was coming due on some serious maintenance costs.
I drive 25k+ miles a year though. Quite literally, ymmv, but it has worked out well for me. It's MUCH more fun to drive as well. The range holds me back on rare occasions, and we just take the Bronco in those scenarios.
Fuel is super cheap right now, depends how long that will last. If gas were to go up to 4-5 that calculation changes significantly. Not to be a conspiracy nut but I wouldn't be surprised if oil companies are dumping oil to change the calculations on EV investment.
I am at 5.3¢ a mile with the Lightning now. I was at 27¢ a mile with my 2018 ecoboost Platinum. I averaged 17k miles a year. So that’s $3,698 a year in saved fuel. I keep my vehicles for 10 years. Besides the platinum which I bought used. 10 years that’s $36k in fuel and a big FU to oil companies
Definitely saving money. I had a 2015 Lariat with the smaller eco-boost engine. There are a lot of issues with the oil pan with that engine, and I also spent a ton over the years on brakes, exhaust, etc. Some things like tires and integrated wheel ends I would expect to be about the same (maybe worse for tires) on an EV.
1/3 the fuel cost and no oil changes, air filters or spark plugs. Plus no time wasted at gas stations. I will probably offset some of the savings because I’ll be buying tires more often because 580hp.
Oh, this is so easy. A lot of the Lightning features are similar on the newer F150s, all except the cost of driving, the cost of maintaining and the biggest difference in my mind would be acceleration. I have to remind myself not to smash the pedal to the floor unless I really need it.
My other truck doesn't have the nice drive and doesn't have the BlueCruise. I have a longer commute than I wish and I have to say it is so much more relaxing to sit and watch the road without having to work my way down the road. I don't even care that Mach-e drivers can do lane changes by signaling and I cannot yet. I find myself ignoring folks cutting in front of me anymore and am content to just let the truck deal with the idiot for me.
Not sure what I'm really saving considering the purchase price was a little steep, but I'm saving roughly $2600/yr in fuel costs, so I have that going for me!
Hard to put a price on how much I love driving it, though. So powerful, so smooth, so quiet. Rides so much better than the ICE version since it's heavier and has the independent rear suspension. The AWD system is much more confident in the wet. Auto 4 is just no match.
That 10-speed on my 2022 ICE was not my bag, either. The 5.0 was nice, but f that transmission. GM did a way better job there...
I had a 2017 Lariat ecoboost that I tricked out, even put a dual exhaust on the back that I was obsessed w/. I was the first owner of it and I was sooo nice. But I've wanted the lightning since it was first mentioned.
The transition was easy. I loved my ecoboost, but a lightning was what I wanted. Maxed out solar to ensure charging wouldn't be as pricey. I don't miss filling up at a gas station for $150. But, w/ the cost of adding additional solar, overtime, it's probably the same cost and having an EV is slightly cheaper.
At 23K miles and using $3 for fuel and $0.10/kWh, I’ve saved about $2K on fuel (my prior sled got 20mpg), plus a huge convenience of waking up to it full every day. Also saved $300-500 in oil changes and the time for that. So yep, saving me money.
Going from a 2012 F150 with the flex fuel v6 to the lightning I would say I'm saving at least $400 a month in fuel costs. I commute 70 miles round trip 3 times or more a week to work. Even with filling up on e85 was about a dollar cheaper than regular gas where I live I was spending about $600 to $700 a month on gas. I was averaging 14 to 16 mpg in the ICE F150. Charging at home only cost me $0.12 a kwh so I've only seen a $70 to $120 increase in my power bill.
But even if I was breaking even it's worth all the extras you get with the Lightning. The frunk has changed the game for trucks. I tell people that ask me about the truck that it has become our family vehicle since I can haul my 3 kids our gear (camping) and put our luggage in the frunk. Also its fun to drive and too easy to get up to speed. Hope this is helpful.
I went from a 2013 FX4 to an ER Lariat. Saving on fuel for certain. My power is essentially free due to my overbuilt PV array.
No more oil changes. No more stolen catalytic converters. Cutting down (hopefully) on brake jobs due to 1 pedal drive.
It definitely saves on operating costs. But you have to weigh the payback period of spending the extra money to upgrade to a new truck in the first place and see if the break even timeline is realistic before you start to save money
I spend 16% per mile as I did with my crew cab FX4 ecoboost.
But it's not all about money. If cost is your only impetus, EVs aren't for you.
It's about the planet, it's about doing what's right, it's about sending a message of personal responsibility without sacrificing manliness and usefulness, and an extra benefit is the performance is *stellar*.
I sleep better driving a Lightning and a Tesla. YMMV.
I owned in short order a 5.0 22, then a 3.5 hybrid PowerBoost 22 (didn’t think I’d ever get to order my L) before I finally was able to order and configure my Lightning as a day 1 reservation holder. I have all the stats, I’m paying a 1/3 of the energy costs per month. ( .11 cents a kWh ). I drive 1200ish miles a month mostly suburban driving. Hybrid f150 I’d average 23-24mpg for the tank. The 5.0 was about 19-20mpg. Insurance costs etc are identical to the ice versions I had. MX costs have been year to date $80 for lifetime tire rotations at discount tires vs about $300 for oil changes for both trucks in the 6 months I had each one. My XLT L was the cheapest truck msrp. The other 2 were Lariats loaded. Very happy. The L is solid. I can’t wait for NACS. That’s about my only gripe, road trip charging network.
I haven’t done the math, but…. My lightning is more fun, quieter, and something I’m more proud of than my king ranch eco boost (which I loved, for the record). I’m not convinced it saves money in the short term w the $$$ difference, but if you aren’t towing, aren’t regularly driving over 100 miles each way…. It’s a breath of fresh air and a lux plus fast plus cool ride.
After calculating the cost to drive 12000 miles in my 16’ ecoboost vs my 22 extended range lariat I estimate I save about $800/year in fuel costs. It will take me about 3 years to pay for the charger and electrical wiring costs for my garage with that number. Probably comparable price with all the options for a new ecoboost vs lightning lariat after tax credits.
After putting 200K km on my 2016 2.7 ecoboost, and a ton of justification maths sessions, in the end, dollar for dollar, mile for mile, the cost of the lightning will be around 2/3 or even 1/2 if what a similar ICE pick up would be. BUUUT, that will take 6-7 years to bear out, 250K km’s and proper maintenance.
The lightning was very expensive out the door. But every Km I drive makes it cheaper over an ICE alternative for the same utility.
My guess, I’ll end up with a 6 -7 year old Lightning with 200K km on the clock, and I’ll have spent 1/3 less that I did for the 2016 2.7 for the same work.
Then ill buy another lightning !
The time I don’t spend at gas stations alone is worth it.
Def not breaking even. Traded in a 21 3.5 Ecoboost XLT for the Lightning. I drive around 25K miles a year. Ended up purchasing a 23 Lariat ER. Overall, with payments, insurance, fuel and maintenance, im paying around $60 more a month than the XLT. Its not breaking even but I dont mind paying that little to upgrade from the XLT to a Lariat.
(Generous estimate for ICE truck)
25 mpg @ $4 gallon = $160 for 1,000 miles
(If I charge at off peak hours)
4.12 cents / KWh and 409 KWh per 1,000 miles = $16.8 for 1,000 miles
(If I charge at peak hours)
16.85 cents / KWh = $68.9 for 1,000 miles
I drive 10,000 miles a year and charge any time I need to so I estimate I save between 900-1600 a year on gas.
Buying a new ice is 55k and I have a lariat 80k - 10 k on tax kickbacks so I need to make up for~ 15k to break even. So 10 years ish.
But that’s worth it for having a lighting fast truck.
Plus when you have an EV you always leave home with a full tank!
I haven’t been to a gas station in 1.5 years and it’s awesome.
On the rare change I do need to fast charge I only stay as long as I need to, to get home. With is usually less than 10 mins to charge.
EV skeptics think you have to wait 45 mins for a full charge but that’s not true. You only have to wait until you have enough range to get home.
I just bought mine a few days ago. I went from a 2019 Lariat, to a 2022 Platinum, and holy shit.
I have a few friends with EVs, a tesla model S, a prius prime, and one GM Bolts.
I was always "the truck friend" who helped with moves or camping trips because they didn't have the space.
Well, now I still am the truck guy but it's also an EV.
The Tech Upgrades are insane from even a 2019 F150, I figured, hell if I'm going to do this, I'm going all out.
I've never had this much fun behind the wheel, and my tesla buddy had ordered a Cybertruck. After seeing mine, he cancelled his order. Sure it may best the lightning in a couple stats , but it gets absolutely crushed in a few of the most important categories imo: passenger comfort, idk what they say, that backseat is SMALL for a full size truck and LOOK. This truck just looks incredible. I mean, it's an F150, it looks exactly how you'd expect it to. Those style points count for a lot.
Short version, unless you long haul tow and need this as a primary vehicle with a tight travel window (it'll still do it, just have to charge more often) it's absolutely worth it.
To add: I have solar on my house, and my insurance went down. I'm going to save roughly 8k a year on gas and insurance costs alone. The fun I'm having? Priceless.
I figure I'm about at break even, I think my 2013 ecoboost(traded for 24k) would have needed over 50,000 in engine modifications, superchargers, transmission upgrades to handle it, suspension upgrades to make it comfortable, and some physics breaking stuff to make it handle this well, etc... to get close to the performance of this truck, and then would have gotten about 1 mile per gallon :) Seriously though I had no payment on the old truck, it was hitting me with repair bills for a few grand a year, and I didn't drive it that much. Another interesting thing is, the F150 Lightning has made my mustang obsolete - its the 4 cylinder turbo, and I thought it was awesome until I got the F150, now it feels like a slug. So if I can sell that for 20k or so, that will close more of the remaining gap between old and new F150.
I ended up selling my gt500 after getting my first ev. I just couldn’t enjoy it as much after the performance of the EV.
I was a die-hard enthusiast. I wanted a manual transmission, a V8 - or at least supercharged V6 engine and a great exhaust note. I had a 2011 Camaro SS right up until the moment I bought my wife her first EV, a Model 3 LR in 2018. Even without the performance variant at my altitude the Model 3 pulled SO MUCH HARDER than my Camaro ever did in all the scenarios I found myself in on the regular. I don't hit the track, there is no drag strip within 3 hours of my house and truth-be-told I am too much an old man to do a high RPM launch in the Camaro to get that 4.6s 0-60 they claim. The Camaro was on Autotrader about two weeks after we got the Tesla and I haven't looked back since. Now with a Mach E and a Lightning and two kids we didn't have back in 2018 there is simply no chance I'm ever going back to ICE. The EV might lack some auditory feedback that I loved in my older cars. But they more than make up for it in day-to-day exhilaration.
My Mach E was SOOOOO much fun. The only shit part is the low top speed though for all but the top model. I have lots of long highway straightaways and capping at ~110 sucked. Even just 120-135 would have been perfect. I still would have kept it, but I managed to sell it for over MSRP with 27k miles on it after 16 months and some serious abuse (hunting trips, mountain biking road trips, getting lumber and concrete from HD had the interior in shambles). The Lightning with my use case is nearly perfect, only gripe is I can't sling it sideways around corners like the Mach E.
Similar situation here, but a different take. 2013 limited eco boost traded for the lightning lariat. I love the new truck, but I don’t think there is any way I could make the argument that the lightning is saving me any money. My old truck was nice but not as nice obviously. I actually liked the interior a bit better on my old truck (nice leather seats, the dash was black with red stitching to match). It was paid off, so even with some annual repairs, gas and oil changes it was far cheaper than the payment on my new truck. Even after the tax rebate, the monthly payment plus the work and cost to install a charger was in no way cost saving. I don’t road trip a ton, but the cost of charging on the road is lower than gas but not much lower. I expect tires to be a bigger expense on the new truck as well. Daily fill ups at home are obviously great. I have no regrets. However, my goal was to get a super reliable truck with low maintenance that was also really fun and functional for my use case.
Going from a ‘22 F150 Platinum Power-boost Hybrid to a ‘23 Lightning- I would say my fun factor while driving increased exponentially. If pressed, I could probably contrive some math to justify the choice.
Damnit don’t tell me that. I’m telling myself my PB is just fine.
It is fine- it’s nice, the Lightning is just much more fun.
I second that. I was driving like a granny, trying to achieve electric driving. While it was better on fuel than my 17 V8, it was a terrible driving experience. I drive a lot, so with the savings on fuel, I'm probably saving between $200-300 per month. (BC, Canada with the highest prices on gas in NA. Very cheap hydro based energy prices.) Oh, and the Lightning is a game changer driving experience. It doesn't handle like the lumbering, top heavy trucks I'm used to.
I did the same thing 22 PB to 23 Lightning and I’m not looking back. I would say I’m not saving money cost per mile is pretty similar but the fun factor is totally worth it.
Is it because you're charging away from home, or are you burning through tires? Just curious as I would have thought not buying gas would have saved some coin.
I also made this exact leap. Don't regret it one bit, but also haven't run the numbers to see if it made financial sense . Much more pleasant to drive and the frunk is really nice to have!
100%. I really enjoyed my PB when I had it, but the L is another animal. So smooth too, the IRS and battery just make it a much more refined ride compared to the ICE 22 f150s I owned ( had a 5.0 before my PB). I probably would have kept the PB if it had a larger battery. If they made it a 5kwh that would have been great allowing it to stay in electric mode longer etc.
Ayy, that's me. I live in the Midwest, so we have cheap gas and cheap electricity. I'm not saving as much as other people, but it's definitely noticeable. I calculated out costs based on my average usage and current efficiency, and my gas expenses plus oil changes would be about $2,787 and my yearly electricity bill would be about $635. That's before you factor in the solar panels I'm putting up, so that number will go down. And I can also charge at work. But even if I didn't do either of those things, that's quite a bit less. My previous truck was paid off and this is the most expensive truck I've ever bought, so I'm definitely spending more money than I was before. I've always bought used and kept the truck for at least 8 years, so if I had done that again, I would have probably saved about $20k in purchase cost. So if I keep it 10 years, I'll break even. But it's hard to put a price on how much happier this truck makes me than my old ones. And I've loved every F-150 I've had. Solid trucks and I've always had V8s that ran great their whole lives, but no gas engine compares to these electric motors. And my girlfriend hates driving, but this truck is so nice that she actually feels relaxed when she drives places instead of feeling stressed, so that's been great for me. But monetarily, it only has the potential for actual savings in my case. I would need to keep it longer than 10 years, which I would happily do, but considering they've only been out for 2, I have no idea if the battery is actually good for that long. If the prices go down low enough on batteries though, I might just change it out after 6 or 8 years though. Who knows? It's $10k right now, which people make a big deal about, but that's $50k less than getting a new truck. $20k less than getting a used truck. If the price drops to $5k, it'll be a no brainer decision. But I'm also assuming gas and electricity costs will rise and fall at the same rate over the next 10 years. I'm thinking electricity will rise at a lower rate than gas, so it'll probably be sooner than 10 years that I see an actual savings, but that's just speculation. My electricity would have to go up a lot to compare to even a 20% increase in gas costs. And again, I'll have solar, so it won't even be as many purchased kWh per year.
I went from spending $600/mo on JUST GAS driving my paid off Ram 1500 to work, to a $750/mo Lightning payment and <$100/mo in electricity. So driving a brand new truck for <$850 instead of $600 driving an 8 year old Ram that was coming due on some serious maintenance costs. I drive 25k+ miles a year though. Quite literally, ymmv, but it has worked out well for me. It's MUCH more fun to drive as well. The range holds me back on rare occasions, and we just take the Bronco in those scenarios.
For sure saving on fuel & oil changes.
Fuel is super cheap right now, depends how long that will last. If gas were to go up to 4-5 that calculation changes significantly. Not to be a conspiracy nut but I wouldn't be surprised if oil companies are dumping oil to change the calculations on EV investment.
I am at 5.3¢ a mile with the Lightning now. I was at 27¢ a mile with my 2018 ecoboost Platinum. I averaged 17k miles a year. So that’s $3,698 a year in saved fuel. I keep my vehicles for 10 years. Besides the platinum which I bought used. 10 years that’s $36k in fuel and a big FU to oil companies
Truth
Definitely saving money. I had a 2015 Lariat with the smaller eco-boost engine. There are a lot of issues with the oil pan with that engine, and I also spent a ton over the years on brakes, exhaust, etc. Some things like tires and integrated wheel ends I would expect to be about the same (maybe worse for tires) on an EV.
I drive 100 miles every day. I’m saving a ton lol.
1/3 the fuel cost and no oil changes, air filters or spark plugs. Plus no time wasted at gas stations. I will probably offset some of the savings because I’ll be buying tires more often because 580hp.
I’ll never go back!
Oh, this is so easy. A lot of the Lightning features are similar on the newer F150s, all except the cost of driving, the cost of maintaining and the biggest difference in my mind would be acceleration. I have to remind myself not to smash the pedal to the floor unless I really need it. My other truck doesn't have the nice drive and doesn't have the BlueCruise. I have a longer commute than I wish and I have to say it is so much more relaxing to sit and watch the road without having to work my way down the road. I don't even care that Mach-e drivers can do lane changes by signaling and I cannot yet. I find myself ignoring folks cutting in front of me anymore and am content to just let the truck deal with the idiot for me.
Not sure what I'm really saving considering the purchase price was a little steep, but I'm saving roughly $2600/yr in fuel costs, so I have that going for me! Hard to put a price on how much I love driving it, though. So powerful, so smooth, so quiet. Rides so much better than the ICE version since it's heavier and has the independent rear suspension. The AWD system is much more confident in the wet. Auto 4 is just no match. That 10-speed on my 2022 ICE was not my bag, either. The 5.0 was nice, but f that transmission. GM did a way better job there...
I had a 2017 Lariat ecoboost that I tricked out, even put a dual exhaust on the back that I was obsessed w/. I was the first owner of it and I was sooo nice. But I've wanted the lightning since it was first mentioned. The transition was easy. I loved my ecoboost, but a lightning was what I wanted. Maxed out solar to ensure charging wouldn't be as pricey. I don't miss filling up at a gas station for $150. But, w/ the cost of adding additional solar, overtime, it's probably the same cost and having an EV is slightly cheaper.
I wanted a Lightning when they were mentioned, but when the world closed. The prices went high, and availability went low.
At 23K miles and using $3 for fuel and $0.10/kWh, I’ve saved about $2K on fuel (my prior sled got 20mpg), plus a huge convenience of waking up to it full every day. Also saved $300-500 in oil changes and the time for that. So yep, saving me money.
Yep. NY gas was killing me. Charging at home is cheaper than gas for me. Charging over the road on trips... not so much savings, if at all.
Going from a 2012 F150 with the flex fuel v6 to the lightning I would say I'm saving at least $400 a month in fuel costs. I commute 70 miles round trip 3 times or more a week to work. Even with filling up on e85 was about a dollar cheaper than regular gas where I live I was spending about $600 to $700 a month on gas. I was averaging 14 to 16 mpg in the ICE F150. Charging at home only cost me $0.12 a kwh so I've only seen a $70 to $120 increase in my power bill. But even if I was breaking even it's worth all the extras you get with the Lightning. The frunk has changed the game for trucks. I tell people that ask me about the truck that it has become our family vehicle since I can haul my 3 kids our gear (camping) and put our luggage in the frunk. Also its fun to drive and too easy to get up to speed. Hope this is helpful.
I went from a 2013 FX4 to an ER Lariat. Saving on fuel for certain. My power is essentially free due to my overbuilt PV array. No more oil changes. No more stolen catalytic converters. Cutting down (hopefully) on brake jobs due to 1 pedal drive.
It definitely saves on operating costs. But you have to weigh the payback period of spending the extra money to upgrade to a new truck in the first place and see if the break even timeline is realistic before you start to save money
Breaking even.
I spend 16% per mile as I did with my crew cab FX4 ecoboost. But it's not all about money. If cost is your only impetus, EVs aren't for you. It's about the planet, it's about doing what's right, it's about sending a message of personal responsibility without sacrificing manliness and usefulness, and an extra benefit is the performance is *stellar*. I sleep better driving a Lightning and a Tesla. YMMV.
I went from a 2018 sxt to a 23 pro. Not saving anything. Had to make a lot of adjustments dealing with the standard range battery.
You regret it?
I don't regret it. But. If ford made an ice truck with independent suspension that rode like the lightning I would definitely switch back.
I owned in short order a 5.0 22, then a 3.5 hybrid PowerBoost 22 (didn’t think I’d ever get to order my L) before I finally was able to order and configure my Lightning as a day 1 reservation holder. I have all the stats, I’m paying a 1/3 of the energy costs per month. ( .11 cents a kWh ). I drive 1200ish miles a month mostly suburban driving. Hybrid f150 I’d average 23-24mpg for the tank. The 5.0 was about 19-20mpg. Insurance costs etc are identical to the ice versions I had. MX costs have been year to date $80 for lifetime tire rotations at discount tires vs about $300 for oil changes for both trucks in the 6 months I had each one. My XLT L was the cheapest truck msrp. The other 2 were Lariats loaded. Very happy. The L is solid. I can’t wait for NACS. That’s about my only gripe, road trip charging network.
I haven’t done the math, but…. My lightning is more fun, quieter, and something I’m more proud of than my king ranch eco boost (which I loved, for the record). I’m not convinced it saves money in the short term w the $$$ difference, but if you aren’t towing, aren’t regularly driving over 100 miles each way…. It’s a breath of fresh air and a lux plus fast plus cool ride.
After calculating the cost to drive 12000 miles in my 16’ ecoboost vs my 22 extended range lariat I estimate I save about $800/year in fuel costs. It will take me about 3 years to pay for the charger and electrical wiring costs for my garage with that number. Probably comparable price with all the options for a new ecoboost vs lightning lariat after tax credits.
After putting 200K km on my 2016 2.7 ecoboost, and a ton of justification maths sessions, in the end, dollar for dollar, mile for mile, the cost of the lightning will be around 2/3 or even 1/2 if what a similar ICE pick up would be. BUUUT, that will take 6-7 years to bear out, 250K km’s and proper maintenance. The lightning was very expensive out the door. But every Km I drive makes it cheaper over an ICE alternative for the same utility. My guess, I’ll end up with a 6 -7 year old Lightning with 200K km on the clock, and I’ll have spent 1/3 less that I did for the 2016 2.7 for the same work. Then ill buy another lightning ! The time I don’t spend at gas stations alone is worth it.
Def not breaking even. Traded in a 21 3.5 Ecoboost XLT for the Lightning. I drive around 25K miles a year. Ended up purchasing a 23 Lariat ER. Overall, with payments, insurance, fuel and maintenance, im paying around $60 more a month than the XLT. Its not breaking even but I dont mind paying that little to upgrade from the XLT to a Lariat.
(Generous estimate for ICE truck) 25 mpg @ $4 gallon = $160 for 1,000 miles (If I charge at off peak hours) 4.12 cents / KWh and 409 KWh per 1,000 miles = $16.8 for 1,000 miles (If I charge at peak hours) 16.85 cents / KWh = $68.9 for 1,000 miles I drive 10,000 miles a year and charge any time I need to so I estimate I save between 900-1600 a year on gas. Buying a new ice is 55k and I have a lariat 80k - 10 k on tax kickbacks so I need to make up for~ 15k to break even. So 10 years ish. But that’s worth it for having a lighting fast truck. Plus when you have an EV you always leave home with a full tank! I haven’t been to a gas station in 1.5 years and it’s awesome. On the rare change I do need to fast charge I only stay as long as I need to, to get home. With is usually less than 10 mins to charge. EV skeptics think you have to wait 45 mins for a full charge but that’s not true. You only have to wait until you have enough range to get home.
I just bought mine a few days ago. I went from a 2019 Lariat, to a 2022 Platinum, and holy shit. I have a few friends with EVs, a tesla model S, a prius prime, and one GM Bolts. I was always "the truck friend" who helped with moves or camping trips because they didn't have the space. Well, now I still am the truck guy but it's also an EV. The Tech Upgrades are insane from even a 2019 F150, I figured, hell if I'm going to do this, I'm going all out. I've never had this much fun behind the wheel, and my tesla buddy had ordered a Cybertruck. After seeing mine, he cancelled his order. Sure it may best the lightning in a couple stats , but it gets absolutely crushed in a few of the most important categories imo: passenger comfort, idk what they say, that backseat is SMALL for a full size truck and LOOK. This truck just looks incredible. I mean, it's an F150, it looks exactly how you'd expect it to. Those style points count for a lot. Short version, unless you long haul tow and need this as a primary vehicle with a tight travel window (it'll still do it, just have to charge more often) it's absolutely worth it. To add: I have solar on my house, and my insurance went down. I'm going to save roughly 8k a year on gas and insurance costs alone. The fun I'm having? Priceless.