Electric F-150 unveiled

[Kaido]

Ford is going the Tesla route:

Ford CEO Says Zero Negotiation Pricing Transactions Necessary for EV Business

CEO Jim Farley says the company has to build out its infrastructure to support online, delivered, zero-negotiation sales.

www.roadandtrack.com

1. Fully online transactions
2. Zero negotiation
3. Direct delivery (no inventory at dealerships)

 

[Paratus]

Ford is going the Tesla route:

Ford CEO Says Zero Negotiation Pricing Transactions Necessary for EV Business

CEO Jim Farley says the company has to build out its infrastructure to support online, delivered, zero-negotiation sales.

www.roadandtrack.com

1. Fully online transactions
2. Zero negotiation
3. Direct delivery (no inventory at dealerships)

I'll be interested to see how this goes over in Texas. Texas already screws over Tesla for direct sales by limiting access to temporary plates, requiring a trip to the tax assessor to pay the entire car tax upfront (not able to roll it into the financing), and requiring a state inspection before the new car can be registered.

 

[vi edit]

I would really be interested to know what the long term profitability EV's are over traditional ICE vehicles for Ford.

From the components (far less moving mechanical parts), to the software based updates that can be pushed OTA and not needing dealers, to the overall increased reliability and less need for warranty claims. To now this, just turning into a sales front and removing the dealer overhead and franchise outreach. How does that all go into long term overhead costs on producing a vehicle?

 

[BoomerD]

Ford is going the Tesla route:

Ford CEO Says Zero Negotiation Pricing Transactions Necessary for EV Business

CEO Jim Farley says the company has to build out its infrastructure to support online, delivered, zero-negotiation sales.

www.roadandtrack.com

1. Fully online transactions
2. Zero negotiation
3. Direct delivery (no inventory at dealerships)

From what I've read, Ford is doing this to stop the dealer markup/ripoffs on the Lightning...and suspect it will cover other high-demand vehicles soon.

 

[Kaido]

I'll be interested to see how this goes over in Texas. Texas already screws over Tesla for direct sales by limiting access to temporary plates, requiring a trip to the tax assessor to pay the entire car tax upfront (not able to roll it into the financing), and requiring a state inspection before the new car can be registered.

Which is interesting, as they have a new factory there!

 

[Kaido]

From what I've read, Ford is doing this to stop the dealer markup/ripoffs on the Lightning...and suspect it will cover other high-demand vehicles soon.

I can only imagine how mad the dealers are about this. My local dealer got a First Edition Bronco in, marked the price up over $100k...and it sold. They get Broncos in on a regular basis & flip them for tens of thousands over sticker. Pretty crummy to everyone who already wants an overpriced vehicle, but also, I totally understand...bottom line is that they're in business to make money. I'm surprised Ford did this with the Lightning, but I also bet it's because they think that price scalping on the inevitable EV market will shortchange them, so they're moving to get ahead of that.

On a tangent, I'm curious as to how real the $39k Cybertruck will be. Or even when it will come out en masse. I placed my order back in 2019 (I can't believe it's been that long!). The latest update is that Tesla has received 3 million orders for the Cybertruck & is currently estimating a 2023 release date, which I'm assuming means the first one will roll out the doors by Christmas of next year, so probably 2024 for most people or even 2025 for people like me who didn't jump on a pre-order right away.

 

[BoomerD]

I can only imagine how mad the dealers are about this. My local dealer got a First Edition Bronco in, marked the price up over $100k...and it sold. They get Broncos in on a regular basis & flip them for tens of thousands over sticker. Pretty crummy to everyone who already wants an overpriced vehicle, but also, I totally understand...bottom line is that they're in business to make money. I'm surprised Ford did this with the Lightning, but I also bet it's because they think that price scalping on the inevitable EV market will shortchange them, so they're moving to get ahead of that.

On a tangent, I'm curious as to how real the $39k Cybertruck will be. Or even when it will come out en masse. I placed my order back in 2019 (I can't believe it's been that long!). The latest update is that Tesla has received 3 million orders for the Cybertruck & is currently estimating a 2023 release date, which I'm assuming means the first one will roll out the doors by Christmas of next year, so probably 2024 for most people or even 2025 for people like me who didn't jump on a pre-order right away.

I hope Tesla makes the Cybertruck a bit more pleasant to the eye...the current version is butt-ugly.

 

[Kaido]

I hope Tesla makes the Cybertruck a bit more pleasant to the eye...the current version is butt-ugly.

I hope not! The ugly grew on me! Hahaha. But then, I like oddball cars like the Beetle, Kia Soul first-gen, etc.

 

[Elfear]

Ford is going the Tesla route:

Ford CEO Says Zero Negotiation Pricing Transactions Necessary for EV Business

CEO Jim Farley says the company has to build out its infrastructure to support online, delivered, zero-negotiation sales.

www.roadandtrack.com

1. Fully online transactions
2. Zero negotiation
3. Direct delivery (no inventory at dealerships)

How does this work if you want to test drive the vehicle? I would have a really hard time plunking down money for a vehicle I'm not totally sure I would fit in or get along with on a day-to-day basis.

 

[K1052]

How does this work if you want to test drive the vehicle? I would have a really hard time plunking down money for a vehicle I'm not totally sure I would fit in or get along with on a day-to-day basis.

Showroom it like the other new EV companies probably where there are units that you can test. We tested the S, Y, and 3 before buying.

 

[Kaido]

How does this work if you want to test drive the vehicle? I would have a really hard time plunking down money for a vehicle I'm not totally sure I would fit in or get along with on a day-to-day basis.

I'd imagine they'll have dealer demos. That's what they did with the Bronco...they call them "mannequins".

 

[Kaido]

Nice on Ford for competing on Tesla's $40k price:

The $40,000 Ford F-150 Lightning Base Model Is A Crazy Bargain, But Why?

The F-150 Lightning is pricey once you choose an upper trim and all the extras you may need, but the base model is compelling in so many ways, and it's cheap.

insideevs.com

 

[Kaido]

Drone flythrough of the Lightning factory, REALLY cool:

 

[darkswordsman17]

Nice on Ford for competing on Tesla's $40k price:

The $40,000 Ford F-150 Lightning Base Model Is A Crazy Bargain, But Why?

The F-150 Lightning is pricey once you choose an upper trim and all the extras you may need, but the base model is compelling in so many ways, and it's cheap.

insideevs.com

Whoa the base goes for a cheap plastic grille and even ditches the mustache part?

Showroom it like the other new EV companies probably where there are units that you can test. We tested the S, Y, and 3 before buying.

Don't be surprised if they don't even bother with that, instead having a generic seating frame and then plop a VR headset on your head. Then they can put a Ford store in strip malls just like cell phone carriers.

Ford won't be ditching the dealer that quickly, and that is where you'll do real test drives.

 

[Kaido]

Don't be surprised if they don't even bother with that, instead having a generic seating frame and then plop a VR headset on your head. Then they can put a Ford store in strip malls just like cell phone carriers.

Can't wait!

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

This picture cracks me up:

1. Imagine you're a beefy, outdoorsy dude with an electric chainsaw
2. Who happens to live in a $500k ultra-modern home
3. And a storm blows in, knocking out your power, so you need your electric chainsaw to chop up a fallen tree branch
4. So you use your $50,000 electric pickup truck to power said electric chainsaw

It's the same type of anxiety-driven marketing they use for smart-home & security systems...veeeeeeery specific use-case scenarios lol. I love it:

View attachment 44663

I know this is a very old bump, but at this point the only commercials they need is a driver cruising past gas stations and service lots while smiling.

 

[Kaido]

Test-drove the Lightning Lariat today. It is the best EV I have ever driven. SCARY good! Quick review:

1. It looks REALLY good in-person. Aside from the grill, it could pass for a normal truck, and that's only if you bother to really look at the grill.

2. The frunk is awesome, although oddly not as huge as the pictures make it look haha. But I could definitely curl up inside of there & shut myself in lol.

3. The center console desk & 120V jack is really awesome if you work on the road. You can optionally get a hotspot with Ford Pass, so you can have dedicated Wi-fi as well.

4. The model I test-drove didn't have BlueCruise enabled, really wanted to try that. iirc it's tied to the app & this was just a demo model.

5. It's eerie to drive, in a good way. There's no shudder when you start. Zero vibration. Zoomed past 60mph on the merge ramp onto the highway & it felt like we were doing 30. It's like a giant floating skyscraper!

6. It feels like driving a Honda Fit. Incredibly nimble, easy to turn, easy to drive. It doesn't feel like a big truck at all, like just not at all! I couldn't believe how well it drove, it was something else! Gave me a big smile on my face!

7. The tailgate was powered, it was crazy to see it raise on its own. Plus had all of the nifty stuff like the pop-down step & raise-up arm-grip to get into the trunk.

8. Outlets EVERYWHERE! 20A in the frunk! Madness! This would be so much fun to go "glamping" in.

9. I wish it had bigger battery options available, but for a lot of people, 230 to 300 is fine. Supposedly towing cuts 230 down to 100 tho.

Bit of background:

1. I love EV's. Huge Tesla fanboy. Driven just about everything on the market. My reservation is for a 500-mile Cybertruck for the range.

2. As a Mustang owner, I didn't care for the aesthetics of the Mach-E as a Mustang, but after test-driving it not too long ago, I was sold. Better than Tesla imo...more creature comforts, far less spartan, etc.

3. Having driven the F-150 EV, I like it even better than the Mach-E. The Lightning is my Top Dog for EV's at the moment. I don't see anything topping it, at least until the Cybertruck comes out. The crabwalk on the Hummer is pretty cool, but that's like $112k+ or like $235k at auction lol.

It's funny, because on the surface, it's just an F-150 pickup truck. Standard short bed, crew cab, etc. - looks like every other truck on the road. But it left me with a HUGE smile on my face! It was just AWESOME! Very much looking forward to the Cybertruck, but tbh, if this had a bigger battery option, I'd be tempted!

Side note, there may be a Ranger & Maverick Lightning available soon!

Electric Ford Ranger, Maverick Lightning Could Be Coming, Trademarks Suggest

The smaller siblings of Ford's pickup family might soon be battery-powered.

www.thedrive.com

 

[vi edit]

It's pretty crazy how fast a 7000 pound brick can be

The dealer I have my reservation with got their demo truck in... I'm scared to go look at it.

 

[Kaido]

It's pretty crazy how fast a 7000 pound brick can be

The dealer I have my reservation with got their demo truck in... I'm scared to go look at it.

Oh it's amazing. If they were readily-available I might have been tempted lol. imo it would be the perfect family vehicle...crew cab, short bed, room for everything & everyone! Definitely more excited about my mythical Cybertruck unicorn someday, haha!

So as far as driving goes, it doesn't quite handle around corners like the Mach-E does, but the straight-line performance is pretty bonkers. It's so big, heavy, and non-vibraty that no matter how fast you're going, it doesn't feel fast. It's like being in an airliner, you're just totally insulated from the speed, partly thanks to the reduced noise too (no engine noise). I've driven a ton of different EV's, but having no engine noise in a truck is just eerie lol. The center of gravity is low thanks to the batteries, so there's far less body roll than normal.

Really though, it's the steering that's crazy...it literally feels like driving a little sporty hatchback. It just zips around anywhere you want to go, it's totally nuts! My brother has a lifted F-250 with big tires & it's a night & day difference. His feels like driving a diesel train & the Lightning is like a Honda Fit with a big-boned avatar lol. All of the little details & touches inside & outside were SO NICE too! I said it about the Mach-E & I'll say it about the F-150 EV, it really feels like Ford created "Car 2.0" rather than just a raw, spartan "Electric Car" like Tesla did. I love Tesla, but Ford has really hit it out of the park with both EV's! "Joy to drive" is what comes to mind with this truck! Go & try out the dealer demo ASAP!!

The only real catch for me is the range. My current daily commute is around 2 hours on average & I sit in traffic a lot, which is why I want the 500-mile Cybertruck battery to ease any range anxiety worries. The non-Platinum Extended Range F-150 is 320 miles, which is pretty decent. They put the 300-mile Platinum through real-world testing & got 258 miles before they got a "battery depleted" message, which is a little on the low side for me:

Watch This 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum 70 MPH Range Test

We range test the Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum at highway speeds to find out just how far it can go.

insideevs.com

But I'm in no rush, and I'm glad I have a 4-cylinder to zip around in with gas prices being what they are lol.

 

[RPD]

Test-drove the Lightning Lariat today. It is the best EV I have ever driven. SCARY good! Quick review:

1. It looks REALLY good in-person. Aside from the grill, it could pass for a normal truck, and that's only if you bother to really look at the grill.

2. The frunk is awesome, although oddly not as huge as the pictures make it look haha. But I could definitely curl up inside of there & shut myself in lol.

3. The center console desk & 120V jack is really awesome if you work on the road. You can optionally get a hotspot with Ford Pass, so you can have dedicated Wi-fi as well.

4. The model I test-drove didn't have BlueCruise enabled, really wanted to try that. iirc it's tied to the app & this was just a demo model.

5. It's eerie to drive, in a good way. There's no shudder when you start. Zero vibration. Zoomed past 60mph on the merge ramp onto the highway & it felt like we were doing 30. It's like a giant floating skyscraper!

6. It feels like driving a Honda Fit. Incredibly nimble, easy to turn, easy to drive. It doesn't feel like a big truck at all, like just not at all! I couldn't believe how well it drove, it was something else! Gave me a big smile on my face!

7. The tailgate was powered, it was crazy to see it raise on its own. Plus had all of the nifty stuff like the pop-down step & raise-up arm-grip to get into the trunk.

8. Outlets EVERYWHERE! 20A in the frunk! Madness! This would be so much fun to go "glamping" in.

9. I wish it had bigger battery options available, but for a lot of people, 230 to 300 is fine. Supposedly towing cuts 230 down to 100 tho.

Bit of background:

1. I love EV's. Huge Tesla fanboy. Driven just about everything on the market. My reservation is for a 500-mile Cybertruck for the range.

2. As a Mustang owner, I didn't care for the aesthetics of the Mach-E as a Mustang, but after test-driving it not too long ago, I was sold. Better than Tesla imo...more creature comforts, far less spartan, etc.

3. Having driven the F-150 EV, I like it even better than the Mach-E. The Lightning is my Top Dog for EV's at the moment. I don't see anything topping it, at least until the Cybertruck comes out. The crabwalk on the Hummer is pretty cool, but that's like $112k+ or like $235k at auction lol.

It's funny, because on the surface, it's just an F-150 pickup truck. Standard short bed, crew cab, etc. - looks like every other truck on the road. But it left me with a HUGE smile on my face! It was just AWESOME! Very much looking forward to the Cybertruck, but tbh, if this had a bigger battery option, I'd be tempted!

Side note, there may be a Ranger & Maverick Lightning available soon!

Electric Ford Ranger, Maverick Lightning Could Be Coming, Trademarks Suggest

The smaller siblings of Ford's pickup family might soon be battery-powered.

www.thedrive.com

Man I would really be all in on an EV Maverick. I don't want or need a full size truck, but doing projects around the house a bed is hard to duplicate from a practical stand point.

 

[Kaido]

Man I would really be all in on an EV Maverick. I don't want or need a full size truck, but doing projects around the house a bed is hard to duplicate from a practical stand point.

That would be an amazing vehicle! I'm starting to see them around more. Just right for a little townie pickup truck!

 

[Red Squirrel]

The truck really does look nice from everything I've seen. Never going to be able to afford it but one can dream. Maybe once I pay off the mortgage in 7 years or so I will consider it. By then they will be more refined as well. I don't know if I'd want to buy the 1st gen anyway.

 

[K1052]

I saw one of these in the at a fast charger in AZ between Phoenix and Yuma. First one so far tho the Rivians appears to be multiplying quickly around here.

 

[vi edit]

Pro's are now pushing like $56k. Up almost $16k over what they released at. I've had so many quirks with public charging I'm not going for a second EV. Probably just going to look at Ridgelines when used market gets a little less stupid and nab one of those. I've also been so burned by airlines over the last few months that I'm getting sick of dealing with them too. Want something more functional for longer drives.

 

[K1052]

Pro's are now pushing like $56k. Up almost $16k over what they released at. I've had so many quirks with public charging I'm not going for a second EV. Probably just going to look at Ridgelines when used market gets a little less stupid and nab one of those. I've also been so burned by airlines over the last few months that I'm getting sick of dealing with them too. Want something more functional for longer drives.

We were supposed to fly to Chicago from San Diego on Thursday but decided not to due to the weather. Our outbound ended up canceled. Almost booked San Diego to Tucson on Southwest but they wanted $1500 and the return got canceled too. Except for one finicky charger Electrify America worked for us on my husband's ID.4. Had to wait about 5 min at one to plug because they were busy. Would be nice if they fixed broken plugs/units faster but at least you know what's not working via their app and plugshare.