Tesla delivered its first electric pickup truck to customers in late 2023. Tesla made a few changes to the concept car Elon Musk unveiled in 2019 and even bumped the price. However, even though it fell short of expectations, it still delivers on some promises to be a top contender for the best electric pickup on the market.
If you’re looking for another option, the Ford F-150 Lightning is the closest competitor to the Tesla Cybertruck. Which one is better — the Tesla Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning? We’ve done an in-depth analysis to have a clear picture. Let’s dig deeper!
The F-150 Lightning is cheaper than the Cybertruck
The Ford F-150 Lightning starts at $49,995, which makes it the most affordable electric pickup in the market. On the other hand, the Tesla Cybertruck starts at $60,990 — but only the AWD model that’s sold at $79,990 is available for delivery. If you want the $60,990 Cybertruck model, you have to wait until 2025.
But if you want the Tesla Cyberbeast, it will cost you $99,990. That is still more expensive than the F-150 Lightning Platinum model, which is sold at $91,995, or the F-150 Lightning Platinum Black Edition, which has a price tag of $97,995.
Both the Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck are eligible for the EV tax credit of up to $7,500 — as long as the buying price doesn’t exceed $80,000.
The F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck have similar ranges
The AWD Tesla Cybertruck, with a starting price of $79,990, is estimated to have a range of up to 340 miles. The F-150 Lightning isn’t too far behind, and if you own an extended-range model, you get a range of up to 320 miles. In fact, the more powerful Cyberbeast is available with a range of up to 320 miles, just like the F-150 Lightning XLT and Lariat extended-range models. However, if you own the F-150 Lightning Platinum model, you will be limited to a range of 300 miles.
What about the more affordable trims? Well, there isn’t much of a difference either. The $60,990 RWD Cybertruck that is expected in 2025 is estimated to have a range of up to 250 miles, while the Ford F-150 Lightning Pro trim that starts at $49,995 comes with an EPA range of up to 240 miles.
With those range numbers, the Chevy Silverado is still unbeaten as the longest-range electric pickup, with an EPA estimate of up to 450 miles. However, Tesla sells an extra battery pack that you can add to the cargo bed and increase the range up to 470 miles. The problem is, it’s too expensive with a cost of $16,000 — and even if you can afford the extra battery pack, it will take too much space in the cargo bed.
The Tesla Cybertruck wields more speed and power
The AWD Ford F-150 Lightning with extended range battery can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in sub-four seconds. Similarly, the dual-motor Cybertruck can achieve the same speed in 4.1 seconds. This means if you put the F-150 Lightning in a drag race against the Tesla Cybertruck, it will be a very close call.
But when you bring the 845 horsepower Tesla Cyberbeast, things get more interesting. It can speed up from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds! This doesn’t just make it the fastest electric pickup on the planet, but it would also be a top contender for the fastest electric cars in the world.
Unfortunately, the Ford F-150 Lightning doesn’t have a performance model that can match up to the Cyberbeast. But if the Cyberbeast is out of the picture, the 580 horsepower Ford F-150 Lightning can challenge the 600 horsepower AWD Cybertruck in a fair fight.
The Tesla Cybertruck can pull more weight
The Tesla Cybertruck is rated to pull a maximum weight of 11,000 pounds. In comparison, the F-150 Lightning extended range model can tow up to 10,000 pounds. However, the F-150 Lightning standard range can only tow up to 7,700 pounds which is close to the rear-wheel drive Cybertruck with a towing capacity of up to 7,500 pounds.
What about the cargo bed size? The F-150 Lightning’s cargo bed is 5.5 feet long, but the Tesla Cybertruck offers a bigger 6-foot cargo bed. It’s also cool that the Cybertruck cargo bed is designed with a tonneau cover which gives it an advantage over the F-150 Lightning.
Beyond that, the F-150 Lightning’s front frunk is twice as big as the Cybertruck’s frunk. To be more specific, the F-150 Lightning’s front frunk volume is 14.1 cubic feet, while the Cybertruck’s frunk is 7.1 feet.
Both EVs have bi-directional charging capabilities
Both the Tesla Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning have 120-volt and 240-volt power outlets in the cargo bed. This means that you can use a Cybertruck or F-150 Lightning when you’re camping off-grid to power your home electrical appliances. Better yet, you could use your F-150 Lightning or Cybertruck to power your home or another EV.
So, which one is better for camping? Well, the Tesla Cybertruck has a longer truck bed, but the F-150 Lightning has more power outlets in the frunk and interior. Then again, the Tesla Cybertruck can offer up to 11.5 kW of power output while the F-150 Lightning can take it up to 9.6 kW of power. Alternatively, you could consider other EVs with bidirectional charging ideal for
The Cybertruck and F-150 Lightning share almost similar specifications
It’s a tough call to deduce a clear winner between the Cybertruck and F-150 Lightning because they share almost similar specifications. Which one is better is a matter of personal preference. If you want an electric pickup with a stainless-steel body that is bulletproof, the Tesla Cybertruck is your best option. On the other hand, the F-150 Lightning is cheaper with a more appealing body.
