Now you can purchase an F150 Lightning in Australia, the all-electric model of the hyper-popular Ford F150. The query is, do you have to?
The automobiles are imported by AusEV and transformed to right-hand drive, principally for the mining sector, however you should purchase them privately too. What you get with the F150 Lightning in Australia is a big twin cab ute – no different physique types – able to towing as much as 4500kg, with some offroad functionality.
To provide you an concept of dimension, the Lightning is 5910mm lengthy in comparison with the Ranger at 5220mm. Width measures in at 2033mm vs the Ranger’s 1848mm. The breakover (ramp) angle is 17.6 levels for the Lightning and 24 levels for the Ranger, so you possibly can anticipate extra scraping over mounds.
There are two battery sizes for the F150 Lightning in Australia, the Commonplace and Prolonged vary, with 98kWh and 131kWh batteries respectively. This interprets into a variety of 270km and 515km on the EPA take a look at normal, which is normally extra reasonable than the WLTP normal extra generally utilized in Australia. So for comparability functions with WLTP automobiles, you may think about the Lightning a bit longer-ranged.
Nevertheless, in actuality, you’d be unlikely to get WLTP anyway. And any EV vary determine is for the inventory automobile, not modified with tyres, roofrack and particularly not when towing. We’ll discuss extra about vary in a second.
The F150 Lightning is just not a car for pure offroading
Being a ute, there are going to be three use circumstances for it: towing, carrying and offroad. The F150 Lightning is just not meant as a devoted offroader, but it surely does supply fixed 4WD with two motors entrance and rear and a rear cross-axle locking differential. There isn’t any low vary, however there’s much less want for it with electrical motors. The wheelbase is a hefty 3595mm, in comparison with the Ranger’s 3270mm.
I’ve not pushed one, however I’ve spoken to colleagues within the USA with appreciable expertise with these automobiles and the consensus is that the F150 is just not a car you’d purchase for pure offroading. It will be behind a Ranger for functionality, but it surely’s actually not going to be stopped by steep hills, sand, or different terrains and would have adequate functionality for almost all of tourers.
Measurement, carrying and towing
You’d must be conscious of the dimensions of the F150 Lightning in Australia and anticipate extra scratches than standard in forests, but it surely’d nonetheless get there. And I say that having simply completed a take a look at journey down slim tracks with a Fuso Canter, which is as large and lengthy, and even taller.
Subsequent is carrying, and right here the Ford Lightning F150 does surprisingly effectively with a payload of as much as 1000kg. It’s a fairly good determine in comparison with different twin cab utes in Australia, particularly when in comparison with different American utes, which are inclined to have massive towing figures however small payloads. And right here is a vital distinction – the GVM is about 3742kg, however as batteries are so heavy the Commonplace model with a 98kWh battery has a kerb weight of 2730kg vs the Extender vary with 2885kg.
Which means the payload for the Commonplace vary is round 1000kg, and the Extender is round 850kg. Nonetheless fairly good. I’m utilizing figures from the US F150 Lightning as I can’t get info on the Australian model. Nevertheless, from prior expertise I anticipate it’ll be very related.
Now for towing…
Now for towing. I don’t have all of the F150 Lightning specs particular to Australia wanted to do a correct towing evaluation. So all we all know is the payload and max-tow. Primarily based on educated guesses, I’d say that towing 4500kg can be fanciful, and also you’re higher off limiting masses to 4000kg and under. I’ll say, that primarily based on private expertise, that EVs tow actually, rather well – a great deal of torque, one-pedal operation, quiet, clean, they usually’re heavy with the burden down low.
Folks I’ve spoken to say the F150 Lightning tows effectively, and personally, I’d moderately tow 4000kg with a F150 EV than an F150 petrol, that’s for certain. Except I needed to go any important distance, wherein case vary and charging turns into an issue.
The massive downside with EVs for towing
And now we come to the massive downside with EVs for towing, working and 4×4 and that’s their brief vary, plus lengthy recharge occasions. This isn’t any downside for suburban around-town roadcars which may simply cost at dwelling, aren’t modified, have small batteries and may do the odd inter-city run on primary highways. It’s a distinct story for towers, 4x4s, employees and tourers who must deal with their journey, not managing the vitality of their car and don’t wish to spend time ready for a cost.
Each EV maker has a headline charging fee, and for the Ford F150 Lightning which we are able to now get in Australia, say a Stage 3 charger can take the battery from 15 to 80% in 44 minutes. Sounds good, however that’s below supreme charging circumstances. As well as, you should discover a Stage 3 quick charger – and that’s for the smaller battery, the bigger battery can do it in 41 minutes.
You may also anticipate ranges to be minimize in about half while you’re towing something sizeable, noting massive, draggy trailers have extra of an impact on the vary than heavy ones. Primarily, as one in every of my USA pals put it, proudly owning an EV ute is “a way of life alternative the place you place the truck first” and regardless of what he sees as the benefits, it’s a change he’s not ready to go for as he has issues to do, locations to be and a 4×4 coaching firm to run. I believe the identical applies to most Australian sensible ute house owners.
Who would, or can buy the F150 Lightning in Australia?
So who would, or can buy the F150 Lightning in Australia? Nicely, it’s $224k plus on-roads for the Commonplace, and $254k plus on-roads for the Prolonged. Which after all, will purchase you a modified diesel 4×4 and a caravan, plus change. As a comparability, the petrol F150 is $108k plus on-roads for the lengthy wheelbase model.
My view is that if the worth hasn’t scared you, and also you’re conscious of the real-world vitality administration effort, then go for it. This could be since you run a vineyard with solely native journeys and the truck can park up in the identical place on 3-phase energy, otherwise you simply must tow your heavy boat to the native ramp, or no matter. The F150 Lightning positively has a spot for these purposes in Australia and I’m going to presume for those who’ve obtained $250k to drop on a ute you’re able to doing the maths to see what number of years the decrease run prices will take to amortise the additional purchase worth.
You must also think about resale, and the issue there’s EV know-how is bettering. So the 2030 F150 Lightning can be a lot better than the 2024 model, in contrast to, say the 2030 petrol F150, if there even is one. The guarantee is three years for the automobile and 5 for the battery for the F150 in Australia. A bit low by the same old requirements of 5 for a automobile and eight for the battery.
We’re not fairly there but with EVs in Australia
The F150 Lightning is a really fascinating car and represents the longer term in Australia whether or not you prefer it or not. So it’s value listening to. It’ll meet the necessity for a couple of, however it’s additional proof that EV 4x4s aren’t but capable of substitute diesel 4x4s, one thing the Authorities ought to notice because it advances with its NVES scheme.
