Ford’s Electric Pickup Loses a Quarter of Range With Heavy Payloads, AAA Study Finds

Ford’s Electric Pickup Loses a Quarter of Range With Heavy Payloads, AAA Study Finds
The Ford F-150 Lightning displayed at the Philadelphia Auto Show in Philadelphia on Jan. 27, 2023. Matt Rourke/File/AP Photo
Bill Pan
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Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the battery-powered version of the most beloved pickup truck on the American market, suffers from the same problem all electric vehicles (EVs) do—it loses a significant amount of range when it’s hauling heavy cargo.

Every truck, regardless of its power source, loses range with more weight added to its bed. This trade-off usually isn’t much of a concern to owners of traditional gas-powered trucks since it’s relatively easy to find gas, and a gas tank is quick to refill.

However, for owners of F-150 Lightning and electric pickups alike, the range loss could pose a logistical challenge to their hauling plans.

To investigate how an electric pickup’s driving range and efficiency are affected by the added payload, engineers at the American Automobile Association (AAA) tested a Ford F-150 Lightning, which gathered over 200,000 reservations by the end of 2021.

The testers first drove an empty F-150 Lightning around a 7.5-mile oval test track to establish an unloaded baseline. They then loaded the truck with 1,400 pounds of sandbags—100 pounds less than its maximum capacity—and drove the pickup around the same track.

According to the results, the truck went 278 miles when empty. With a 1,400-pound load in the bed, the truck finished at 210 miles, representing a 24.5 percent range loss.

In terms of fuel economy, the AAA found the unloaded truck to have an efficiency of 62 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe)—a bit short of its stated 66 MPGe. In the loaded condition, the efficiency dropped by 24.2 percent to 47 MPGe.
The AAA didn’t conduct an equivalent test on a gas-powered F-150 model. But the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that, for a gas-powered vehicle, every additional 100 pounds of load could reduce about 1 percent of its fuel economy. In order words, a gas-powered truck hauling a 1,400-pound load could lose at least 14 percent of its range.

With that said, the AAA is not expecting Ford Lightning’s payload-related efficiency losses to scare many prospective buyers away since most owners use their pickups for regular commuting rather than heavy-load, long-distance hauling.

“Our testing revealed a significant range reduction, but it’s important to note that the Lightning was loaded to near its maximum capacity,” Greg Brannon, director of AAA’s automotive engineering unit, said in a press release. “Most buyers will likely use their Lightning with a lighter load, resulting in a much smaller range reduction.”

In the meantime, the AAA recommends that buyers consider what type of driving they will be doing and choose the vehicle that best fits their needs.

“The difference, for now, is that it is easier to gas and go than stop and charge,” the organization said, noting that EVs are more suitable for the urban environment.

“Highway driving, which typically involves higher speeds and less regenerative braking, will further reduce range,” it explained. “Unlike gas-powered vehicles, which perform more efficiently at highway speeds, EVs thrive in urban driving conditions due to regenerative braking from more frequent stops.”

In addition, the test results are probably more important for those who plan to fit theirs with permanent loads like built-in toolboxes and racks.

“In the case of battery electric pickups used as work vehicles, permanent loads (such as equipment racks, toolboxes, and equipment trays built into the vehicle) will reduce the range at all times, even without additional cargo,” the AAA said.

Ford, after selling nearly 62,000 electric vehicles last year, is now the nation’s second-largest EV maker, only behind Tesla. In March, the company vowed to “boost production of its popular EVs” to meet the growing customer demand.

Specifically, Ford wants to ramp up F-150 Lightning’s annual run rate to 150,000 units, or triple the current run rate, by the end of 2023. It has also hiked Lightning’s price several times since 2021, when it was originally marketed as a sub-$40,000 EV. The price now stands at around $60,000.

Bill Pan
Bill Pan
Reporter
Bill Pan is an Epoch Times reporter covering education issues and New York news.
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