Edmunds electric truck face-off: Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Tesla Cybertruck

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Edmunds electric truck face-off: Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Tesla Cybertruck

2024-10-09 19:24 Last Updated At：19:31

The Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck are two intriguing options for someone thinking about buying an electric pickup truck. They could also hardly be more different. The Lightning looks and drives much like a traditional gas-powered F-150. The Cybertruck, in contrast, looks like nothing else and ignores convention with its stainless steel body and square-shaped steering wheel. Yet both trucks are capable of towing a trailer, hauling a bunch of gear, or taking the family out to dinner. Which one is the better all-around truck? Edmunds’ car experts tested them to find out.

Tesla currently offers two Cybertruck versions: a 600-horsepower All-Wheel Drive model with an estimated driving range of up to 340 miles and the 845-horsepower Cyberbeast that provides a 301-mile driving range. An optional range-extender battery pack adds about 135 miles of range but reduces cargo space because it’s mounted in the bed.

The Lightning is available with a standard-range battery pack that delivers 452 horsepower and a range of 240 miles. With the larger extended-range battery, power is boosted to 580 horsepower, and range increases to up to 320 miles. In testing, Edmunds has found acceleration and range to be very similar for the two trucks. The All-Wheel Drive Cybertruck and upgraded Lightning accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat and managed to go more than 330 miles in the Edmunds EV Range Test.

Charging is where the Cybertruck pulls ahead. It can charge more quickly at high-powered fast-charging stations and has full access to Telsa’s nationwide network of Supercharger stations. Essentially, charging can be more convenient and take less time when you’ve got a Cybertruck.

Winner: Cybertruck

Both Cybertruck models have a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 2,500 pounds. The F-150 Lightning’s towing capacity maxes out at 10,000 pounds, and its payload capacity is 2,235 pounds with the standard-range pack and 1,952 pounds with the extended-range pack.

Although the Lightning’s numbers are slightly lower, it can still handle towing a midsize boat or hauling an ATV in the bed. The Lightning also offers several towing and hauling features the Cybertruck lacks such as Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch. The former estimates your payload weight, and the latter estimates the tongue weight of the trailer.

Winner: Lightning

Ride quality is one of the Cybertruck’s strengths. It’s very smooth even over rough surfaces. The front seats are comfortable but the rear seats are pretty stiff, and it doesn’t offer as much passenger space as the Lightning. The Lightning’s ride quality and seat comfort are also excellent but one notch below the Cyerbtruck’s. The Lightning, however, gets points back for having easy-to-use interior controls, significantly better outward visibility, and more available luxury features like massaging seats.

Almost everything in the Cybertruck is controlled by the massive 18.5-inch center touchscreen. It looks great and is responsive, but using certain controls while driving can be distracting. The electric truck also lacks full smartphone connectivity such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Full Self-Driving package, which includes a long list of advanced driver aids that can automatically accelerate, brake and steer the truck, is standard. However, it’s not actually a self-driving system. The driver must pay attention and intervene when needed. The package is currently only available to a select number of owners.

The Lightning offers a slew of tech features including a sizable 15.5-inch center touchscreen, more smartphone connectivity options and many advanced driver aids. Ford’s BlueCruise, a hands-free driving system that works on many highways, is available.

Winner: Lightning

The Cybertruck All-Wheel Drive has a starting price of $102,235, including destination. The more powerful Cyberbeast is $122,235. Tesla has promised a less expensive Rear-Wheel Drive model but we’re not expecting it to be available until next year. Excluding the commercial-oriented Pro version, pricing for the Lightning starts at $65,090 for the XLT trim and $87,090 for the top Platinum trim.

Until the Rear-Wheel Drive model becomes available, or if Tesla reduces pricing, the Cybertruck makes the Lightning look like a steal. It’s hard to justify the $40,000 price difference between the base models. And even though the Cyberbeast is more powerful, the significantly less expensive Platinum trim offers much more value thanks to its long list of luxury, tech and towing features.

Winner: Lightning

The Lightning is the winner because it offers more value, more towing tech, and a larger and more practical interior. But if you want a truck with a design that will turn more heads than a Ferrari, then the choice is obvious.

This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.

Michael Cantu is a contributor at Edmunds.

Time to evacuate is running out as Hurricane Milton closes in on Florida

2024-10-09 19:23 Last Updated At：19:30

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton churned Wednesday toward a potentially catastrophic collision along the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted they would stay after millions were ordered to evacuate and officials warned that stragglers would face grim odds of surviving.

The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, faced the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes for more than a century. The National Hurricane Center predicted Milton, a Category 5 hurricane during much of its approach, would likely weaken but remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the center warned.

Milton was centered about 300 miles (485 kilometers) southwest of Tampa early Wednesday with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph), the hurricane center reported. It was moving northeast at 14 mph (22 kph) early Wednesday and was expected to continue moving in that direction with an increase in its forward speed through Wednesday night, with landfall expected late Wednesday or early Thursday morning. It was expected to turn toward the east-northeast and east on Thursday and Friday.

Heavy rain was beginning to spread across parts of southwestern and west-central Florida ahead of Milton early Wednesday, and weather conditions were expected to deteriorate across parts of the Florida Gulf Coast throughout the day, the center said. Six to 12 inches (15 to 31 centimeters) of rain, with localized totals up to 18 inches (46 centimeters), were expected across central to northern portions of Florida through Thursday, bringing the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, and moderate to major river flooding. Several tornadoes were likely Wednesday across parts of central and southern Florida.

Forecasters predicted the storm will retain hurricane strength as it crosses central Florida on Thursday on a path east toward the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane's precise track remained uncertain, as forecasters Tuesday evening nudged its projected path slightly south of Tampa.

Thousands of fleeing cars clogged Florida's highways ahead of the storm, but time for evacuations was running out Wednesday. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor noted that up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) of storm surge forecast for her city would be deep enough to swallow an entire house.

“So if you’re in it, basically that’s the coffin that you’re in,” Castor said.

Milton targets communities still reeling two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded streets and homes in western Florida along its devastating march that left at least 230 dead across the South.

In the bayside town of Punta Gorda, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Tampa, streets were still filled Tuesday with 5-foot (1.5-meter) piles of soggy furniture, clothing, books, appliances and other trash dragged from damaged homes.

Many homes sat vacant, but accountant and art collector Scott Joiner remained on the second floor of the New Orleans-style home he built 17 years ago. Joiner said bull sharks swam in the flooded streets and a neighbor had to be rescued by canoe when Helene passed and flooded the first floor of his home.

“Water is a blessing to have,” Joiner said, “but it is very deadly.”

Joiner said he planned to go another round and ride out Milton, despite the risk.

Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders across 11 Florida counties with a combined population of about 5.9 million people, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Officials have warned that anyone staying behind must fend for themselves, as first responders are not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.

In Riverview, south of Tampa, several drivers waiting in a long line for fuel Tuesday said they had no plans to evacuate.

“I think we’ll just hang, you know — tough it out,” said Martin Oakes, of nearby Apollo Beach. “We got shutters up. The house is all ready. So this is sort of the last piece of the puzzle.”

Others weren't taking any chances after Helene.

On Anna Marie Island along the southern edge of Tampa Bay, Evan Purcell packed up his father’s ashes and was trying to catch his 9-year-old cat, McKenzie, as he prepared to leave Tuesday. Helene left him with thousands of dollars in damage when his home flooded. He feared Milton might take the rest.

“I’m still in shock over the first one and here comes round two,” Purcell said. “I just have a pit in my stomach about this one.”

State and local governments scrambled ahead of the storm to remove piles of debris left in Helene's wake, fearing that the oncoming hurricane would turn loose wreckage into flying missiles. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state deployed over 300 dump trucks that had removed 1,300 loads of debris.

In Mexico, authorities in the state of Yucatan reported minor damage from Milton as it passed just offshore. Power lines, light poles and trees were knocked down near the coast, and some small thatched-roof structures were destroyed, Yucatan Gov. Joaquín Díaz said. He did not report any deaths or injuries.

Spencer reported from Fort Myers Beach. Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Curt Anderson and Kate Payne in Tampa; Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Washington and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City.