What's it like to take a road trip in a truck like the Terra (F-150 Lightning)?

[RodorW]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. While some people will just use gas in the Harvester, I expect most people will use home charging to save money. My brother had a Volt for years and told me that he drove it to work every day but still only had to get gas three or four times a year. It was so much cheaper to use electricity he planned his trips to avoid exceeding the battery range. If he could do that in a Volt, it should be easy for most people to do that with the Harvester.

I don’t recall the numbers or if there’s been a more recent survey, but when the volt was still in production they was a survey, and many PIHEV owners never plugged in and only bought gas Because they either didn’t realize they could charge it or thought charging was inconvenient

 

[04Ram2500Hemi]

That will always be the biggest fear for those new to it. I’m not challenging others use but I agree here. If only doing a couple super long trips a year, adjust for the EV. It’s an hour at most, but the other 300+ days a year BEV just makes better sense. I have been wondering lately whether when people buy a harvester And still have to go get gas, will they really charge at home if they don’t actually have too. I think a lot will end up just using gas for majority of their use, this negating all the benefits of the EV portion. I still respect the notion that some areas of mid/mountain west don’t have infrastructure but living in southeastern PA I can basically go any direction for easily up to 8 hours of driving and never have to worry about chargers or range anxiety. And anyone in central PA believing otherwise is just using range anxiety as an excuse not to adapt. But hey-to each their own

If I move forward with my Harvester reservation I’ll have a charger installed at home. I’ll just have to decide between the Terra and Traveler. I’m still up in the air between the two.

 

[Schubie]

If I move forward with my Harvester reservation I’ll have a charger installed at home.

Same here. As I just got a solar array installed (to capture the expiring federal credit).

 

[J Alynn]

I don’t recall the numbers or if there’s been a more recent survey, but when the volt was still in production they was a survey, and many PIHEV owners never plugged in and only bought gas Because they either didn’t realize they could charge it or thought charging was inconvenient

There in lies my curiosity. Also think there will be buyers who hate the idea of it being EV/hybrid and will just gas and go as much as possible

 

[RodorW]

There in lies my curiosity. Also think there will be buyers who hate the idea of it being EV/hybrid and will just gas and go as much as possible

I feel like at least back then a big part of the issue is lack of education from the dealer to the buyer. When I first took my car to the dealership for its 10k mile inspection, I went around and asked to speak to someone about the SilveradoEV, the lady at the front desk, checked to make sure the “Expert” wasn’t busy because I just wanted to ask some questions, he wasn’t so she directed me towards him, Now before going in for my car. I had been researching the Silverado so I knew a decent amount but I still wanted to ask questions given my interest in potentially getting one. There’s a switch or a button or something on the back of the steering wheel that I didn’t know what it did so I asked the guy and he had no idea what I was talking about so I asked him a second question about something that every Chevrolet EV has and that is the regen paddle and he again had no idea what I was talking about. I asked if you knew anything about the batteries? He didn’t even know how to explain the Ultiuim platform to me. At that point, I just thanked him for his time and went back to the waiting room.

 

[cyure]

I feel like at least back then a big part of the issue is lack of education from the dealer to the buyer. When I first took my car to the dealership for its 10k mile inspection, I went around and asked to speak to someone about the SilveradoEV, the lady at the front desk, checked to make sure the “Expert” wasn’t busy because I just wanted to ask some questions, he wasn’t so she directed me towards him, Now before going in for my car. I had been researching the Silverado so I knew a decent amount but I still wanted to ask questions given my interest in potentially getting one. There’s a switch or a button or something on the back of the steering wheel that I didn’t know what it did so I asked the guy and he had no idea what I was talking about so I asked him a second question about something that every Chevrolet EV has and that is the regen paddle and he again had no idea what I was talking about. I asked if you knew anything about the batteries? He didn’t even know how to explain the Ultiuim platform to me. At that point, I just thanked him for his time and went back to the waiting room.

And they wonder why they don’t sell.

 

[J Alynn]

I feel like at least back then a big part of the issue is lack of education from the dealer to the buyer. When I first took my car to the dealership for its 10k mile inspection, I went around and asked to speak to someone about the SilveradoEV, the lady at the front desk, checked to make sure the “Expert” wasn’t busy because I just wanted to ask some questions, he wasn’t so she directed me towards him, Now before going in for my car. I had been researching the Silverado so I knew a decent amount but I still wanted to ask questions given my interest in potentially getting one. There’s a switch or a button or something on the back of the steering wheel that I didn’t know what it did so I asked the guy and he had no idea what I was talking about so I asked him a second question about something that every Chevrolet EV has and that is the regen paddle and he again had no idea what I was talking about. I asked if you knew anything about the batteries? He didn’t even know how to explain the Ultiuim platform to me. At that point, I just thanked him for his time and went back to the waiting room.

Yeah-that’s the problem and has been. Majority of dealers didn’t/don’t want to sell them and lack the knowledge training to encourage buyers so go figure. They barely know enough about their ICE’s

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Why would they not update that stations software to capture sales? Thats a bit unusual

The L2s at this particular location don’t have a credit card reader and they’re not in the T app, which I *think* means they’re free for brand-T vehicles and that’s probably why they don’t allow non-T vehicles to charge there. I would have sworn that I’ve successfully charged there in the past, but I cannot be 100% certain.

 

[Chaz26]

Why would they not update that stations software to capture sales? Thats a bit unusual

I’m not sure how destination chargers vary compared to Tesla Wall Connectors at home (if at all) but on mine I have 3 options for it:

1) Only my specific vehicle can charge on it.

2) All Tesla’s but no other vehicles can charge on it.

3) All EVs can charge on it.

It could be they haven’t changed the settings to allow all vehicles to charge if it has similar settings to the regular home connectors.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Some final stats for this most recent trip:

Total miles: 2508
Total energy use: 1201 kWh
Average efficiency: 2.1 miles/kWh
Total elevation gain: 42,681 feet
Total elevation loss: 42,681 feet
Minimum elevation: 0 feet
Maximum elevation: 7364 feet
Maximum wind gusts: 65 mph crosswinds
Minimum temperature while driving: 37 ℉
Minimum temperature recorded: 27 ℉
Total cost: $376.58
Cost per mile: $0.15/mile
Total DCFC charging stops (while on the freeway—we charged at a couple when at our hotels because of cost or because the L2 chargers nearby weren’t working as mentioned above): 11

 

[J Alynn]

Some final stats for this most recent trip:

Total miles: 2508
Total energy use: 1201 kWh
Average efficiency: 2.1 miles/kWh
Total elevation gain: 42,681 feet
Total elevation loss: 42,681 feet
Minimum elevation: 0 feet
Maximum elevation: 7364 feet
Maximum wind gusts: 65 mph crosswinds
Minimum temperature while driving: 37 ℉
Minimum temperature recorded: 27 ℉
Total cost: $376.58
Cost per mile: $0.15/mile
Total DCFC charging stops (while on the freeway—we charged at a couple when at our hotels because of cost or because the L2 chargers nearby weren’t working as mentioned above): 11

Thanks for the summary

 

[LastDayScout]

I just took all the info from this post and added data from fueleconomy.gov for various gas powered 2025 F150 4x4s along with average gas prices in the areas driven and cooled it up in ChatGPT. Results are pretty interesting.

Ford F-150 Lightning vs Gas F-150 — Real-World West Coast Road Trip Comparison
Route:
Northern Arizona → Los Angeles (1 week) → Central/Northern CA → Far Northern CA (overnight) → Portland/Vancouver area (several days) → return to Northern Arizona

---

Trip Overview (Actual Lightning Trip)​

• Total distance: 2,508 miles
• Total energy used: 1,201 kWh
• Average efficiency: 2.1 mi/kWh
• Total cost: $376.58
• Cost per mile: $0.15
• DC fast-charge stops: 11 (plus some hotel charging)
• Elevation gain/loss: 42,681 ft each
• Max elevation: 7,364 ft
• Min driving temp: 37°F (27°F recorded)
• Max wind gusts: 65 mph crosswinds

Conditions were not EV-friendly (cold temps, wind, mountains, heavy DCFC use).

---

Gasoline F-150 Comparison (EPA Combined MPG)​

Assumptions:

• Regular gasoline
• Realistic West Coast fuel pricing (AZ, CA, OR/WA weighted avg ≈ $4.63/gal)
• EPA combined MPG (generous under these conditions)

Fuel Cost Comparison​

Vehicle	MPG	Fuel Used	Total Cost	Cost per Mile
2.7L EcoBoost	20 mpg	~125 gal	~$581	~$0.23
3.5L EcoBoost	19 mpg	~132 gal	~$611	~$0.24
3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid	23 mpg	~109 gal	~$505	~$0.20
F-150 Lightning (actual)	—	1,201 kWh	$376.58	$0.15

Savings with Lightning:

• ~$205 vs 2.7L EcoBoost
• ~$235 vs 3.5L EcoBoost
• ~$130 vs PowerBoost Hybrid

---

vs Energy Stops​

Gasoline F-150 (2,508 miles):

• Small tank (23 gal): 5–7 fuel stops
• Large tank (36 gal): 3–5 fuel stops

Lightning:

• 11 DC fast-charge stops
• Some hotel/L2 charging reduced DCFC reliance

---

Key Takeaways​

• This was a worst-case EV scenario (cold, wind, elevation, long freeway days).
• Even so, the Lightning was:
  • Significantly cheaper per mile
  • $130–$235 cheaper total than gas F-150s
• Gas trucks require fewer stops, but the cost penalty on the West Coast is substantial.
• Charging stops often align with meals/rest; gas stops are shorter but still require exits and interruptions.

Bottom line:
On a long, real-world West Coast road trip, the F-150 Lightning delivered lower total cost and lower cost per mile than any gasoline F-150 variant, including the PowerBoost — despite unfavorable conditions.

 

[cyure]

I just took all the info from this post and added data from fueleconomy.gov for various gas powered 2925 F150 4x4s along with average gas prices in the areas driven and cooled it up in ChatGPT. Results are pretty interesting.

Ford F-150 Lightning vs Gas F-150 — Real-World West Coast Road Trip Comparison
Route:
Northern Arizona → Los Angeles (1 week) → Central/Northern CA → Far Northern CA (overnight) → Portland/Vancouver area (several days) → return to Northern Arizona

---

Trip Overview (Actual Lightning Trip)​

• Total distance: 2,508 miles
• Total energy used: 1,201 kWh
• Average efficiency: 2.1 mi/kWh
• Total cost: $376.58
• Cost per mile: $0.15
• DC fast-charge stops: 11 (plus some hotel charging)
• Elevation gain/loss: 42,681 ft each
• Max elevation: 7,364 ft
• Min driving temp: 37°F (27°F recorded)
• Max wind gusts: 65 mph crosswinds

Conditions were not EV-friendly (cold temps, wind, mountains, heavy DCFC use).

---

Gasoline F-150 Comparison (EPA Combined MPG)​

Assumptions:

• Regular gasoline
• Realistic West Coast fuel pricing (AZ, CA, OR/WA weighted avg ≈ $4.63/gal)
• EPA combined MPG (generous under these conditions)

Fuel Cost Comparison​

Vehicle	MPG	Fuel Used	Total Cost	Cost per Mile
2.7L EcoBoost	20 mpg	~125 gal	~$581	~$0.23
3.5L EcoBoost	19 mpg	~132 gal	~$611	~$0.24
3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid	23 mpg	~109 gal	~$505	~$0.20
F-150 Lightning (actual)	—	1,201 kWh	$376.58	$0.15

Savings with Lightning:

• ~$205 vs 2.7L EcoBoost
• ~$235 vs 3.5L EcoBoost
• ~$130 vs PowerBoost Hybrid

---

vs Energy Stops​

Gasoline F-150 (2,508 miles):

• Small tank (23 gal): 5–7 fuel stops
• Large tank (36 gal): 3–5 fuel stops

Lightning:

• 11 DC fast-charge stops
• Some hotel/L2 charging reduced DCFC reliance

---

Key Takeaways​

• This was a worst-case EV scenario (cold, wind, elevation, long freeway days).
• Even so, the Lightning was:
  • Significantly cheaper per mile
  • $130–$235 cheaper total than gas F-150s
• Gas trucks require fewer stops, but the cost penalty on the West Coast is substantial.
• Charging stops often align with meals/rest; gas stops are shorter but still require exits and interruptions.

Bottom line:
On a long, real-world West Coast road trip, the F-150 Lightning delivered lower total cost and lower cost per mile than any gasoline F-150 variant, including the PowerBoost — despite unfavorable conditions.

I love these real world examples.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I just took all the info from this post and added data from fueleconomy.gov for various gas powered 2925 F150 4x4s along with average gas prices in the areas driven and cooled it up in ChatGPT. Results are pretty interesting.

Ford F-150 Lightning vs Gas F-150 — Real-World West Coast Road Trip Comparison
Route:
Northern Arizona → Los Angeles (1 week) → Central/Northern CA → Far Northern CA (overnight) → Portland/Vancouver area (several days) → return to Northern Arizona

---

Trip Overview (Actual Lightning Trip)​

• Total distance: 2,508 miles
• Total energy used: 1,201 kWh
• Average efficiency: 2.1 mi/kWh
• Total cost: $376.58
• Cost per mile: $0.15
• DC fast-charge stops: 11 (plus some hotel charging)
• Elevation gain/loss: 42,681 ft each
• Max elevation: 7,364 ft
• Min driving temp: 37°F (27°F recorded)
• Max wind gusts: 65 mph crosswinds

Conditions were not EV-friendly (cold temps, wind, mountains, heavy DCFC use).

---

Gasoline F-150 Comparison (EPA Combined MPG)​

Assumptions:

• Regular gasoline
• Realistic West Coast fuel pricing (AZ, CA, OR/WA weighted avg ≈ $4.63/gal)
• EPA combined MPG (generous under these conditions)

Fuel Cost Comparison​

Vehicle	MPG	Fuel Used	Total Cost	Cost per Mile
2.7L EcoBoost	20 mpg	~125 gal	~$581	~$0.23
3.5L EcoBoost	19 mpg	~132 gal	~$611	~$0.24
3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid	23 mpg	~109 gal	~$505	~$0.20
F-150 Lightning (actual)	—	1,201 kWh	$376.58	$0.15

Savings with Lightning:

• ~$205 vs 2.7L EcoBoost
• ~$235 vs 3.5L EcoBoost
• ~$130 vs PowerBoost Hybrid

---

vs Energy Stops​

Gasoline F-150 (2,508 miles):

• Small tank (23 gal): 5–7 fuel stops
• Large tank (36 gal): 3–5 fuel stops

Lightning:

• 11 DC fast-charge stops
• Some hotel/L2 charging reduced DCFC reliance

---

Key Takeaways​

• This was a worst-case EV scenario (cold, wind, elevation, long freeway days).
• Even so, the Lightning was:
  • Significantly cheaper per mile
  • $130–$235 cheaper total than gas F-150s
• Gas trucks require fewer stops, but the cost penalty on the West Coast is substantial.
• Charging stops often align with meals/rest; gas stops are shorter but still require exits and interruptions.

Bottom line:
On a long, real-world West Coast road trip, the F-150 Lightning delivered lower total cost and lower cost per mile than any gasoline F-150 variant, including the PowerBoost — despite unfavorable conditions.

Thanks for doing this!

I had planned to do something like this today, so this saves me some time (and is done differently from how I would have done it, which is great).

Note that for my last comment, the data was only for going as far north as Redding, CA, not all the way up to Portland. The Portland trip was November 2024.

When we still had the Tacoma, we would have made closer to 9-11 fuel stops (21 gallon tank, stopping at around quarter tank).

 

[LastDayScout]

Thanks for doing this!

I had planned to do something like this today, so this saves me some time (and is done differently from how I would have done it, which is great).

Note that for my last comment, the data was only for going as far north as Redding, CA, not all the way up to Portland. The Portland trip was November 2024.

When we still had the Tacoma, we would have made closer to 9-11 fuel stops (21 gallon tank, stopping at around quarter tank).

Please have at it because I’m sure you will be able add all the little details that I just do not know. But, I suspect that it will further the cost effectiveness of the EV. What this example did not account for is biological needs. It only calculated fuel stops. A human would have to stop way more often than just for fuel. I imagine that the amount of stops in a gas F150 would probably be about the same as you had to stop of charging.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Please have at it because I’m sure you will be able add all the little details that I just do not know. But, I suspect that it will further the cost effectiveness of the EV. What this example did not account for is biological needs. It only calculated fuel stops. A human would have to stop way more often than just for fuel. I imagine that the amount of stops in a gas F150 would probably be about the same as you had to stop of charging.

Yours is great.
The only other thing that's not accounted for is the time not spent going out of the way to a gas station while visiting on the non-travel days. We just plugged in and forgot about it. In LA, it was a Level 1 charger and in northern CA, it was a Level 2 charger at the house. Saved a lot of time.

 

[dreamweaver]

Post in thread 'What's it like to take a road trip in a truck like the Terra (F-150 Lightning)?'

Sunday at 11:50 PM

Some final stats for this most recent trip:

Total miles: 2508
Total energy use: 1201 kWh
Average efficiency: 2.1 miles/kWh
Total elevation gain: 42,681 feet
Total elevation loss: 42,681 feet
Minimum elevation: 0 feet
Maximum elevation: 7364 feet
Maximum wind gusts: 65 mph crosswinds
Minimum temperature while driving: 37 ℉
Minimum temperature recorded: 27 ℉
Total cost: $376.58
Cost per mile: $0.15/mile
Total DCFC charging stops (while on the freeway—we charged at a couple when at our hotels because of cost or because the L2 chargers nearby weren’t working as mentioned above): 11

• SpaceEVDriver

• 

Post in thread 'What's it like to take a road trip in a truck like the Terra (F-150 Lightning)?'

Monday at 1:13 PM

I just took all the info from this post and added data from fueleconomy.gov for various gas powered 2025 F150 4x4s along with average gas prices in the areas driven and cooled it up in ChatGPT. Results are pretty interesting.

Ford F-150 Lightning vs Gas F-150 — Real-World West Coast Road Trip Comparison
Route:
Northern Arizona → Los Angeles (1 week) → Central/Northern CA → Far Northern CA (overnight) → Portland/Vancouver area (several days) → return to Northern Arizona

---

Trip Overview (Actual Lightning Trip)​

• Total distance: 2,508...

• LastDayScout

• 

Great insights. Thanks.

 

[LastDayScout]

Yours is great.
The only other thing that's not accounted for is the time not spent going out of the way to a gas station while visiting on the non-travel days. We just plugged in and forgot about it. In LA, it was a Level 1 charger and in northern CA, it was a Level 2 charger at the house. Saved a lot of time.

That’s another great point!

 

[N Wilson]

I had my first real roadtrip with DCFC experience on Sunday and thought I'd share the experience here.

I had to drive my sister and her daughter from their house in Western MA to the airport in Boston. The total trip to Boston then back to my house in Western MA is 263 miles and ABRP estimated that I could do it without any charging stops, and that I would have 34% battery left when I got home. In the interest of transparency, I'm not sure if I'm using ABRP correctly, so this could be a case of operator error.

I charged to 100% the night before and got to my sister's house with 98%. It's basically all downhill from my house to her house, so didn't use much range due to regen braking. Got on the highway and set the cruise control at 65. Made one pit stop along the way for a bathroom break. Temps were in the mid 30s.

When I got to the airport, they had one floor of the parking garage that had level 2 chargers you can plug into for free while at the airport. I was below 50% battery SOC when I got there. I think it was 47%. I was a little surprised it was that low. I helped my sister and her daughter bring their luggage into the airport and get situated to wait for their flight. I might have been there for 20-30 minutes, so didn't gain much from the level 2 charger, maybe 1%.

Got back on the highway and started heading home and realized that I was going to need to charge at some point. Not a big deal because there are options for charging along the Mass Pike. Some of the highway travel plazas have chargers, while others don't. I stopped at the first one and it had an Autel charger so I plugged in. It was only charging at 58 kW which is slow by DCFC standards but I was hungry and needed a bathroom break so I went inside and left it charging while I got some food and used the restroom. The truck was at 41% SOC when I plugged in. When I came back out about 15-20 minutes later, it was at 52%. I was trying to decide whether to sit there and continue charging at the slower rate or try to find a faster charger further along the route. I ended up staying long enough to charge to 60% then headed out to see if I could find something faster. Just after I left that charger, I drove into an ice storm with freezing rain, so temps were right around 32°. At another travel plaza a little further down the pike, there was another Autel charger that was 120 kW so I figured I would charge there. After trying numerous times to get the card reader to work, I had to give up and move on. I had enough of standing in the freezing rain fiddling with a broken, glitching card reader.

I ended up getting off the highway and plugging into some new Rivian chargers that were recently installed and that I had used once before. I had around 33% SOC when I plugged in, and I might have been able to get home without charging, but the last ~30 miles of the drive home are all uphill gaining about 1,000 feet of elevation. That combined with the weather conditions made me not want to chance it. I charged for about 17 minutes and got a maximum charge rate of 170 kW before it started dropping down. I had 76% SOC when I left, way more than I needed to get home. I was just being conservative because I'm still relatively new to EV ownership.

 

[J Alynn]

I had my first real roadtrip with DCFC experience on Sunday and thought I'd share the experience here.

I had to drive my sister and her daughter from their house in Western MA to the airport in Boston. The total trip to Boston then back to my house in Western MA is 263 miles and ABRP estimated that I could do it without any charging stops, and that I would have 34% battery left when I got home. In the interest of transparency, I'm not sure if I'm using ABRP correctly, so this could be a case of operator error.

I charged to 100% the night before and got to my sister's house with 98%. It's basically all downhill from my house to her house, so didn't use much range due to regen braking. Got on the highway and set the cruise control at 65. Made one pit stop along the way for a bathroom break. Temps were in the mid 30s.

When I got to the airport, they had one floor of the parking garage that had level 2 chargers you can plug into for free while at the airport. I was below 50% battery SOC when I got there. I think it was 47%. I was a little surprised it was that low. I helped my sister and her daughter bring their luggage into the airport and get situated to wait for their flight. I might have been there for 20-30 minutes, so didn't gain much from the level 2 charger, maybe 1%.

Got back on the highway and started heading home and realized that I was going to need to charge at some point. Not a big deal because there are options for charging along the Mass Pike. Some of the highway travel plazas have chargers, while others don't. I stopped at the first one and it had an Autel charger so I plugged in. It was only charging at 58 kW which is slow by DCFC standards but I was hungry and needed a bathroom break so I went inside and left it charging while I got some food and used the restroom. The truck was at 41% SOC when I plugged in. When I came back out about 15-20 minutes later, it was at 52%. I was trying to decide whether to sit there and continue charging at the slower rate or try to find a faster charger further along the route. I ended up staying long enough to charge to 60% then headed out to see if I could find something faster. Just after I left that charger, I drove into an ice storm with freezing rain, so temps were right around 32°. At another travel plaza a little further down the pike, there was another Autel charger that was 120 kW so I figured I would charge there. After trying numerous times to get the card reader to work, I had to give up and move on. I had enough of standing in the freezing rain fiddling with a broken, glitching card reader.

I ended up getting off the highway and plugging into some new Rivian chargers that were recently installed and that I had used once before. I had around 33% SOC when I plugged in, and I might have been able to get home without charging, but the last ~30 miles of the drive home are all uphill gaining about 1,000 feet of elevation. That combined with the weather conditions made me not want to chance it. I charged for about 17 minutes and got a maximum charge rate of 170 kW before it started dropping down. I had 76% SOC when I left, way more than I needed to get home. I was just being conservative because I'm still relatively new to EV ownership.

Thanks for sharing. Love learning from others EV journeys