Many people are wondering which electric truck is better, the 2023 Tesla Cybertruck or the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning. The mid-size segment of pickups is getting quite crowded. And it is also becoming more and more interesting with the arrival of numerous electric pickups. We all know about upcoming emission control regulations and how that will affect vehicles and pickups as well. There are some obvious contenders in the mid-size category for the best electric truck. Most people agree those are the Cybertruck from Tesla and the F-150 Lightning from Ford.
They have good specifications and one of them is exclusively making electric vehicles. There was a lot of hype around the internet because of the Cybertruck for its ridiculous looks. But perhaps that is what attracted people in the first place. On the other hand, Big Blue Oval has a good pedigree and is America’s favorite pickup. Both have good battery packs and great innovative designs. The interiors are updated and look modern. Perhaps what will set them apart is the price that they ask for. Let’s compare these two great trucks to see which one sounds like a better deal at the moment.
Interior
Both of these trucks look futuristic. They are supposed to, they need to be fresh and they need to look ready for the future. The 2023 Tesla Cybertruck can actually seat six people without any issues. It has extra storage space under the second row. There is a huge 17-inch touchscreen and a weird-looking steering wheel. There are multiple interior colors and there are chrome accents all around. It does truly look like a cabin of a space shuttle. Tesla also makes by the way.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning has amazing features as well. It has multiple color seating with heated and ventilated seats. The infotainment system isn’t as big but doesn’t fall short of capabilities. The computer in the truck can calculate the range based on payload and the roads you will be driving on. There are also some chrome accents along the cabin to improve styling. You can connect it to your cellphone to track battery power and other important information. Or start the truck from a distance. Both of these pickups will have hands-free driving software, we will see which covers more roads.
2023 Tesla Cybertruck and 2023 F-150 Lightning Exterior Design
This is one place they greatly differ. The looks of these two trucks are not alike. With the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, we have the classic pickup look. On the other hand with the 2023 Tesla Cybertruck, we have a truck that looks like something out of a 1970s sci-fi movie. It is quite blocky, at certain times it was compared to vehicles in Nintendo 64 games. But don’t let the look fool you, it has immense power and good aerodynamics.
Cybertruck has 100 cubic feet of exterior storage. It resides on adaptable air suspension. The exoskeleton is made from 30 times cold rolled stainless steel. The F-150 has some curves to improve ergonomics and aerodynamics. But didn’t change too much from its predecessor. It doesn’t have a front mesh since there are no air intakes. It has extra storage under the hood and rides on big 19-inch wheel rims.
Engine
When talking about electric pickups it is quite important what kind of a powertrain is present. With both the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning and the 2023 Tesla Cybertruck, everything is under the cabin. Also, both of these pickups have several powertrain options. For Cybertruck we have three options and F-150 Lightning has two options when talking about power. The main difference among Cybertruck versions is the number of electric motors running under the cabin. We have a single motor unit, dual and tri-motor unit.
The single-motor unit has rear-wheel driving and it is a revised motor from the Model S. It can generate between 400-500 horsepower. The range is around 250 miles, it needs 6.5 seconds from zero to sixty and it can tow 7500 pounds. The dual motor unit is an all-wheel drive with 300 miles range. It needs 4.5 seconds to sixty mph. It has 690 horsepower with 820 pound-feet of torque and it can tow over 10000 pounds. The top range unit is a tri-motor one. It is also an all-wheel drive unit with a top speed of 130 mph, and it can generate over 800 horsepower with more than 1000 pounds-feet of torque. With a tri-motor unit, power distribution is one motor for the front axle and two for the rear axle.
Things are a bit different with the Ford flagship. There is no battery size information as well but we know the output power of it. There are 2 versions: a standard battery and an extended-range battery. The smaller one produces around 450 horsepower, the extended one gives 580 horses with 775 pound-feet of torque. Obviously, in terms of power, the top-ranging unit of Cybertruck takes home the prize. But we also have to look at the range, charging time, handling, and other capabilities. With the F-150 you can expect 320 miles, depending on the way you drive and whether you are towing anything.
Driving Range
One other important aspect of an electric pickup is the range it gets on a single charge. For the 2023 Tesla Cybertruck, you can expect 250 miles with a single motor. With the dual motor setup, the estimated range is 300 miles and the tri-motor setup has over 500 miles of range.
That is a whopping number and hard to top. The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning is estimated at around 320 miles on a single charge. Both have fast charging and can get over 100 miles extra range with just 10 minutes of charging.
2023 Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning Price and Release Date
Interestingly enough both of these pickups start at $39,990. The 2023 Tesla Cybertruck and 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning should arrive sometime later in 2022. Probably in autumn.
