July 22, 2022 – The first time a new electric vehicle owner drives far enough that they need to charge in the middle of a trip, they face two hard truths: EVs almost never achieve their advertised ranges when it really matters, and even the fastest charging stations are slow compared to a gas pump.
According to Ford, the Lightning can cover 230 miles with the standard battery and up to 320 miles in XLT or Lariat trim with the optional extended-range battery. A real-world range testing achieved 255 miles, or 15 percent less than its EPA-rated 300 miles.
The Lightning added 74 miles after 15 minutes of charging and extended that to 133 cumulative miles after 30 minutes. With 45 minutes on the clock, the Lightning had gained 189 miles of range, and after an hour of charging, the electric truck had put on 214 miles of range.