One of the most taxing activities for the drivetrain, towing tests have become the highlight of any electric truck career. It was about time the Ford F-150 Lightning proved its worth, and the guys at The Fast Lane Truck put it to hard work.
Electric pickups are still new to the market, although they are already the public’s favorites. Many believe they are not “real trucks” built for hard work. That’s why a towing test is the first thing that comes to mind when testing an electric pickup’s capabilities. After all, towing tests aim to prove that a truck can serve the purpose for which it was built.
Previous towing tests have shown that electric pickups can be just as good, if not better, than combustion-fueled trucks. Just like the latter, they basically lose half the range when towing. However, this could be more challenging for an electric truck. You cannot always find a charging station where you need to work, and public stations are not yet suitable for a truck towing a trailer.
Fortunately, most people don’t need to tow a heavy trailer cross-country on a daily basis. For day-to-day duties, it is more important that the electric truck can pull a load in various situations without breaking a sweat. Sure, there are gas-powered trucks that can tow very heavy loads over long distances. Still, some might actually overheat under challenging conditions. Do the electric trucks fare better in this regard?
The Fast Lane Truck took the Ford F-150 Lightning on an uphill towing torture test in the company of a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado with a 6.2-liter V8 engine. It’s the same test that has caused some trucks to overheat in the past. The test involves climbing a steep hill with a heavy load in tow. Of course, what goes up must come down, so this is also a good test for the transmission and brakes. Or, in the case of an electric pickup, for the regenerative braking system.
We don’t want to spoil the pleasure of watching the video, so we won’t tell you which truck completed the job in better conditions. Both finished the test without significant issues, although there were differences between the two. What do you think? Is the electric Ford F-150 Lightning as good as the trusted Chevy Silverado V8?
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
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