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People who buy Ford's F-150 Lightning electric pickup use it very differently from seasoned pickup owners. According to a Ford study, new Lightning owners use the truck's bed more often than traditional pickup owners, an unexpected finding.
Americans love their pickup trucks, which is obvious because this type of vehicle ranks among the most sold nationwide. There are preconceptions about what a pickup truck is good for, but it suffices to say that more and more people use it as an all-purpose family vehicle instead of a no-frills work truck. This became obvious to Ford after they did a study among the F-150 Lightning and ICE owners. And considering that Ford has been in the pickup truck market longer than most of us, they know a thing or two about trucks.
The key takeaway from this study was that Lightning owners use the truck's bed a lot more often for hauling, camping, and home projects. This is not just a generational change because a similar behavior was not noticed in the case of gas-powered F-150 owners. This finding surprised Ford, indicating a dramatic shift in the pickup buyer profile. The study was done on 3,500 Ford F-150 owners (electric and gas-powered) half a year after Lightning deliveries started in April 2022.
Having an electric pickup truck appealed to people who were not comfortable with running a gas guzzler before. According to the study, more than half of the Lightning buyers come from a non-pickup vehicle, compared to roughly 33% for the ICE F-150 buyers. And, of course, they used it to haul dirty stuff that was otherwise unsuitable for an SUV or other vehicle types. Around 74% of Lightning users use the truck once a month for home projects, moving things such as mulch, dirt, and wood. This is significantly higher than ICE owners, with 51% of them using the trucks as frequently for similar jobs.
A smaller percentage of Lightning owners (27%) do this every week, whereas only 14% of ICE F-150 buyers use the truck as often for home projects. Almost half of the Lightning owners (48%) also go on camping once a month, hauling bikes, tents, kayaks, and other camping equipment. In this case, the F-150 (ICE) owners follow closely, with 40% doing the same thing once a month. Both vehicles are available with Pro Power outlets in the bed to supply electricity while at a campsite.
The Lightning has a marked advantage, though, having another closed luggage compartment in the front. People can use it as dry storage while throwing wet and dirty stuff in the bed. Still, industry analysts are looking at Ford's study and find it hard to believe. According to Detroit Free Press, people from iseecars.com and Cox Automotive don't think that serious truck people are hauling heavy loads less often than Lightning owners. It can be explained, though, by people who never had a truck before being excited to do some truck stuff on their new Lightning.
The same study shows that 60% of Lightning buyers are Millennials or Gen X, with 70% having a bachelor's degree (33% have graduate degrees). Most of them use Apple phones versus Android and are early adopters of technology. The F-150 Lightning has proven great at promoting electro-mobility, considering 90% of Lightning buyers come from non-electrified vehicles.
The key takeaway from this study was that Lightning owners use the truck's bed a lot more often for hauling, camping, and home projects. This is not just a generational change because a similar behavior was not noticed in the case of gas-powered F-150 owners. This finding surprised Ford, indicating a dramatic shift in the pickup buyer profile. The study was done on 3,500 Ford F-150 owners (electric and gas-powered) half a year after Lightning deliveries started in April 2022.
Having an electric pickup truck appealed to people who were not comfortable with running a gas guzzler before. According to the study, more than half of the Lightning buyers come from a non-pickup vehicle, compared to roughly 33% for the ICE F-150 buyers. And, of course, they used it to haul dirty stuff that was otherwise unsuitable for an SUV or other vehicle types. Around 74% of Lightning users use the truck once a month for home projects, moving things such as mulch, dirt, and wood. This is significantly higher than ICE owners, with 51% of them using the trucks as frequently for similar jobs.
A smaller percentage of Lightning owners (27%) do this every week, whereas only 14% of ICE F-150 buyers use the truck as often for home projects. Almost half of the Lightning owners (48%) also go on camping once a month, hauling bikes, tents, kayaks, and other camping equipment. In this case, the F-150 (ICE) owners follow closely, with 40% doing the same thing once a month. Both vehicles are available with Pro Power outlets in the bed to supply electricity while at a campsite.
The Lightning has a marked advantage, though, having another closed luggage compartment in the front. People can use it as dry storage while throwing wet and dirty stuff in the bed. Still, industry analysts are looking at Ford's study and find it hard to believe. According to Detroit Free Press, people from iseecars.com and Cox Automotive don't think that serious truck people are hauling heavy loads less often than Lightning owners. It can be explained, though, by people who never had a truck before being excited to do some truck stuff on their new Lightning.
The same study shows that 60% of Lightning buyers are Millennials or Gen X, with 70% having a bachelor's degree (33% have graduate degrees). Most of them use Apple phones versus Android and are early adopters of technology. The F-150 Lightning has proven great at promoting electro-mobility, considering 90% of Lightning buyers come from non-electrified vehicles.
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