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The Ultimate Towing Test Puts the Ford F-150 Lightning Against Its Hybrid Brother

Many potential truck buyers are interested in determining whether the electric F-150 Lightning is the right choice for them. Here’s a good test pitting the Lightning against its hybrid brother in a comprehensive test of towing and hauling.
The ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brother 11 photos
Photo: Cars.com via YouTube
The ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brotherThe ultimate towing test puts the Ford F-150 Lightning against its hybrid brother
There’s no denying that pickup trucks are the best workhorses you could find, with a lot of versatility left to drive your family to a picnic. They’re so good that more and more people buy them as their family vehicle, even when they have no intention of putting them to work. But towing and hauling are in their nature, and testing a truck cannot be complete without a towing test.

The Ford F-150 Lightning was tortured in several towing tests to show if it is the resilient worker Ford promised it would be. It was also compared with its only (for now) rival electric truck, the Rivian R1T. But most people don’t want to choose between two electric trucks. They want to know if the electric truck is better than the ICE model. Or, if electrification is a must, against a hybrid-powered version. That’s why a Ford F-150 Lightning vs. F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid comparison comes in handy.

Cars.com put the two electrified trucks to the test to see how they compare when it comes to towing and hauling. The purpose was to see how each truck accelerated with a heavy load and compare their range and efficiency. The test should clarify which version is best for you if you’re in the market for a full-sized truck.

The hybrid version of the Ford F-150 features a twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine paired to an electric motor, working together to deliver 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft (775 Nm) of torque. In the opposite corner, the fully-electric F-150 Lightning trumps that with 580 horsepower and 775 lb-ft (1,050 Nm) of torque. Despite being more powerful, the electric truck loses the towing contest to its hybrid brother, with up to 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg) of towing capacity versus 12,700 pounds (5,760 kg).

The test sees the two trucks taken to a drag strip where an acceleration test is performed with and without payload. The towing tests were conducted on a highway with a trailer attached, noting how far they can go and how much it takes to be refueled or recharged. We won’t give you any spoilers, so go ahead and watch the video below.

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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

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.
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