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Watch Rivian R1T Drag Ford F-150 Lightning in a Tug of War, Has One Secret Working for It

The Rivian R1T has enjoyed uncontested supremacy in the electric pickup truck market for a while. It had to bow to the monster that the GMC Hummer was (and still is to this day), but it wasn’t until Ford started deliveries of the F-150 Lightning that the R1T found a worthy opponent.
Rivian R1T drags Ford F-150 Lightning in a tug of war 6 photos
Photo: Tesla Raj via Twitter
Rivian R1T drags Ford F-150 Lightning in a tug of warRivian R1T drags Ford F-150 Lightning in a tug of warRivian R1T drags Ford F-150 Lightning in a tug of warRivian R1T drags Ford F-150 Lightning in a tug of warRivian R1T drags Ford F-150 Lightning in a tug of war
With the F-150 Lightning coming into the market, it was only a matter of time until people would want to prove its worth. And since there aren’t many competitors in the full-size pickup truck segment, the F-150 Lightning vs. Rivian R1T is the only possible competition. That is until GM raises the bar with the Chevy Silverado EV and Stellantis ups the ante with the electric Ram truck. As you can see, we’re not ready to talk about the Tesla Cybertruck yet.

Tug-of-war competitions are popular, although they don’t quite prove anything about the vehicles involved. They are fun, though, so we think the video link below will at least entertain if not offer any clues about the contenders’ capabilities. A Rivian R1T and a Ford F-150 Lightning joined by a stretch of towing cable, trying to drag the hell out of one another, what can be more satisfying to watch?

The short video starts with a walkaround of the trucks, and right from the start, the viewer has a pretty good idea of where this competition is leading. That’s because the Lightning is shoed with pretty decent but not quite dirt-capable General Grabber HTS60 tires. The Rivian R1T, on the other hand, runs on Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires with a more aggressive tread pattern. This and the higher power of the Rivian electric motors is enough to get the Lightning’s wheels spinning hopelessly.

And indeed, this is what happens. We’re surprised that the owner of the Ford electric truck didn’t see this coming and avoided a humiliating defeat. Or maybe he had the opposite strategy of letting anyone think the F-150 Lightning was better had it come with the right tires. Sorry, I don’t think so. The R1T is too powerful and has better power distribution thanks to its four electric motors.

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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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