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20 Reasons Drivers Will Choose Ford’s F-150 Over Tesla’s Cybertruck

Cameron Eittreim November 24, 2021

The race for the first production electric pickup trucks continues to heat up, and two brands are currently in the spotlight. Ford with its F-150 and Tesla with its Cybertruck are going head-to-head for the top billing in consumer loyalty in the electric pickup truck market. Traditional pickup truck owners often disregard electric pickup trucks. Despite that, these trucks are the future.

Electric trucks have long had the reputation of not being as tough as their gasoline counterparts. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Yet the polarizing design of the Cybertruck might be too much for traditional pickup truck drivers. Luckily, Ford has come to the plate with the F-150 Lightning, a truck with the nameplate of the well-known performance truck of the 1990s. We looked at 20 reasons why a pickup truck driver might choose the F-150 Lightning over the Tesla Cybertruck.

20: Appearance

First and foremost, the Tesla Cybertruck has a polarizing appearance, to say the least, and that’s no matter which way you slice it. The future of automotive design is changing, but the Cybertruck is an extreme change. Most traditional pickup truck buyers who live in rural parts of the country won’t be so accepting of its radical styling (via Wisconsin Metal Tech).

The F-150 Lightning, on the other hand, mainly keeps with the traditional styling of the gasoline-powered truck. There are no real differences other than the fact that there’s no combustion engine under the hood. The F-150 is a more welcoming product to convince truck buyers who might otherwise be on the fence to switch to electric.

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19: F-150 Reputation

The main advantage the F-150 Lightning has over the Cybertruck is the storied reputation of the F-150 brand. Brand loyalists often go straight to the F-150 or the Chevy Silverado. Competition from Nissan, Toyota, and other automakers in the pickup truck market has never been hugely successful (via Auto Influence).

No other pickup truck brand can match the unparalleled reputation of the Ford F-150. The Tesla Cybertruck is a brand new competitor in the space on top of being a fully-electric vehicle. It will be difficult for the Cybertruck to compete head-on with the F-150 for at least a few years. Potential owners will need to know how the truck stacks up against the competition.

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18: F-150’s Interior Comfort

The main selling point of the Ford F-150 Lightning is that it’s identical to the gasoline version. This is an important feature for traditional pickup truck shoppers who might not be ready to embrace a Tesla yet. The Lightning will incorporate many technological advancements, such as an LCD control panel (via Car & Driver).

The interior on the Cybertruck, on the other hand, is cold, distant, and minimalistic. The Cybertruck is exactly what Elon Musk has designed, but this isn’t right for every consumer. It’s going to be hard for most traditional drivers to transition to an interior like the Cybertruck’s right away.

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17: The Lightning Comes Out First

Ford made quick work of releasing the Lightning to the market, laying out an early 2022 release window. Meanwhile, Tesla hasn’t laid out a for sure release date for the Cybertruck. This means pickup truck buyers will already get a taste of the Lightning while the Cybertruck is still on the horizon (via Jim Ellis Ford).

With the skyrocketing cost of metal and steel, it might be difficult for Tesla to stick with the original design of the Cybertruck. It’s simply so extreme looking that it might be more of a novelty than a reality. Tesla has done an excellent job of hyping up the Cybertruck, but Ford is bringing out their new truck sooner.

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16: A Lot of Storage Space

Perhaps one of the most unique features of the F-150 Lightning is the “frunk” located at the front of the vehicle. Because the F-150 is electric, there’s no need for an engine in the front of the vehicle. This means you have a ton of storage space in the front of the vehicle as well as a traditional truck bed (via Ford).

While the Cybertruck also has a 6.5-foot cargo bed, the interior of the revolutionary vehicle is still inadequate. The fairly limited demeanor of the Cybertruck is another advantage that the Ford has on it. With much more cargo space and a more welcoming atmosphere for owners.

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15: A Normal Roof

The Tesla Cybertruck has a fairly extreme roof with a straight-edged slant. The F-150, on the other hand, is the same traditional styling as the gasoline-powered truck. The angular roof of the Cybertruck will be a problem for many buyers. Especially if the passengers are tall (via Eco Tec).

Another problem with the angular roof of the Cybertruck is the way it will increase insurance premiums. A truck that’s shaped like this will be difficult to repair. The F-150, on the other hand, shares all its sheet metal with the regular F-150 models, which means parts are more common.

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14: Off The Line Acceleration

It’s already established that electric vehicles are much faster than their gasoline counterparts. But what makes electric pickup trucks so unique is that same concept. Sure, you won’t get the same off-the-line sound of a gasoline-powered truck. But the driving experience is nevertheless exhilarating, to say the least (via E Cars Range).

via: Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

Tesla has boasted about the strong acceleration of the Cybertruck but the F-150 Lightning is no slouch either. With an estimated 0-60 time around four seconds, the F-150 Lightning is a truck that creates excitement. You don’t need a race car when it comes to a pickup truck yet the F-150 Lightning is certainly the closest thing to it.

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13: F-150 Towing & Hauling

There’s a common misconception that electric trucks are not capable of doing any real work. However, that isn’t the case, as Ford has demonstrated with the towing and hauling capabilities of the Lightning. The truck can tow about 7,700 lbs., which isn’t bad when considering the competition (via Maxim).

The extended range model should haul up to 10,000 lbs. Being able to haul and tow a large amount of weight will attract new buyers to electric pickup trucks. Without the misconception that these vehicles aren’t cut out for work, more buyers will start to embrace the new technology.

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12: Aftermarket Accessories

If there’s one thing Ford has done well with the F-150 pickup truck, it’s how they built brand recognition. Which has enabled thousands of loyalists to modify and enhance their pickup trucks with a load of aftermarket modifications. From lift kits to exterior additions, there’s a seemingly endless supply of aftermarket accessories for every generation of the F-150 (via Tesla Motor Club).

The Cybertruck, on the other hand, is absent from this mix. Tesla is still a new automaker, and the designs of their vehicles are much more advanced. The F-150 Lightning will have access to the same aftermarket accessories that the ordinary F-150 truck has access to.

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11: Its Range

The F-150 Lightning and the Tesla Cybertruck are abundant equals in the driving range. The difference between the two is that the F-150 Lightning has a single motor and the Tesla Cybertruck has a tri-motor. The charging time for the F-150 will be far less than the Cybertruck, which is a definite selling point for potential buyers of the truck (via Car Buzz)

This difference will be a major advantage of the F-150 over the Cybertruck when it comes to electricity consumption. Potential owners don’t want a tri-motor vehicle that will raise their electricity bill after charging it. The F-150 Lightning is a more suitable option for most mainstream car buyers.

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10: Multiple Cab Configurations

The biggest advantage the F-150 Lightning has over the Tesla Cybertruck is that the F-150 has multiple cab configurations. The Cybertruck is only offered in a single four-door body style with one bed size. The F-150 Lightning will offer buyers a wider range of options, from single to extended cab (via HD Auto).

The Ford F-150 Lightning will be the only electric pickup truck that offers many different cab configurations. Tesla has stuck the Cybertruck in a box with its confining design. The Cybertruck will be one of the few pickup trucks on the road that don’t offer multiple cab configurations to choose from.

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9: Obscene Exterior Size

The Cybertruck is a massively sized vehicle, no matter what way you slice it. The F-150, on the other hand, is the same size as the gasoline-powered model. We’re not sure what Tesla is contemplating with such a massive-sized truck. The Cybertruck has a futuristic design that’s both appealing and agonizingly tall (via Car Buzz).

There’s no doubt that the Cybertruck is a weird-looking truck. But with the changes in the electric vehicle market, pickup trucks are the next logical progression. The joys and savings of driving an electric vehicle will impact the wallets of pickup truck owners for many years into the future.

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8: Lift Kits

The Cybertruck is not the average pickup truck by any stretch of the imagination. That should be noted because the F-150 has all the advantages of a regular pickup truck. One of these advantages is the ability to lift the truck. A lift kit is a fairly common modification that gives your pickup truck or off-road vehicle increased ground clearance (via News Leader).

For a Ford or other domestic pickup truck, these lift kits are all too common. When it comes to a pickup truck like the Cybertruck, we aren’t even sure it can have a lift kit yet. Tesla has been secretive in the design of its vehicles. And there aren’t many shops that can modify a Tesla-branded vehicle easily.

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7: Truck Tool Boxes

Another advantage of the F-150 Lightning is that it can have all the same aftermarket truck tool boxes as a gas powered F-150. You might not think about it, but the Cybertruck is a brand-new vehicle,and there are no aftermarket companies making tool boxes for it at the moment (via RC Tool Box).

The F-150 is a proven brand with the construction world and most any type of worker who needs a strong pickup truck. There are literally thousands of aftermarket tool boxes and other accessories that you can get for an F-150 pickup.

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6: Light Bars

Another thing that the F-150 has over the Cybertruck is that there are thousands of accessories. You can get a light bars for your F-150 fairly easily. These are useful if you do a lot of off-road driving or simply want to increase the light or appearance of your truck. The Cybertruck is still not even a production pickup truck, which means accessories are scarce (via Teslarati).

That’s not to say the Cybertruck won’t have these additions in the future, but for the most part this isn’t the case. Tesla is fairly protected with their technologies, especially the tech that goes into their truck designs.

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5: Unibody Design of The Tesla

The Cybertruck has one glaring problem, and that’s the Unibody design. Like many new age pickup trucks these days, the Cybertruck uses a unique design. The problem is that it’s fairly limiting when it comes to doing any actual work with your truck. The F-150, on the other hand, uses the same type of frame design as the base F-150 (via Inside Evs).

That means you can use the electric version of the truck in the same manner. The F-150 is a definite champion when it comes to being a workhorse. If Tesla believes they can compete head-on with the F-150, it’s going to be an uphill battle. The F-150 has been the truck of choice for the working class for decades.

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4: Price Point

No matter which way you slice it, pickup trucks are getting more expensive. But compared to the Tesla Cybertruck, the F-150 will still be within a reasonable range. Unless you are going for a fully-loaded Platinum model, the F-150 is not a super expensive truck. Likewise, Tesla products are not only expensive, but also limited dealership networks (via Teslarati).

The Cybertruck will naturally be higher than the Ford F-150, and this will deter many potential buyers. With the comparable price point of the F-150 to the gasoline powered models, more consumers will feel compelled to make the switch.

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3: Intimidation

Clearly, the Cybertruck is an intimidating vehicle. Not in the way the Hummers of the 2000s were either. It’s too much of a futuristic jump too fast for many consumers in a space that commands loyalty and image. Truck buyers have a certain lifestyle and air of their own (via Torque News).

No matter what way you slice it, the Cybertruck will have a hard time breaking into this tough market. The Cybertruck will have to show consumers that it can drive an appealing bargain home. In rural America, that might be a problem, and the Cybertruck might not sell as well as Elon Musk hopes for.

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2: Lack of Truck Bed Accessories

In addition to that polarizing styling, the Cybertruck’s bed is also fairly limited. Due to the extreme shape of it, you won’t be able to purchase traditional pickup truck accessories. Some of these include camper shells and bike racks, which won’t otherwise fit on the truck. We’re not sure why Tesla was so extreme with the styling because it will certainly alienate a portion of the buyers (via MSN).

Cybertruck drivers will be the same pickup truck shoppers that take a weekend trip to Home Depot. There will also be commercial drivers who would otherwise accept the truck if they could install a lumber rack or camper shell on the back of it.

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1: Limited Wheels

The last thing about the Cybertruck that’s going to limit some customers are the wheels. Truck buyers love to get custom wheels and lift their trucks. With the Cybertruck, this isn’t going to be the case. Tesla is absolute on which wheels they put on their cars, and there are all kinds of sensors that go to these wheels (via CTOC).

You won’t go down to the off-road warehouse and get some new rubber installed on your Cybertruck. The Ford F-150 Lightning, on the other hand, can use the same aftermarket wheels as your plumber’s F-150 work truck. This will make a huge difference in which customers pick which truck at the end of the day.

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20 Reasons Drivers Will Choose Ford’s F-150 Over Tesla’s Cybertruck

20: Appearance

19: F-150 Reputation

18: F-150’s Interior Comfort

17: The Lightning Comes Out First

16: A Lot of Storage Space

15: A Normal Roof

14: Off The Line Acceleration

13: F-150 Towing & Hauling

12: Aftermarket Accessories

11: Its Range

10: Multiple Cab Configurations

9: Obscene Exterior Size

8: Lift Kits

7: Truck Tool Boxes

6: Light Bars

5: Unibody Design of The Tesla

4: Price Point

3: Intimidation

2: Lack of Truck Bed Accessories

1: Limited Wheels

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