Positives and Negatives: The 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning 4X4 Platinum SuperCrew

It's been just shy of three years since my last review of a Ford F-150 Lightning on this site. I reviewed another one just over a year ago for the Los Altos Town Crier.

Some things have changed---chief among them the ability to charge using the Tesla Supercharger network. Whatever your thoughts on that company and its CEO, it is the largest high-speed electric vehicle charging network in this country by far and its reliability record way outguns competitors like Electrify America, EVgo and ChargePoint.

Other things have not changed. The F-150 Lightning still is what it was when it came to market---the world's most popular pickup truck, just with a different means of propulsion. Chevrolet has made the Silverado EV look nothing like a gasoline-powered Silverado. The Rivian R1T is a very different approach, and the Cybertruck, well, you've seen the Indian dumpster meme by now, right?

But if you love the Ford F-150, you'll love the Ford F-150 Lightning.

Mostly.

See, one of the things that hasn't changed is the F-150 Lightning's range per charge. Base XLT models get only 240 miles. Lariat models get 320, and the Flash and Platinum (our tester) models get 300.

But that's an estimate. And I'll say here what I say in most EV reviews. Do what I do: Recharge at 25%. Even Superchargers can fail sometimes, and you don't want to be too far from the next working one.

What are we trading for that peace of mind? Distance between charging stops. If we're recharging at 25%, we've only gone 225 miles since the last charge (180 in the XLT). On a long trip, those stops add up in travel time. Ford is lagging way behind GM on this count. Its GMC Sierra Denali EV can get up to 460 miles per charge and its Chevy Silverado EV can get up to 490 (depending on trim and equipment). Rivian is ahead, too...the R1T Tri Max is good for 371, and Tesla's Cybertruck manages 366 miles per charge.

Headwinds can affect range. Extreme cold temperatures can affect range. Going uphill can affect range.

And towing---really can affect range. Which is a shame, because Clint Simone at Edumunds says the F-150 Lightning tows really well...just not really far:

But then there are the things the Lightning can do that a gasoline-powered F-150 can't...like give you an additional 14.1 cubic foot locking trunk for your stuff---just like a car....

...but in addition to and not instead of a full-size pickup truck bed with 1,800 pounds of payload capacity.

Its coolest feature, though (shared with F-150 Hybrid models), is that it can power your house.

The base price of the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum 4X4 Supercrew is $84,995 ($87,090 including destination).

The tariff picture remains murky. The Lightning is assembled in Michigan, but there may be components that cross borders. The price may or may not be higher at your dealer by the time you read this.

As the top-of-the-line model, the F-150 Lightning Platinum comes with a huge list of standard equipment, including LED box lighting, LED projector headlamps with a dynamic bending feature, LED side mirror spotlights, a locking removable tailgate with tailgate assist, pickup truck tie-down hooks, foldable power mirrors, a power up/down front trunk lid and power up/down tailgate, a twin-panel moonroof, front skid plates, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, color-coordinated carpet with unique carpeted floor mats, a heated steering wheel, multi-contour front seats with massage function, a power tilt/telescoping steering column with memory, sliding rear window with defrost and privacy glass, woodgrain and chorme elements, a comprehensive suite of active safety features, a 14-speaker B&O Unleashed audio system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Max trailer towing package and a one-year subscription to Ford's semi-autonomous Blue Cruise.

Our test vehicle had only a few extra-cost options---an 18-inch spare wheel and tire for $175, a mobile power cord (120V/240V) for $600, and a ToughBed spray-in bedliner for $595.

Bottom line on the window sticker: $88,460.

I like the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning a LOT. But I don't tow and I will be honest---this truck was scheduled the same week I decided to take a 1,000-mile three-day road trip, and because of the additional charging time, I re-scheduled the Lightning.

It is a beautiful, capable truck. And bonus points for zero tailpipe emissions. Just be sure that it does what you do without compromises you can't accept or won't be happy with long term.