2026 Ford F-150 Lightning

The Ford F-150 Lightning is one of our top-rated electric pickups thanks to it exhibiting the same rugged build, comfortable ride and advanced technology as the gas-powered F-150. The Lightning is fast, has a decent range estimate, and can carry reasonably heavy loads. But it's also a compromise, an electric afterthought shoehorned into a truck body designed for an internal combustion engine. The next-generation Lightning should remedy that with a redesign built from the ground up around a large battery pack bookended by front and rear subframes. That truck isn't expected until around 2027, however, meaning the current Lightning will likely carry over into 2026 with few changes.

Edmunds spotlight: A compelling alternative to gas

In its current form, the F-150 Lightning is impressive. Its extended-range battery is EPA-rated for up to 320 miles of driving, but we eked out 345 miles in our real-world Edmunds EV Range Test. (The regular battery, which we haven't tested, has an EPA-estimated range of 240 miles.) The electric F-150 is also fast. We clocked it from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds. The Lightning also features Ford's advanced BlueCruise hands-free driving system and nifty vehicle-to-load charging, which can power everything from job site tools and camping gear to your home's refrigerator during a power outage. Only its modest towing and hauling capabilities dull the Lightning's shine, at least given its F-150 provenance. Its 10,000-pound towing and 2,235-pound payload limits are respectable, but they come at a hefty cost to range — when pulling a large trailer, range for the Lightning fell up to 50% in our testing.

Competitors to consider

The electric pickup class is filling up. The Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, GMC Sierra EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV offer different strengths and compelling reasons for consideration, and the forthcoming Ram 1500 Rev, expected in 2027, will add another alternative. The Silverado EV just covered the most range of any EV we've tested at 539 miles — nearly 50 miles beyond its EPA rating. Granted, that was in its most stripped-down commercial Work Truck trim and with the largest battery but proves that the next-gen Lightning has its work cut out.