I Traded My Tesla Model Y for a Ford F-150 Lightning After One Month, Cold Weather Range Drops 75% But I'm Never Going Back to Tesla

75% range drop in cold weather, but still no regrets! This Ford F-150 Lightning owner left Tesla for good and explains why.

Somewhere deep inside the concrete corridors of Dearborn, a few forward-thinking engineers, likely with sweat on their brows and lawyers on speed dial, gave the green light to electrify America’s best-selling truck: the Ford F-150. Whether the brass at Ford Motor Company liked it or not, they cracked open Pandora’s box when they launched the Lightning. 

The truck that built America is now fighting for the soul of electrification, not against compact commuter pods, but alongside and against the stainless steel spectacle of the Tesla Cybertruck, the adventure-nerd chic of the Rivian R1T, and every other truck-shaped promise trying to roll on battery power.

It’s out in the wild, in the hands of people like Reddit user u/thorkestra, who traded his Tesla Model Y for a Lightning and gave it a month of hard, real-world scrutiny. His verdict? Not perfect, but exactly what he needed:

“I figured I’d wait to do the new truck post after a month and give some of my thoughts. I am coming from a Model Y for context. Thanks for the input last month when I was looking at trading the Y.

Cons: cold weather, the distance is not great. The Model Y only lost a little distance in the cold, where the lightning is ~1/4. I live in a hilly area with wind, so the big box might just be catching some extra drag as we leave winter behind. For perspective, with the Y I averaged 250w/mi for the year, and the lighting I’m at 2.4m/kw over the last month, it’s warming up. Cold days, windy days ~1.8mi/kw. On a nice warm day, I’m getting 3ish mi/kw and have been around 4 a few times if I don’t go on the highway. Whereas the y never really got much better in nice weather.

The infotainment system and app are much worse. Not sure why the air and volume weren’t physical buttons since they’re fixed on the screen. (Controls while driving are still better than the y by far) The app is fine, but they could do much better. The CarPlay doesn’t play sound about once in every 5 or 6 times in getting in. I can clear it by going to the radio, plugging in the phone, then unplugging back.

Larger vehicles can be tough in some spots, which is not a shock to anyone here.

(I never have needed a super charger for either vehicle, but I understand there are some issues with the lightning, but idk)

Pros: I have a truck. Only really need the bed a handful of times a month, and some of those are for golf, but still nice. Frunk definitely not club-friendly, though. They fit, but you’re putting pressure on the woods I don’t like.

More comfortable by far. As someone whose back is wrecked, that’s a big plus.

Easier to get the kid in and out, which is great.

Plenty fast enough for anything I need, and I think the regen braking is a bit smoother. I actually had to start letting off the pedal a bit earlier.

Our power grid sucks and not having a generator taking up space is nice. It’s got enough power to run the essentials for an extended amount of time.

More useful storage is nice since I practically live in my vehicle, taking my kid all over the place. I did just shy of 30k miles last year.

That’s about it. Love it and would highly recommend. Some infotainment and app improvements would clear 99% of my issues I have with it. Good, solid practical vehicle.”

F-150 Lightning vs. Tesla Model Y: Cold-Weather Range, UI Quirks, and Why the Lightning Still Wins

From cold weather range degradation (“~1/4”) to wonky CarPlay audio and UI quirks, thorkestra revealed it all. And yet, the Lightning still wins. 

Why? Because it's a truck first. The kind of machine you live in when you’re doing 30,000 miles a year and hauling kids, groceries, golf bags, and backup generators, all without ever stopping for gas.

2025 Ford F-150 Lightning Performance Specs: Range, Acceleration, and Torque Breakdown

• The F-150 Lightning offers an EPA-estimated range of up to 320 miles with the extended-range battery. Performance varies by trim, with 0–60 mph times ranging from 4.2 seconds in the base Pro model to 3.8 seconds in the Lariat Extended Range model. All models feature dual electric motors delivering 775 lb-ft of torque. 
• Equipped with dual electric motors and single-speed transmission, the Lightning provides all-wheel drive across all trims. Horsepower ranges from 452 hp with the standard battery to 580 hp with the extended-range battery. The truck boasts a maximum towing capacity of 10,000 lbs and a payload capacity of up to 2,235 lbs. 
• The Lightning features a SuperCrew cab with a 5.5-foot bed, measuring between 231.8 inches and 243.5 inches in length, depending on the trim. It offers a spacious interior with seating for five and includes a 14.1 cu. ft. front trunk ("Mega Power Frunk") for additional storage. 
• The 2025 F-150 Lightning starts at $49,975 for the base Pro trim and goes up to $87,190 for the top-tier Platinum trim. Mid-level trims like the XLT and Lariat offer a balance of features and performance, catering to a range of preferences and budgets.

And that’s Ford’s greatest gamble: designing a vehicle that doesn’t alienate the contractor in Omaha or the tech-savvy dad in Austin. Take u/tenderbranson301's comment, 

“It's my first ever truck and it's so nice having extra space after managing everyone into a sedan.” 

That sentiment is echoed across the board. The Lightning doesn’t feel like a science project. It feels like a truck that just happens to run on electricity. There’s no gimmick here. It’s just a damn good tool with a different power source.

F-150 Lightning Cold-Weather Achilles’ Heel

Still, let’s not canonize it too quickly. There are very real trade-offs, and Ford knows it. Cold weather range remains the Achilles’ heel. 

A Texan commenter, Fun_Yesterday_1326, warned: 

“At 75MPH, with a little wind and cold, you’re realistically in the 120-mile range.”

For states with more highway than humans, that’s a concern, and a reminder that physics, unlike marketing departments, isn’t forgiving. Ford’s battery engineers aren’t magicians. Yet. 

The truth is, unless you're going for the Extended Range battery, your Lightning might be better suited for suburbia than wide-open prairies.

Inside the 2025 F-150 Lightning Cabin, Infotainment Frustrations Balanced by Unmatched Comfort

Inside the cabin, the Lightning walks the line between modern and maddening. 

The massive touchscreen dominates higher trims, stylish, sure, but a pain in the rear when you’re trying to adjust climate settings without taking your eyes off the road. 

Thorkestra nailed it: “Not sure why the air and volume weren’t physical buttons.” Even the infotainment and FordPass app draw heat. 

Yet oddly, those minor gripes don’t erode enthusiasm. “More comfortable by far,” he adds. “As someone whose back is wrecked, that’s a big plus.” This truck doesn’t just drive, it works. That’s the praise that matters.

Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Tesla Cybertruck Comparison: Design, Performance, Charging, and Tech Features

• The Ford F-150 Lightning maintains a traditional pickup design, offering a spacious interior and a large 14.1 cu. ft. front trunk ("Mega Power Frunk") for additional storage. In contrast, the Tesla Cybertruck features a bold, angular stainless-steel exoskeleton with a minimalist interior, including a 6-foot bed and lockable "vault" for enhanced cargo security. 
• The F-150 Lightning delivers up to 580 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque, with a maximum towing capacity of 10,000 lbs. The Cybertruck offers higher performance, with up to 845 hp and 864 lb-ft of torque, and a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs.
• The Lightning supports up to 80-amp AC home charging and is compatible with both CCS and Tesla Superchargers via an adapter. The Cybertruck benefits from Tesla's extensive Supercharger network, offering rapid DC fast charging, though its AC charging is limited to 48 amps.
• The F-150 Lightning features a 15.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, providing a user-friendly interface and massaging front seats for enhanced comfort. The Cybertruck is equipped with an 18.5-inch central touchscreen controlling most vehicle functions but lacks traditional smartphone integration, which may affect user convenience.

Then there’s the frunk, a Lightning party trick that feels like the kind of useful novelty we rarely see outside the luxury segment. It’s massive, weatherproof, and low to the ground. Still, golf clubs push against the limits. 

“They fit,” our reviewer notes, “but you’re putting pressure on the woods I don’t like.” It's emblematic of the Lightning overall, incredibly clever, occasionally flawed, but fundamentally useful. For those used to Teslas or sedans, it’s a revelation

Ford didn’t build the perfect electric truck, but they built the first real one. It doesn’t look like a prop from a sci-fi film. 

It looks like an F-150 because it is one. And despite a few technological hiccups, it does what a truck should do… haul, carry, protect, transport, and grind through daily life. 

It's a functional vehicle that also happens to symbolize one of the most radical transitions in modern automotive history. And for u/thorkestra and many like him, the Lightning is a commitment to the future that doesn’t ask you to forget the past.

Have you driven the Ford F-150 Lightning? What do you think about it, and are you happy with the truck overall? 

Let us know in the comments below. 

Image Sources: Ford Newsroom

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.