Electric pickup trucks. Are they good enough to replace gasoline/diesel powered pickup trucks? Or are they just a novelty item? The 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning was among the first electric pickup trucks to hit the market. But years later, others have entered the market, most notably GM with the all-new Chevrolet Silverado EV.
Performance
Motors – Whichever electric pickup truck you choose, both are equipped with standard 4×4 from a dual-motor powertrain. The differences lie with the power outputs from each. The Chevrolet Silverado EV is the more powerful of the two with a maximum output of 754 hp & 785 lb-ft of torque (562 kW & 1,064 Nm). This is achieved when switching into Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode. In this mode, the 3,983 kg (8,780 lbs) truck can accelerate from a stop to 100 km/h in around 4 seconds. That is very quick for something that weighs almost 4 tonnes. In this mode, it’s also a scary experience. The truck has a lot of torque steer (torque from the front motor inducing left & right tugs of the steering wheel) which gets amplified the longer you keep your foot on the accelerator pedal. So you’d better be sure you have a clear and wide road when putting your foot down.
When the truck is not in the “WOW” mode, Chevrolet won’t say specifically how much power the electric motors produce. Some have speculated that it’s roughly the same as the Work Truck trims which is 510 hp & 580 lb-ft of torque (380 kW & 786 Nm). In this normal mode, torque steer is much more manageable but of course, the truck doesn’t feel as fast. However, it’s still more than enough in everyday driving situations.
The 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning is not quite as powerful but it is just as quick. With the extended range battery, the electric motors produce 580 hp & 775 lb-ft of torque (432 kW & 1,050 Nm). The key difference is that the F1-50 Lightning is significantly lighter than the Silverado EV at 2,885 kg (6,360 lbs). Should you get the Lightning with the standard range battery, it produces the same torque as the larger battery but 452 hp (337 kW) instead. Unlike the Chevy, the F-150 Lightning doesn’t have much of any torque steer. Instead, you can hear a little bit of tire chirp as the front wheels spin for a moment or two when taking off from a stop. Otherwise, it’s a much more sedate experience than that of the Silverado EV.
Battery, Range & Charging – The reason why the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV is so heavy is mainly because of the battery pack. It has one of the largest ever fitted to any mainstream vehicle. It has 205 kWh which is enough to provide up to 708 km (440 Miles) of range in this 2024 RST trim. For 2025, that range is extended to upwards of 792 km (492 Miles) in the WT trim.
Charging the big truck can be done at a speed of up to 350 kW, if you can find that kind of DC charger in the world. Chevy says that at that rate of charging, 10 minutes would add about 160 km (100 Miles) of driving range. From a level 2 charger, the Silverado EV can be recharged at 11.5 kW or at 19.2 kW, if equipped. With the latter, Chevy says it will provide 54 km (34 Miles) of driving range per hour of charging.
At the other end, the Ford F-150 Lightning is available with a 98 kWh battery pack and a 131 kWh pack. The latter allows the truck to drive for up to 515 km (320 Miles). The standard size battery can provide up to 386 km (240 Miles) of driving range. Charging the F-150 Lightning is not quite as fast as the Silverado EV. From a DC charger, it can accept electricity at a rate of up to 178 kW whereas from an AC charger, maximum is 11.3 kW. Ford says that with the extended range battery (which is what this demo truck had), 15% to 80% takes approximately 38 minutes. From a level 2 charger, 0% to 100% takes about 15 hours.
During my time with the trucks, I averaged 40 kWh/100km (1.55 Miles/kWh) in the Chevrolet Silverado EV and 31 kWh/100km (2 Miles/kWh) in the Ford F-150 Lightning Flash.
Braking – Both trucks have strong brakes that can quickly and smoothly bring each truck to a stop. The brakes are a bit more impressive in the Chevrolet SIlverado EV considering it’s such a heavy pickup. Both trucks provide firm feeling brake pedals for confidence inspiring braking but without it feeling like an on/off switch.
Being electric trucks, both use regenerative braking to recoup some energy. Neither have multi-level regen braking but both have one-pedal modes. In the Silverado, you can select between Normal or High. In the latter, the truck stops more quickly in a shorter distance but I found the Normal mode to be good enough for city or highway driving. The only time it required me to press on the brake pedal was when coming to a stop while going downhill. Otherwise, I didn’t need to touch the brake pedal while in this mode. The SIlverado EV also has regen on demand which is operated by a little paddle on the left side of the steering wheel. In other GM EVs that I’ve driven before, this paddle is an on/off switch which makes using this feature very abrupt. In the Silverado EV, it’s variable so if you pull on it a bit, it provides a bit of regen braking. Pull on it harder, it provides more regen braking.
The F-150 Lightning’s one-pedal mode does not have a high or low mode and is instead similar to the normal mode in the Silverado. It too is smooth to operate and from time to time, does require braking applications when arriving at a stop while going downhill. Additionally, if you switch the truck to Sport mode, regen braking is stronger than the Normal drive mode but it is not as strong as the one-pedal mode.
Handling – Due to the enormous weight of the Chevrolet Silverado EV, it carries a lot of momentum for the tires & suspension to try to keep under control. The air suspension on this RST trim does its best to reduce body roll but it’s a losing battle. It is still quite evident. The steering is firm in feel and the Silverado EV comes equipped with rear-wheel-steering. This helps the big truck feel smaller in parking lots. The Silverado EV is also supposed to have a “Sidewinder” mode which allows it to crab-walk like the Hummer EV but I never found this feature in the infotainment system. Supposedly, it will come as an over the air update “sometime in early 2025”, according to a GM press release.
The Ford F-150 Lightning feels much more agile on its tires compared to the Chevy. It’s by no means a sports truck but it can change direction a bit more quickly. Body roll is broadly similar to that of the Silverado as the Lightning does not have adjustable air suspension, just old fashioned springs. Steering feel is a little bit lighter than that of the Silverado but it’s just as sharp.
Capability & Towing – The 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning’s bed is 5.5-feet in length. You can option the bed with a drop in liner or a spray-on liner. The bed has LED lights as well as one tie-down in each corner with additional removable tie downs. The tailgate can be power operated and incorporates Ford’s tailgate step. There’s also the ProPower on board that allows for multiple power tools to be plugged into the truck. Or you can use it to power in-home appliances during a blackout.
With the standard battery, the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning is rated for just 5,000 lbs of conventional towing. Adding on the max tow package increases this number to 7,700 lbs. With the bigger battery, towing is rated for 7,700 lbs and 10,000 lbs with the max tow pack. The Platinum’s max tow rating is 8,500 lbs. Payload ranges from as little as 1,480 lbs to as much as 2,235 lbs. This depends on the trim level and battery size. This Flash trim is rated for 1,913 lbs.
The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV’s bed measures 5 feet 11 inches in length. But it can be extended thanks to the Multi-Flex Midgate. You can drop down the rear seats and open up the divider between the cab and the bed 60/40. The rear window is also removable and can be stored inside the cab. This midgate allows for over 9-feet or about 3.2 meters of space. In addition to this, there’s also the tailgate. It has six different positions from a step to a load stop to a working surface. It’s not power operated like the one in the Lightning but it’s constructed out of aluminum so it’s light enough to open & close.
The Silverado EV is capable of towing up to 12,500 lbs but this is on the 3WT trim. This RST trim is limited to 10,000 lbs, just like the Lightning. Payload is also less at 1,500 lbs for this RST trim but up to a maximum of 1,800 lbs on the 3WT. Eventually, Chevy plans to release a trim that is capable of towing up to 20,000 lbs.
On the topic of towing, just like gasoline powered trucks, the overall range will drop when hitching a big & heavy trailer to these trucks. However, unlike a gasoline truck, recharging these trucks with a trailer attached is not as simple as fueling up an ICE truck. Generally, charging stations are not pull-through types. They’re usually located in a corner. So that means that you’d either be blocking other stations or the road with the trailer or you’d need to remove the trailer altogether to be able to recharge one of these trucks. Additionally, you’d be at the charging stations for a lot longer than at a fuel station. So over longer distances and with larger trailers, electric pickup trucks are about as useful as putting out a forest fire with a garden hose.
With the removal of the engine and transmission, both trucks have a front trunk, or frunk. In the Chevy, it is 303 L (10.7 cu-ft) in size while in the F-150 Lightning, it is 400 L (14.1 cu-ft). Both are power operated and both have power outlets in them.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Thanks to the adaptive air suspension, the ride of the Silverado EV is much more supple than that of the F-150 Lightning. You’ll still be able to feel large potholes because at the end of the day, it has massive 24” wheels with low profile tires. However, it doesn’t feel as bouncy and jittery as the ride of the Lightning.
Interior Space – With both being large American trucks, both have a plethora of space for occupants. Though the Silverado EV has just a little bit more legroom in the back seats than the F-150, however, it’s still more than enough in the Lightning for my 6’4” height behind my tall driving position. In the front, both provide a commanding view of the road with tall driving position. It does however feel as though you’re sitting a bit higher up in the Ford than in the Chevy because the driver’s seat in the Lightning doesn’t go down as far as the one in the Silverado. Visibility around the trucks is good but I had an issue with the exterior mirrors of the Chevy. The driver’s side provides good visibility into the blind zone but the passenger side seems to just “magnify” what’s behind the truck and not actually show the blind zone. Thankfully the rear windows are large and the Silverado EV has blind spot sensors that work well.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Being electric trucks, neither exhibit any sort of powertrain noises. Yes, there is a bit of wind noise on highways but it gets drowned out more so by the noise of the tires. Both induce a bit of “electric” noises when they’re in their respective sport modes.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Obviously, the two trims I had the chance to review are not direct competitors. The Ford F-150 Lightning Flash is a mid-grade trim while the Chevrolet Silverado EV RST is a top-grade trim. Later in 2025, Chevrolet will introduce the LT trim which is more comparable to the Flash trim. Likewise, the Platinum trim of the Lightning is a closer competitor to the RST trim. Previously, I had the chance to drive the Lariat trim of the F-150 Lightning which felt more upscale. Nevertheless, the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro starts at $62,890 CAD ($62,995 USD, XLT) with this Flash demo vehicle having an as-tested price of $89,795 CAD ($71,390 USD). The Platinum trim starts at $113,390 CAD ($84,995 USD). The 2024 Chevrolet SIlverado EV WT starts at $63,999 CAD with this RST trim costing $117,499 CAD ($96,495 USD).
Gadgets – Although the F-150 Lightning Flash is not a fully loaded truck, it comes fairly well equipped with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a wireless phone charging pad, front & rear parking sensors, surround view cameras, B&O sound system, and the large tablet style 15.5” touchscreen with SYNC4 infotainment.
Moving up to the Platinum trim will add features such as ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof, wood trim accents, and 22” wheels.
The Silverado EV RST comes equipped with most of the same convenience features and gadgets as the F-150 Lightning Platinum would come equipped with. In addition, both trucks are equipped with hands-free driving systems. Super Cruise in the Chevy and Blue Cruise in the Ford. Both systems allow the use of hands-free driving across most highways in Canada & the United States. I found the Super Cruise system to be a little bit smoother at navigating through sharp highway corners than the Blue Cruise. The latter kept moving the steering wheel back & forth a little bit like as though it was trying to find the edges of the lane. Both can also change lanes with a push of the indicator stalk or automatically and both systems work well at night.
Both trucks also have a few gadgets to help with payload & towing. There’s a trailer checklist in both infotainment systems which can help inexperienced drivers with attaching and light testing a trailer. The F-150 takes it a step further with a nifty feature that will use the suspension to measure how much weight is in the bed of the truck. You can also turn on lights all around the truck with the zone lighting feature.
Interior Design – Of the two, the Silverado has a more impressive looking interior, even when considering the Platinum trim of the F-150 Lightning. The Silverado EV’s dash has more “pizazz”. However, once you take a closer look at the details and touch the materials, that’s when you realize that it’s the F-150 Lightning that has an overall better quality interior. The stitching across the dashboard in the Chevy is crooked. The upper portions of the door panels and center console is a plastic that feels like rubber. And there’s quite a bit of glossy black plastic that will easily get scratched and highlight dust & smudges. Thankfully, it’s an easy interior to use as there are separate climate controls for the temperature and fan speed. Most other functions are integrated into the large 17.7” touchscreen. But one function that should have its own dedicated button or knob are the headlight controls. They’re now integrated into the touchscreen and require multiple presses in order to turn on or off the headlights. There are automatic headlights but they won’t turn on in foggy conditions.
The interior of the F-150 Lightning Flash is similar to that of the gasoline powered F-150 apart from the large tablet style touchscreen. I don’t like the fact that the climate controls are integrated into this screen but otherwise, most other functions (except for the headlights) are just like in the Silverado EV. The fit and finish is better than in the Silverado EV as the stitching across the dashboard is straight and the plastics of the door panels and center console are soft to the touch. However, it’s a very grey interior with different shades of grey making up the dash, seats, and lower portions of the cabin.
Exterior Design – Of the two, the Ford F-150 Lightning looks like a traditional pickup truck. It has a covered grille, because it’s not necessary, and has accent light bars that extend from one side of the truck to the other on both the front & back.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV RST on the other hand looks amazing. It has thin LED daytime running lights, which double as battery recharge status lights, and it too has a light bar stretching the front of the truck with an illuminated Chevy bowtie. Around back, it’s a bit more traditional with its design but from the side, the smooth lines not only improve aerodynamic efficiency but also make it look quick even when standing still. Of the two, the Silverado RST is by far the better looking. Unfortunately I can’t say the same of the lower WT trims with its plastic cladding all over.
Warranty – The 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle basic warranty and an 8 year / 160,000 km battery and electric component warranty. There is a caveat for that one though because it’s only covered if the battery retains a minimum of 70% of its original capacity over that period. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV is covered by the same new vehicle and battery warranties as the Ford F-150 Lightning. Though GM’s warranty doesn’t say if it would not be replaced should the capacity drop below a certain threshold. Instead, the warranty guide says that it would be replaced if it drops below 75% within the warranty period. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – Overall, electric pickup trucks have their place in the world but I don’t see them replacing traditional gasoline-powered trucks anytime soon. Particularly if you’re on a budget and you need to tow a lot over long distances. But these two do work as city trucks and, the Silverado in particular, as a long distance family hauler. Which one is better? Well, it’s hard to say since they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. The Silverado is more versatile, has more range, and faster charging. The Lightning is lighter, better interior (on the higher trims), and less expensive. Personally, I think I’d go with the Silverado EV, probably a lower trim though, but I wouldn’t be disappointed or have a feeling of buyers remorse with the Lightning either.
Thank you to Chevrolet Canada for providing the Silverado EV. www.Chevrolet.ca
Thank you to Ford Canada for providing the F-150 Lightning. www.Ford.ca
2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST Gallery
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Gallery
