How Do They Haul? F-150 Lightning vs Rivian R1T Cargo Carrying Comparison

[@Luma_29]

I just gotta say to anyone’s who’s debating between which of these two you’re actually gonna buy this channel is a godsend

[@rightlanehog3151]

Agreed.

[@directorjustin]

7:35 "Sometimes you'll get out and you'll find yourself strangely high." 👌

[@racinj7134]

For the gear tunnel door, I just open the rear door first, then don't have to risk scratching the paint trying to dig your fingers into the small space. An extra step, but allows easy open for the gear tunnel.

[@dvwatts]

The 240v power on the Ford is such a big deal. It’s the one feature that has me wanting it over the Rivian.

[@xsterawesome]

That is a pretty awesome feature I just wish it had air ride suspension from the factory. I don't get it they could have took the money they used for that stupid active air dam that goes up and down in the front bumper and put it towards some air suspension instead.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Alex, Once again your unequaled devotion to detail impresses. I am electrified by the independent rear suspension now available on these luxury trucks. Surely the Denalis, Capstones, King Ranches etc. of this world should offer the same feature. However I blow a fuse when I see a meager 5 foot bed on a truck that weighs well over 3 tons! I will get all charged up the day I see a fully useful 8 foot bed behind a zero emissions pickup truck. ⚡⚡⚡😁

[@KalleSWBeck]

Not sure we ever will see an 8 ft bed sadly

[@AskJoe]

You left out THREE of my favorite F-150 cargo spaces. 1. The space under the F-150 back seat is pretty big, not to mention the space when the back seat is folded up. 2. The space in the F-150 center console is HUGE... it's as big as a small file cabinet with actual hanging file rails, so it's as wide enough and deep enough for hanging letter sized PendaFlex files. Rivian's center space is tiny. 3. F-150 has TWO glove compartments. The top one is smaller, but Rivian doesn't have ANY glove compartments. I'm taking delivery of my Lightning next week... but I should point out that those spaces are the same in my old ICE version too.

[@andrewashmore8000]

Excellent points. The F 150 is the job for outside cities. Rivian for city use and weekend exploring.

[@CompTechMike]

I'm on the waiting list for Rivian R1T, F-150 Lightning, Cybertruck, and Silverado EV. What I really need is an EV truck for work. I'll take whichever I can get first, but will most likely trade it in when something with a bigger bed is available. One of these manufacturers really needs to make a short(er) cab, long bed style vehicle for work purposes.

[@xsterawesome]

110% I'm scheduled to get my lightning September 11th through the 17th! But man do I wish I could get a two-door regular cab long bed. Especially considering you can't use blue cruise while towing and how much it impacts your range versus just having a bigger bed. I can't believe Ford didn't think they could sell any of these trucks, when they started they estimated selling about 10,000 a year, what kind of crack were they smoking? Mine is VIN number 11k already and there's more in line. Meanwhile, Jeep promised a full electric Jeep Wrangler back in 2018 that it seems like they completely gave up on I can't wait for the big three to start taking electric car seriously, four or five years from now we're going to see some amazing EVs.

[@andrewashmore8000]

Excellent overview Alex , really got a good sense of both vehicles. The Rivian is the sexier looking vehicle. The F150 is the more spacious. Both good trucks. Both paid alot of attention to details. If you have the space , id buy the F 150 everyday of the week. Its mostly better for everyday overall family and business use in total. Plus its going to be cheaper to service and get parts for , and its more versatile plus its more ruggard , tougher built.

[@ghenry85]

Something different for those curious. The Monarch, full electric, "driver optional" tractor. I think the Lightning may be more "work truck" and the Rivian is an electric SUV with bed(not a bad thing, will appeal to lots of people).

[@CeeJay591]

Alex, thanks so much for the detailed comparison of these two EV trucks - really very informative and helpful.

[@h8GW]

I never understood the point of fender flares for non-aftermarket/non-specialist needs. If you're gonna have a vehicle a large footprint from design up, you might as well get the most interior space as practical, instead of wasting it.

[@RichardMillet-RM]

Your R1T’s power tonneau cover is capable of opening further. Try adding some “dry lubricant“ (silicone spray works for me) to the tracks. Also, one of the recent OTA software updates seems to recalibrate the tonneau motors to improve the opening and closing.

[@rvboyett]

Richard is correct on this. Some WD-40 Dry Lube has been specifically recommended. It will also make the operation of the tonneau smoother.

[@xsterawesome]

So what I'm hearing is don't get the tonneau cover right?

[@rvboyett]

@@xsterawesome I would have avoided it myself but Rivian isn't actually building any trucks without the tonneau. If you order it without, you'll be waiting a long time.

[@xsterawesome]

@@rvboyett that sucks, that is how Ford got me to get a Lariat, they had to only make 1 or 2 hundred of the lower trims of the Lightning.

[@Brisket9392]

@@xsterawesome It's a failure prone component but I still purchased due to Rivian 5 year warranty which gives them time to resolve and the price being very competitive to 3rd party and cheaper with pre-March pricing and a better warranty. I need covered storage. They also aren't building non-tonneau builds yet.

[@donE37100]

The Rivian is an amazing vehicle considering how new the company is. I just worry about long term reliability. The air suspension for one.

[@billlian8000]

You are interviewing an Olympic champion of cross country for a position of construction worker.

[@ardenthebibliophile]

I wish Rivian focused a little bit more on their onboard power. Even one 20A circuit would be great. I love it more than the lightning for the interior, drive, and cool-factor but I admire the frunk and power onboard of the lightning

[@rvboyett]

Agreed. Ford really nailed it with the outlets and the ability to power your home. Also having 7.5kW of power is pretty amazing in a truck. But I’ll somehow manage with my R1Ts puny 1.5kW outlets..

[@Brisket9392]

Bi-directional charger like upcoming Emporia V2X or WallBox Quasar 2 seem like an awesome, but pricey solutions for the Rivian to power the home. Having up to 135kw of backup power is massive and could run my families home for at least a week in a power outage or natural disaster situation. Having that amount of power available could be a life-saver.

[@GreatCreative]

I think the Lightning is the most important EV to date. Business owners and fleet managers - who look long term - will see so many benefits to running electric trucks. Ford nailed it on this one. I love the look and size of the Rivian, but it seems more a personal use recreational vehicle.

[@PosiP]

sorry about that ground clearance on the Ford. They are still a bit sensitive over the SUV roll over lawsuits.

[@the_jarmel]

Good job Alex .. Have a good day everyone

[@timgurr1876]

Great comparison video. Thanks. At my age I would opt for the Lightning. The frunk is more easily accessible and the step up to the truck bed seems to be more convenient. If one want to do off-road in mountain areas, the Rivian probably is a better choice. I do like the 4 wheel motor concept on the Rivian which probably gives better traction control?? Other channels have compared “efficiency” and it appears the Lightning is slightly more efficient on highway driving (kWh/mile). The starting package on the Lightning seems to be a good value, but prices are increasing. Would be great to see some analysis on a standard F-150 versus the Lightning comparing total cost of ownership. I still have concerns about total range and recharging times on any EV. Towing really impacts range (ICE or EV). EV charging times will definitely keep people from buying EV.

[@heidiwilks5316]

One thing about the Rivian gear tunnel doors is that they pop out so little, I worry that someone will hit the button, get distracted, forget the door is technically open, and then drive off -- I'll wager the vibrations from driving will eventually cause that door to fall into its fully open position. Hopefully there's some dashboard warning light if the truck detects the door isn't fully closed. Otherwise I love the design.

[@bossturbo]

It won't let you put it in drive if the door is open or ajar

[@dece6170]

What about the cyber truck? Surely it's been released since it was promised years ago? Oh wait....

[@irfanhusein1445]

Thanks for your detailed, honest, and unbiased reviews. Your channel and edmunds have replaced the car and driver and Moyer trend magazines I used to subscribe to.

[@mini2nut67]

Great comparison video. The R1T uses a very innovative approach to storage. I think the design team did a phenomenal job sweating the details. The gooseneck tailgate hinge system allows you to haul a 4 x 8 sheet of drywall/plywood. The trucks appeal to two different audiences. The R1T is for the recreational city user who needs to haul things occasionally. The F-150 Lightning appeals more to the meat and potato crowd in rural middle America where they actually haul large items and have the space the park a full size truck.

[@andrewashmore8000]

To be honest im a big fan of the F150 , attention to detail is what makes me happy about it . Could it be improved , for sure , but not by a whole lot. Alot of the bases are covered. Like Bluecruise , autopark , autobrake , 240 volt , powered sun shade , opening sun roof , autotrailer hitch up , step into bed , tonne of safety features like reverse brake assist , rear opening window , and many more , simple things dual glove box , fold workstation etc. The one thing i would change is the height of the front bonnet , if that was lowered by 4 to 6 inches and the bottom of the windscreen lowered it would make the driving experience alot more expansive , and feel more roomier inside. Also if could buy additional extra range and install somehow below the bed in 15 kg modules that would be awesome.

[@angelpoventud2034]

I was charging next to an F150 Lightning yesterday, they were on their first day of ownership, I am just past my 1st month of ownership in an R1T. The size of the F150 was very big and they seemed to be having some trouble navigating their truck out of the parking lot at the Mall. A big plus to the R1T is that it can get around a lot more easily than the F150. Not mentioned in the video is that both vehicles are close in cost, 90K R1T to the 80K F-150 Lariat with similar stats, but that the R1T has 409 more HP, 125 more lb-ft and the 0 - 60 is .6 faster in the R1T (3.0 vs 3.6 seconds) Also not mentioned, having to deal with dealerships and mark up. I put my order in for the Lightning last summer, still waiting, I put my R1T order in last December, luckily, it came last month.

[@xsterawesome]

I placed a deposit for a Ford Lightning, Hummer EV, and Tesla Cyber Truck, all at the same time in May of last year a few days after the unveil of the Ford Lightning. I saw the specifications of the lightning leak and wasn't impressed so I wasn't even going to reserve one until I saw how much cheaper it was than the competition for what you get (I originally was going to get an XLT not an $80,000 pickup truck). I thought rivian was never going to make it so I didn't even put down the reservation (boy was I wrong) the cybertruck looks like it's never going to happen but that's the one I really wanted for the range and charging network but it looks like that's never going to show up in quantity. I love that the roof panels come off of the Hummer and I'm always driving my convertible with the top down so that's the one I really wanted but I never got the opportunity to build one so far. So, my Ford lightning has been built and it's on the train to my dealership, estimated delivery September 11th through the 17th! I just wanted to add my dealership is only charging me MSRP and Ford even called me and emailed me telling me I can change my delivery dealership anytime if my dealership tries any funny business. I think the only people who are going to pay a markup on a new lightning they ordered are the people who just don't know any better and the people so rich they don't even care. My first car was a pickup truck and parking in downtown historic Savannah in a full size pickup truck with a six and a half foot bed every day is an art form lol, you just have to practice, but I have a hard time believing anyone would have trouble in a well optioned lightning it has 360 cameras and self parking. I get why the comparison is being made but really they're so far apart it's like back in the gas world would you compare a $90,000 sports car to a $90,000 pickup truck? Because my $50,000 Mustang can run circles around a $90,000 gas pickup truck, but have you ever tried putting an engine from the junkyard in the back of a Mustang? It's too tricky for me to pull off.

[@angelpoventud2034]

@@xsterawesome Did you end up with the XLT? I drive freight trains for a class one railroad on the East Coast, we have a bunch of auto carrier rail cars sitting around not getting unloaded at the moment. Sorry about any delay that is caused by us but we need to do a lot more hiring, again, and we should have a new contract in the next month so maybe that'll help too.

[@xsterawesome]

@@angelpoventud2034 wow, small world! I ended up with a red Lariat Because by the time I actually got to order I had a promotion and they were sold out of XLT, so I would have had to wait till next year probably. Yeah, Ford was saying they were having issues with all of their carriers and to expect delays my truck was manufactured on the second of August and was originally scheduled to be delivered sometime after the 21st of August. All I know is it left the factory on the 20th of August and it's heading for OC Welch in Hardeeville South Carolina. Don't sweat delays it's the story of the post covid world we're all used to it now. On unrelated note, so you went and got one of them Cool Jobs? I had no idea the engineer? or conductor? drove the train I would have thought they piloted it or something, maybe operated it. That's pretty dope, I feel like if I did that job I'd end up falling asleep and waking up in the wrong state lol. Anyway, if you do end up transporting it thanks for your help! Although, so much of our stuff comes by way of rail I'm sure you've transported something for me before either way.

[@angelpoventud2034]

Yes sir and you are welcome. I have been working for the railroad for 18 years, the entry level position is conductor, the logistic of train movement, the person that gets on the ground as well. The engineer is the driver/operator, in charge of the physics of train movement, the person that sits in the seat and make the train start and stop. The engines still have a mechanism on board that will alert you if you haven't moved the controls every few seconds, dead man switch, so the engine will wake you up or stop if you happen to dose off before you end up in another state ; ) I work between Atlanta, Athens and Gainesville, Ga so I'm probably not transporting your truck but I'll keep an eye out for it just in case : )

[@xsterawesome]

@@angelpoventud2034 Cool.

[@VegasGuy1975]

They both seem very capable and comparable from a cargo standpoint. I guess it comes down to what kind of cargo you typically haul, and how often. For me, I really like a lot of the interior and battery range aspects of the Rivian, but like the way the cargo areas are used on the Lightning.

[@Lustratum]

So excited for "squat" mode on the r1t to come which will lower it when you put it in park. I came from a 2021 king ranch and that lowest mode to load the bed is so helpful for my wife, even though it's just 3 inches that does make a big difference for her.

[@Lustratum]

Another note, I know this has nothing to do with the videos purpose but, in the year I had the king ranch I got 1 update from ford, in the month I have had the rivian I have gotten 3 updates some added new features even. Such as pet mode. I believe that what you get on your lightning today is what you will have in 5 years, where the Rivian's are becoming better and better with each day. It's a mantra that Tesla started, but I think it's the future.

[@PosiP]

how many full trips to HD before you need to recharge?

[@richh650]

Excellent comparison video Alex. Really appreciate the detailed explanation.

[@seanocono]

I subscribed to this channel due to this video. It’s good for all of us with Rivian and Lightning pre-orders (and Cybertruck and Silverado). Alex, can you please do a cabin comparison next? Bonus points for incorporating children’s car seats. Keep up the great work!

[@txdevops]

Soooo.... once there is a hole in tire, owner will have to unload cargo from R1T to get the spare tire. So much "fun". :)

[@jarheadcharlie2315]

Knowing that the odds of getting a flat will increase with the difficulty of your cargo... it will definitely happen when you have half a ton of rocks/pavers/lumber or washer in the bed 😉

[@txdevops]

@@jarheadcharlie2315 Exactly :) On the practical side, I live in newly built community and the part of it is still under construction with all of those pesky nails lying recklessly on the road increasing my chances to get stranded.

[@RichardMillet-RM]

If you’ve got a heavy load, it’s probably not a good idea to being jacking up your truck for a tire change. I’d probably unload first anyway.

[@ALMX5DP]

I always struggle to accept those ‘what if’ arguments. Same thing could be said if you’re wheeling off the beaten path in some rain and mud and need to change a flat. Much easier to get a dry spare from the bed than crawling underneath in miserable conditions. Pros and cons to everything, just gotta weigh them for yourself.

[@txdevops]

@@ALMX5DP True. That's about the fine line of everyone's convenience. What acceptable for one is turn down for another.

[@paulw575]

The Rivian inverter is 5kW peak, so about 3.5kW continuous. However, each outlet is probably limited to 120v 15A, so about 1.6kW peak from an outlet.

[@michaeldominique1300]

They are both nice but my money would go on the Lightning.

[@billhawkins243]

hi I noticed you are in Santa Cruz because that's where I live... I have an R1T and a Lightning on order, lightning build date soon.. Is there anyway I could see both your trucks and I'm trying to decide between the two like you..hopefully your first hand knowledge will help..If you don't mind.. much appreciated.. Bill.

[@garyclark6747]

Great comparison‼️

[@michaelhawkins5530]

Both vehicles are sold out, so there are plenty of buyers for both. So at this point in time, it really doesn't matter which truck is better in this particular test. Now as time goes on and production for both vehicle increases and the sales backorder is smaller, these considerstions (at the factory production level) may be more relevent. But at this point in time, neither company can keep up with demand. So one may be worse than the other but it will sell anyway because there are far more customers than product. Which actually is true of almost any vehicle on sale today.

[@kahunakumar1338]

Alex can you do a 2023 F150 Lightning buyers guide?

[@andrewchewter1646]

What wheels and options did the Rivian have? (looks like the 21"?) Very interested to know what went into the payload of ~1630 lbs.

[@acchaladka]

Hi Alex, this was great. Which of these would you say is going to better for snow plowing? I'm looking at them for plowing our farm laneway regularly, and live in a low cost electricity area. I assume the Rivian with quad motors extended batteries and 'terrain' tires, will do it better and last longer, am I right? Will they both do a km of dirt road and a few inches of snow? Will one run out much faster than the other? Here the Rivian is about 2x the price and I don't know whether there's a plow that will fit it yet but I'm interested.

[@chrisruddy8406]

How much do the Rivian's fenders flare out? I.e., in a 20' wide garage would there be enough room for the R1T and another car of similar size? 79" seems like it would be a little tight, but if it's less wide at the doors it might be fine.

[@zenci21]

Did you decide which one your keeping? Again you sound like your keeping lighting…thanks for the video.

[@jimmyboeingbeep]

Anxious to hear which one you’re keeping, guessing the Ford but your rationale for either pick will be interesting. Thanks

[@rwwr8590]

thanks for making the video its very helpful

[@ouch1011]

Seems like the Rivian might be better for off-road and camping use (hence it’s lifestyle truck moniker) whereas the F150/Lightning is a better work truck/hauler. I was really excited for the Rivian until it came out but now that I’ve seen several in person and heard some of the ownership experiences so far, I’m less excited. The styling is definitely not for me and it sounds like the quality is having some issues. The F150 seems to have more of a thoughtful design for how most trucks are actually used (i.e. not off-road). I really like the ability to be able to draw significant AC power from the vehicle and while I think the implementation of the VTG system in the Lightning isn’t done very well, I think it is a feature that every EV should be required to have moving forward. The styling appeals to me more, as does the more useful/utilitarian interior. Trucks are work vehicles first, not luxury vehicles. If the absolute base model was actually obtainable, I’d be seriously considering one.

[@markmiller3279]

Except most pickups are not being sold as work trucks, but as personal transportation.

[@amigatommy7]

4X8 plywood would be a key. The Rivian would be more fun.

[@rvboyett]

You can carry 4x8s in the R1T, you just need the tailgate down. The same would go with the Lightning unless you’re letting lumber sit on top of a closed tailgate.

[@markmiller3279]

Neither one carries a sheet of plywood in the bed, and both are more than four feet between the wheel arches. Very few pickups sold have eight-foot beds.

[@andrewashmore8000]

For the wife get the Rivian , for daily driver , for the family get the F 150 for roadtrips and hubby use.

[@johncookiv1985]

The R1T is definitely not 1000lbs heavier... It's 7100 for the Rivian and 6600 for the Ford.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

OK, OK, aggressive rounding,. although a standard range Lightning *is** 1,000 pounds lighter...

[@Sandiegocruiser]

@ev buyers guide What is the length of the two with the tailgate down ?

[@jamesg6071]

The lightning to me seems much more utilitarian and multipurpose than the r1t. F150 all the way for me

[@brandenflasch]

I think the Rivian has more useful cargo space for daily use.

[@acchaladka]

I'm wondering where the 8 ' boards or the skis fit?

[@brandenflasch]

@@acchaladka skis depending on the length can go on bed-mounted rails, in the bed or the gear tunnel and boards can do the same. I can count on a single hand the number of times I’ve hauled either in a vehicle.

[@darpompie4354]

Besides the extra width of the bed mentioned in the F150, the depth is also a full foot longer. He gave credit to the Rivian's much smaller frunk by saying it has a tunnel. Fully explained how it's taking space from the unused back seat area. Guess what, all F150's take advantage of that space too. Lift up the back seat and you have a ginormous flat floor area. If I had to haul some large boxes that needed to be stored inside, I would choose the F150 back cabin over a tiny weird shaped tunnel which also caused the back doors and cabin to now be smaller too. So the F150 has the easier to get into and larger bed, easier to get into and larger frunk, easier to get into and larger interior hauling space, 2 glove boxes opposed to none, and a much larger centre console. But yet you feel the Rivian "has more useful cargo for daily use". Strange.

[@Tinrs80]

Do either one of these have fancy outside lighting? .. i mean lights up the area around them.. i saw one my friends fb that got a lightening he had all around the vehicle lite up.

[@paulw575]

Both have external lighting, however the Lightning is better for a worksite. The Rivian has lights in the bed, cool puddle lights, the light bar on the front and it comes with a decent flashlight in the door and the camp speaker also has an inbuilt lantern.

[@Brisket9392]

@@paulw575 True. F150 is more worksite focused to really light up an area while the Rivian is more lighting for design elements. Side mirror flood lights will be activated in the OTA update coming next week. Excited to see how they look.

[@williamelkington5430]

Alex, thanks very much for this. I'm wondering how appropriate a comparison between the R1T and the Lightening is, given the very different market segments they are going after. I understand that they are both electric pickup trucks, but is it their electric power what makes them comparable? Why?Why wouldn't their market segments be the basis of any comparison you'd plan to make, rather than their power trains? What if you considered the performance capabilities of the two as the key foundation of a comparison? Seems like if you wanted to find a Ford product that focused on performance capabilities aimed at the same market segment as the R1T, you would be drawn to the Raptor, not the Lightning. Your thoughts?

[@ALMX5DP]

Well to me performance encompasses all aspects, so EV to EV still makes the most sense given the range performance, refueling (charging) performance, day to day usability performance etc.

[@williamelkington5430]

@@ALMX5DP Okay, so why wouldn't it make sense to compare a Chevy Suburban to a Toyota RAV4? You can do it, but how useful is it? They're two very different vehicles addressing two very different market segments.

[@ALMX5DP]

@@williamelkington5430 those are vastly different size categories, and perform in very different ways..

[@williamelkington5430]

@@ALMX5DP That’s precisely my point. The R1T is not designed to be a contractor’s truck. The Lightening is. The Lightening isn’t designed to be a serious off-roaming truck. The R1T is. The R1T is designed to provide an on-road sports car feel. The lightening isn’t

[@ALMX5DP]

@@williamelkington5430 their potential intended use might be slightly different but that is dependent on the individual customer. The vehicles themselves have quite a lot of similarities, and makes sense to at least entertain the idea of a comparison being their the only two EVs on the market currently.

[@joejoey318]

Compared towing, compared charging, compared all types of worthless things- when are you going to do a f150 lightning range test and compare it to the 320+ range the r1t got?