Rivian-Ford-electric-towing

Electric trucks are winning over drivers with improved range, towing, and more power off the line than gas-powered pickups. One of the most common questions potential electric truck buyers ask is how much it can tow. Check out two of the most popular electric trucks on the market – the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning – become head to head in a towing test in the video below.

Two automakers – one that's been building cars for over 100 years and the other founded in 2009. But each has the same goal – to make the ultimate electric pickup.

The Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T are ii of the about pop electric trucks just considering they were some of the first on the market.

Ford released its total-size electric pickup in May 2021 equally its "smartest, most innovative truck" out of the automaker's 100-year history building them. Meanwhile, Rivian was the first to produce an electric pickup in the US, with its R1T rolling off the production line in September 2021.

Rivian builds its electric truck to enable and inspire people to exercise the things they want to accept pictures of sustainably, while Ford looks to build the futurity of the truck.

Although Rivian and Ford's electric trucks differ, drivers employ them for similar activities, including towing. The Ford Lightning offers a max towing chapters betwixt seven,700 lbs (Pro) and 10,000 lbs (XLT, LARIAT). Rivian says its R1T can tow up to eleven,000 lbs. Let'due south meet who wins in a towing test.

Ford Lightning vs. Rivian R1T electric trucks towing exam

To answer the question many of you are wondering, Edmunds Cars put a 2022 Rivian R1T and a 2022 Ford Lightning upwards against each other in its beginning all-electric towing contest.

Towing with an EV, or whatsoever pickup for that matter, will negatively bear upon range. The less aerodynamic the trailer, the more touch on it volition have on the truck's towing ability. So, Edmunds loaded up 17-ft box trailers with Hyundai IONIQ five SUVs for a combined weight of roughly 7,500 lbs.

Rivian R1T vs. Ford F-150 Lightning towing test (Source: Edmunds Cars)

The Ford Lightning has 580 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque. In add-on, the model in the Edmunds exam features the extended-range bombardment, which is good for 131 kWh of usable ability and up to 320 miles of range, just also adds weight, decreasing the EV truck's maximum towing from 10,000 lbs to 7,700 lbs.

By comparison, the Rivian R1T features 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque with a 135 kWh bombardment for a towing capacity of eleven,000 lbs and 314 miles range.

The test took place in a 200-mile strip of the California desert with steep hills and valleys, significant they needed to find charging spots forth the manner due to the increased load.

After over 200 miles of testing, the Lightning averaged one mile of range per kWh, and the Rivian averaged 0.9 miles per kWh. Co-ordinate to the testers, the factor that fabricated the about difference was charging.

Despite the Rivian R1T's ability to charge faster (220kW) compared to the Ford Lightning (150kW), the team didn't charge the Lightning truck to 100% to relieve time.

The Lightning had a total accuse time of 3 hours and 9 minutes, while the Rivian R1T was 3 hours and 21 minutes despite the Rivian's ability to charge faster.

In the stop, Edmunds says both trucks performed similarly in terms of efficiency and were equally proficient at climbing steep grades with a powerful electrical truck. However, they did conclude that the Ford Lightning offers boosted advantages over Rivian'southward electrical truck for towing.

For example, the Lightning uses extra data and GPS to calculate more accurate range estimates and bullheaded-spot warnings. In addition, Ford's Pro model offers Trailer Hitch Assist, assuasive the electric truck to automatically back up and marshal its hitch ball to a trailer.

The Rivian did perform better in terms of maneuverability, still, which can exist clutch if towing in tight spots.

Rivian'due south head of software, Wassyn Bensaid, says a "big towing update" is coming this summer forth with several other updates to improve functionality, so stay tuned for more as both of these trucks volition continue improving through OTA updates.

Add together Electrek to your Google News feed. 

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More than.