The Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck just launched. Ford made some bold claims about its newest pickup truck. CEO Jim Farley even joked that it could charge a Tesla that needed juice. Can a Ford F-150 lightning electric pickup truck really charge a Tesla model?

Can the Ford F-150 Lightning charge a Tesla?

Tesla is the automaker to beat in the electric vehicle space. Tesla was one of the first automakers to begin mass-producing electric vehicles for the American market. American automakers Ford and General Motors are starting to produce EVs of their own now. Every automaker wants to topple the king of the hill, and some brands are giving Tesla some stiff competition.

Ford CEO Jim Farley claimed that the Blue Oval’s new pickup truck could charge a Tesla. He made this comment as a jab against a competitor, but is there truth to this claim?

Ford F-150 Lightning trims include a feature called Pro Power Onboard. This feature allows the electric pickup truck to power many tools and appliances at once using its electric battery. Some models include Intelligent Backup Power as well. This feature allows users to temporarily power homes using the F-150 Lightning as a backup generator. Upper trim levels have the option to store 9.6 kilowatts of exportable electricity.

Some Tesla Wall Connectors have a total power output of up to 11.5 kilowatts. This allows Tesla models to gain 44 miles of range per hour of charge. Tesla does offer Wall Connectors with 9.6-kilowatt outputs. So, in theory, F-150 Lightning models should be able to charge Tesla models and other vehicles with the proper charging accessories.

How long would it take for a Ford F-150 Lightning to charge a Tesla?

Now that we’ve established that an F-150 Lightning can actually charge Tesla models, how long would it take to charge some of Tesla’s most popular models? The popular Tesla Model 3 sedan gains 37 miles of range per hour of charge using a 9.6-kilowatt power source.

The popular Model Y electric SUV gains 36 miles of range per hour of charge using a 9.6-kilowatt power source. The Model S gains 29 miles of range, and the Model X gains 25 miles of range per hour using a 9.6-kilowatt power source. So, the F-150 Lightning can charge Teslas, but it’s only practical as a last resort. Think of an F-150 Lightning charging a Tesla like an hour-long jump start. Also, there’s no way to gauge how much this would drain the F-150 Lightning’s battery capacity yet.

Is the Ford F-150 Lightning better than Tesla’s popular models?

The two most popular Tesla models are the Model 3 and Model Y. Since the F-150 Lightning just entered the production phase, there’s no way to tell how it competes with Tesla models from a sales standpoint yet. As far as affordability, the F-150 Lightning is more affordable than both Tesla’s electric car and electric SUV.

Tesla Long Range models offer more range than any F-150 Lightning battery option. These vehicles aren’t in direct competition, but the Lightning is already sending shockwaves through the electric vehicle space. Ford is competing with Tesla by offering another electric vehicle option for consumers to consider.

We’ll have to wait and see what consumers think of the new Ford electric pickup truck once drivers get their hands on it. According to Car and Driver, some F-150 Lightning electric trucks are already sold out.