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The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat seen towing an RV, the F-150 Lightning is Ford's first electric pickup truck

Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Tesla Cybertruck: Which Electric Truck Do Americans Want?

The arrival of the Ford F-150 Lightning will likely put some pressure on the development team currently building the Tesla Cybertruck. However, a new study confirms that the Ford is already the most popular truck amongst American buyers and which they are most likely to buy. However, how will this change once the production variant officially breaks cover later this year.

The arrival of the Ford F-150 Lightning will likely put some pressure on the development team currently building the Tesla Cybertruck. While these two trucks were likely already the two most popular electric trucks, a new study confirms which model Americans are more interested in buying. What makes this study interesting is that we haven’t seen the production version of the Cybertruck or know when it’ll officially arrive.

PIPLSAY conducted the study by surveying Americans and asking them questions ranging from which truck is the most expensive and which of the two they are most likely to actually buy. Surprisingly, the gap between these two contenders isn’t as large as you might initially think.

Do Americans want the Ford F-150 Lightning or the Tesla Cybertruck?

According to the PIPLSAY study, the participators answered several questions about the Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck. The first question covered which of these trucks was the most impressive. 32 percent of Americans chose the Lightning, while 24 percent chose the Cybertruck. It is worth pointing out that the Lightning is brand-new and fresh on the mind while the Cybertruck made its official debut back in 2019.

From there, the survey asked which of these two trucks would Americans most likely pick as their first electric truck. 25 percent of Americans said they would pick the Ford F-150 Lightning, while 24 percent said they want the Tesla Cybertruck. Since we haven’t seen the production version of the Cybertruck just yet, it’s tough to make a purchasing decision already. Regardless, the futuristic model made enough of an impression to compete with an EV based on America’s best-selling vehicle.

It is also worth noting that 25 percent of people that answered the survey stated that they would consider an electric truck as their next vehicle. As a result, these answers could easily turn into sales.

How much do these electric pickup trucks cost?

An image of a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning parked outdoors.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | Ford

Before we dive into this next section, it is worth noting that while the Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck have official pricing info, their exact specifications haven’t been finalized as of writing. Regardless, let’s start with the Ford. If you’re looking at buying a brand-new Lightning, expect to pay a base price of $39,974. However, if you want extended-range options and higher trim levels, you’ll pay significantly more than that. In fact, the American carmaker estimates that a top trim model will cost you around $90,474.

Since the Tesla Cybertruck is such a close competitor, it won’t surprise you to learn that it costs a similar amount of money. According to Tesla, its electric truck has a base price of $39,900. If you want a dual-motor setup, you’ll start at $49,900. Finally, we’ve got the top tri-motor version coming in at $69,900.

When will the Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck arrive?

A steele Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup on display indoors
Tesla Cybertruck | Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

As you might imagine, the version of the Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning you opt for will severely alter your delivery time. According to Tesla, the dual and tri-motor versions of its truck are expected to enter production toward the end of 2021. If this is anything to go by, we’ll likely see deliveries start sometime in 2022. If you want the base version with rear-wheel drive, that’ll go into production sometime in 2022.

Similarly, the Ford F-150 Lightning is expected to enter production toward the end of this year. This means that the first batch of trucks should reach customers by early 2022. Unfortunately, Ford hasn’t mentioned which trim level will arrive first.

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Truck Buyers Want an Electric Ford F-150 More Than the Tesla Cybertruck