Ford F-150 Lightning Towing Is More Than a Driving Range Challenge
Is the Ford F-150 Lighting a good truck for towing? Aside from the electric driving range woes, what challenges occur while towing? This electric Ford truck might be useful for around-town driving without a trailer. Hooking up a travel trailer could lead to an entirely different story. Let’s explore.
Campgrounds don’t like the Ford F-150 Lightning?
Pulling a travel trailer to a campground might not be the joy you want it to be when the tow vehicle is this electric Ford truck. Many campgrounds don’t provide 240-volt hookups at campsites because most travel trailers don’t need more than 120-volt hookups. Some campsites disallow electric vehicle charging at their locations. This means EV owners must find a nearby charging station to top off their batteries.
Hills could be a serious problem
Jason Gonderman, writer and photographer for MotorTrend, took a Ford F-150 Lightning for a weekend adventure to a Southern California campground. When faced with what should be a relatively easy hill, Gonderman reported issues maintaining speed with this truck. Considering this truck struggled to handle a 4% grade that only rises to about 800 feet above sea level, this might not be the right truck for more difficult hill and mountain roads.
Many charging stations aren’t spacious enough for a truck and trailer
Pulling into a charging station can be an adventure if you’re towing a large travel trailer with an electric truck. Gas stations are set up to allow vehicles to pull in next to a pump. Unfortunately, many charging stations require vehicles to pull in, similar to parking in a spot with the charger in front. This means the trailer will stick into the road or be in the way.
Topping off could require some truck owners to unhook the trailer, charge up, and then hook up again. This is a lot more work than most people want to face during what should be a relaxing weekend getaway.
The Pro Power Onboard system is a fantastic Ford F-150 Lightning feature
Despite the challenges of towing with an electric truck, the Pro Power Onboard provides more power to a travel trailer than necessary. This means the trailer can be hooked up to the truck and enjoy plenty of power for all items without significantly depleting the truck’s batteries.
Should you tow a travel trailer with this electric truck?
If you want a truck to pull your travel trailer during many road trips, the Ford F-150 Lightning is not ready to meet this challenge. The driving range on a flat surface drops significantly. Once the truck begins towing, and driving up any incline is problematic. Driving range aside, these electric trucks present too many problems to be useful while towing a travel trailer to campgrounds separated by hundreds of miles.
