In the electric pickup truck market, two prime competitors are the Ford Lightning and the Tesla Cybertruck. This matchup isn’t just about which truck to buy — it’s about trusted truck heritage and boundary-pushing innovation. Let’s dig into the details of these electric workhorses so you can figure out which one belongs in your garage.
2025 Ford Lightning Introduction
Ford took America’s favorite pickup and swapped gas for electricity, all while honoring everything truck buyers love. The Lightning looks like an F-150 because it is one, just with an electric powertrain.
For 2025 F-150 Lightning prices, its five trims have the following starting MSRPs:
- Pro: $49,780
- XLT: $63,345
- Flash: $69,995
- Lariat: $76,995
- Platinum: $84,995
Each trim packs dual electric motors with either a 98-kWh or 131-kWh lithium-ion battery. We’ll compare some of the Ford Lightning’s specs with its rival in a bit.
Tesla Cybertruck Introduction
For the Cybertruck, Tesla tossed the pickup rulebook out and created something quite unique. The sharp angles and ultrahard cold-rolled stainless steel body look like nothing else on the road.
These models will set you back a bit more than the Lightning:
- Long Range: $62,490
- All-Wheel Drive (AWD): $72,490
- Cyberbeast: $99,990
This pickup promises sports car performance with the utility of a truck bed in back. Its ground clearance is a generous 17 inches, and its top speed reaches 131 mph.
Key Updates and Features for 2025 Models
Tesla’s big news for 2025 is the upcoming range extender for the Cybertruck. It’ll likely cost you about $16,000 and should add around 120 miles of driving distance. However, the extra battery will take up some of your bed space, and you’ll need to visit a Tesla service center to get it installed. Still, bumping its total range beyond 470 miles could be worth the hassle and expense.
Ford’s playing it safe with the Lightning for 2025, with no major changes to report. While Tesla experiments with add-ons, Ford focuses on what it does best: building reliable trucks that work hard.
Performance Comparison: Motors, Power, and Acceleration
The Tesla Cybertruck AWD and Ford Lightning Platinum both hit 60 mph in about 4 seconds. The Lightning manages this despite weighing a hefty 6,893 pounds, thanks to its dual motors providing 775 lb-ft of instant electric torque. Its standard-range battery delivers 452 horsepower, while the extended-range model makes 580 horsepower.
If pure speed is your thing, the Cyberbeast comes out on top with 834 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mph sprint time of 2.6 seconds. This power lets it run the quarter-mile in 11 seconds flat at 119 mph. But with Tesla versus Ford, you’ll find either truck plenty quick for daily driving.
Practicality: Towing, Payload, and Range
The Lightning has 10,000 pounds of towing capacity max. The Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast give you up to 11,000 pounds, but the base RWD Cybertruck only manages 7,500 pounds. Ford offers practical towing tech, including Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, Trailer Reverse Guidance, and Smart Trailer Tow Connector. The Cybertruck’s 6-by-4-foot bed handles 2,500 pounds of payload, beating the Lightning’s 5.5-foot bed, which carries up to 2,000 pounds.
The Cybertruck AWD model offers 325 miles of range, while the Cyberbeast gets a little less at 320 miles of range. Meanwhile, the Lightning’s standard-range battery delivers 240 miles of range, and the extended-range battery delivers 320 miles.
Real-world Edmunds testing showed close range results: the Cybertruck Foundation Series hit 334 miles, the Lightning Lariat reached 345 miles, and the Lightning Platinum Extended Range managed 332 miles. If you hook up a trailer, the range plummets. According to MotorTrend tests, the Lightning’s range dropped to 115 miles with a 3,140-pound trailer and 90 miles with a 7,218-pound trailer.
All electric trucks struggle here, so it’s worth noting that if you tow heavy loads often, you’ll need careful charging planning for towing trips. Tesla’s Supercharger network remains a huge advantage for road trips, though Ford’s BlueOval Charge Network claims to be North America’s largest integrated public charging system.
Design, Interior, and Technology
The Cybertruck’s minimalist interior has an 18.5-inch center touch screen and a 9.4-inch screen for rear passengers. You get SiriusXM and a Wi-Fi hot spot standard, but Tesla doesn’t provide Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility.
The Lightning gives you a 12-inch digital dash, a 12-inch SYNC touch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, dual climate control, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. Its higher trims add leather, ventilated seats, and a 15.5-inch screen. Unlike the Tesla, physical buttons still exist for common functions.
The Cybertruck’s frunk fits one carry-on bag, but fold the rear seats and you can stow up to 22 inside. Its bed offers 121 cubic feet, compared to the Ford’s 52.8 cubic feet. The Lightning’s Mega Power Frunk offers 14.1 cubic feet, letting you stow tools, groceries, or camping gear. Tesla focused on interior versatility, while Ford spread storage between the frunk and bed.
Safety, Driver Assistance, and Warranties
Ford loads up on standard safety tech, so every Lightning gets automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-departure alerts, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and rear parking sensors. In the XLT, you get front sensors and surround-view cameras, and the Platinum trim adds BlueCruise, Ford’s hands-free highway driving system.
Tesla includes Autopilot on all Cybertrucks, with its Full Self-Driving system available for an extra fee, although neither system is fully autonomous yet. Warranty-wise, Tesla gives you four years/50,000 miles basic coverage and eight years/150,000 miles on both powertrain and battery components.
Ford has a slightly different set of warranties. The Lightning gets a limited warranty for three years/36,000 miles, five years/60,000 miles of coverage for the powertrain, and eight years/100,000 miles for the battery components. Neither company offers any complimentary maintenance.
Quality control has been an issue for early Cybertrucks. In March 2025 alone, Tesla recalled 46,096 trucks, adding to the eight recalls associated with the 2024 model by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Whether this indicates growing pains or bigger problems, it’s too early to say — but it’s worth considering if reliability tops your priority list.
Find Your Perfect Electric Truck Match at Butler Ford
The Cybertruck may offer better charging speed and raw performance, but the Lightning scores higher on towing features, interior comfort, familiar tech, and value. Deciding which truck deserves your garage space comes down to what you value. If you prefer familiar controls, lower prices, and a truck that’ll work hard for you while reducing your emissions, the Lightning’s a great candidate.
Want to see if the Lightning’s practical approach fits your lifestyle? Stop by our Butler Ford dealership in North Ashland for a test-drive. We think you’ll find that going electric doesn’t mean giving up everything you love about trucks.
