The electric vehicle market is in a strange position right now. With the federal tax credit gone, some automakers are moving forward while others are changing tack. Ford has decided to discontinue its all-electric F-150 Lightning and replace it with a model that combines an EV powerplant with a gas range extender. While Ford can no longer make a business case for the new Lightning, buyers should know that a used car is a good deal.
On paper the Illumination was (and still is) a great truck. However, the starting price and short available range when towing put off many buyers. The Lightning is an excellent choice for the vast majority of truck buyers who just need a local daily driver with some ability to do “truck work.” You can even use it to power your house during a power outage. When tax credits come into play, buyers can get lighting at super-cheap rental rates. Now that many trucks are entering used fleets, buyers can snap up the cheapest used trucks on the market.
Read more: These are the features you never use in your car
Better value than the base F-150
F150 Lightning Charge – Ford
To put things in perspective, if you price a gas-powered, two-door, two-wheel-drive, V8-powered base-model F-150 XL with no other options, you’re looking at a truck that retails for about $42,000 before incentives. This is a very basic piece of equipment that isn’t usually found on most dealer lots.
ford.com
According to Autotrader.com, there are more than 600 used F-150 Lightnings for sale nationwide, and about 216 of them retail for less than $42,000. While most of these trucks have a few miles on them, you can find some that are reasonably used and offer great value.
This is a 2023 Ford certified Lightning XLT with 23,000 miles, priced at $36,403.
Autotrader.com
The truck’s original MSRP was approximately $58,000. Compared to the base model XL, you save more than $20,000 on fuel costs and get more features.
The higher the trim, the better the deal
Gray F-150 Lightning Platinum – Ford
Of course, going with a base-spec gasoline F-150 isn’t the best pricing benchmark, since almost no one is going to buy a truck that basic. A more realistic comparison would be a “mid-level” XLT, 4×4, 3.5 EcoBoost and some common packages. Even a “normal” truck with common features will cost you nearly $60,000. Increase your used truck budget to $50,000 and you can get a fully loaded Lightning Platinum. This is a 2023 unit with 31,000 miles and a price of just under $49,000.
Autotrader.com
The device carries an incredible original MSRP of $97,529.
That’s a savings of nearly $50,000, and in the gas-powered truck market, there aren’t many opportunities to pick up a 3-year-old model with plenty of warranty for almost half the price. I should point out that when purchasing these used Lightnings, be aware that the cheaper portion of the inventory on the market is often manufacturer buyback or “lemon law” vehicles. While the savings may be tempting, they may not be worth the risk. However, some careful digging and a willingness to buy outside the market can get you more of a truck than you need for less than you expected.
Tom McParland is a staff writer at Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He eliminates the hassle of buying or leasing a car. Have car buying questions? Send it to Tom@AutomatchConsulting.com
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