Compared: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning vs. 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV

The competition continues as these crosstown rivals switch from fossil fuels to electrons. We compare their performance, price, and towing capacity.

Sebastian Blanco | 

Feb 25, 2022 | 3 min read

The Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV have a lot in common. They’re both half-ton pickup trucks with a light signature that stretches across the nose. They’re both high-profile battery-powered vehicles that will play a big role in advancing the cause of EVs in the U.S. And they’re both immensely capable, with a lot of power, torque, and features to satisfy the needs of truck buyers. Though we don’t yet have all the details—the Silverado is still more than a year away from reaching dealers, after all—here’s what we know about how these two pickups differ.

Ford

Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Chevrolet Silverado EV: Performance

Chevy claims the Silverado EV RST will offer some 400 miles of range from a 200-kilowatt-hour battery pack and hit 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds. The Lightning should just about meet that acceleration marker, with an estimated 60-mph time in the mid-fours, but it can go only 300 miles on a charge with the Extended Range Battery’s 131-kWh capacity. The most powerful Silverado EV will boast up to 664 horsepower and more than 780 pound-feet of torque, while the base model, known as the Silverado WT, gets 510 horsepower.

Chevrolet

The top Lightning will produce, at most, 563 horses and 775 pound-feet, with the entry Pro trim making 426 horsepower. Both trucks will offer hands-free driver-assistance technology—Super Cruise for the Silverado EV and BlueCruise for the Lightning—and be able to do things internal-combustion-powered pickups can’t, such as use the EV’s charging system to power a home during an outage or provide electricity at a jobsite or campground. At least initially, these trucks will come only in four-door crew-cab form.

Ford

Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Chevrolet Silverado EV: Price

Chevy hasn’t confirmed full pricing details for the Silverado EV, as the truck doesn’t come out until spring 2023. But we do know its base ask, and it’s right in line with Ford’s: Buyers are looking at a starting price of $41,595 for the electric Silverado and $41,669 for the F-150. The more powerful and capable trims will naturally cost more, with the top Ford, the F-150 Lightning Platinum, starting at $92,569. The premier Chevrolet, the Silverado EV RST, will cost more than $100,000.

Chevrolet

While Ford took a relatively straightforward approach to electrifying its pickup, the Chevy will offer some unique features. Four-wheel steering reduces the truck’s turning radius, making it easier to maneuver around tight corners. Additionally, buyers can spec the Silverado EV with the Multi-Flex Midgate, a folding bulkhead between the bed and cabin that, when lowered, allows owners to fit items longer than nine feet into the truck with the tailgate closed.

Ford

Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Chevrolet Silverado EV: Towing

Chevy is making big promises for the Silverado EV. The fleet-oriented Work Truck model will launch first and have a maximum towing capability of 8,000 pounds, but this number will increase to 20,000 pounds when Chevy introduces a max towing package for the WT.

Chevrolet

The top-trim RST can handle up to 10,000 pounds hanging off the hitch. As for the Ford, towing tops out at 7,700 pounds for the Standard Range battery and 10,000 for the Extended Range model.

Sebastian Blanco

Sebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His first green-car media event was the launch of the first Tesla Roadster in 2006, an event where he almost elbowed Arnold Schwarzenegger in the groin. Since then, he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology's importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole.