2022 Ford F-150 Lightning vs. 2022 Rivian R1T

2022 Rivian R1T ・ Photo by Rivian

As the number of electric vehicles increases, trucks are entering the mix. There aren’t as many choices as there are if you want an SUV or a sedan, but the options are growing. The 2022 Rivian R1T is an all-electric truck that is from a dedicated electric automaker. It’s a capable and luxurious offering that comes at a premium.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning expands the existing F-150 lineup to include an all-electric option. It’s available across a range of four trims with multiple batteries and impressive capability. There’s also a wide range of features depending on your needs. Let’s take a closer look at these two electric trucks to see which is the better of the two.

More Trims Equal More Choice

The Rivian R1T was initially available in a Launch Edition, which is now completely sold out. Reservations are currently open for the Explore, which is priced at $67,500 and the Adventure, which is priced at $73,000. Even the base trim of the Rivian is well-equipped as this is more of a luxury offering without a true basic trim level.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is available in four trims. The base Pro is $39,974 while the XLT comes in at $52,974. The Lariat takes pricing up to $67,474 while the top Platinum trim is $90,874. While the top trim comes in with a higher price, there are two trims that come in well below the Rivian, which makes it more attainable.

: Ford F-150 Lightning

Photo by Ford

Strong Performance From Both Trucks

The dual-motor Rivian R1T has 600 horsepower with a matching 600 lb-ft of torque. Go with the quad motor configuration and those numbers jump to 800 horsepower with 900 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration is strong with no hesitation making the R1T an engaging truck to drive.

The Ford F-150 is available with a standard range or extended range battery. Equipped with the standard range battery, it delivers 452 horsepower while the extended range battery increases that figure to 563 horsepower. Both deliver 775 lb-ft of torque. Though strong on performance, the quad-motor R1T comes out ahead.

: Rivian R1T

Photo by Rivian

Powering Your House With Your Truck

You need to plug-in and charge the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T, but the Lightning can also offer up its power to keep the lights on at home. If the power goes out, instead of drawing power, it can send power from its battery to your house to keep it going for three days.

If you’re judicious in how much power you draw from your truck, then it could keep your home going for up to 10 days. This is something that only models with the extended range battery can accomplish and it’s a compelling reason to go that route. If you have concerns about power outages, then the Ford F-150 Lightning can make them less worrisome.

: Ford F-150 Lightning

Photo by Ford

Charging Times That Won’t Slow You Down

The Rivian R1T can be charged at Level 2 or Level 3 DC fast chargers. At a Level 2 charger, it adds about 25 miles of range an hour while a DC fast charger adds 140 miles of range in around 20 minutes.

The Ford F-150 Lightning can also use Level 2 or Level 3 DC fast chargers. The standard range battery gains roughly 41 miles of charge in 10 minutes at a 150-kW fast charger while the extended range battery takes that number up to 54 miles. You can be on your way faster in the Rivian.

: Rivian R1T

Photo by Rivian

Premium Interior Materials

The Rivian R1T has a premium interior in both its trims. It’s not flashy, but rather reserved with vegan leather seating surfaces that look and feel beautiful and available natural-grain ash wood trims for an extra touch of luxury.

The F-150 Lightning has a more modest interior in its base trims with either vinyl or cloth seating surfaces, but those trims are also much more affordable. Midway through the lineup, when pricing matches up with Rivian, the F-150 Lightning interior is richer, more eye-catching, and more luxurious that what Rivian offers.

: Ford F-150 Lightning

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Which One Goes Further?

Range anxiety is a big concern for EV owners. Both of these trucks offer more than enough range to get through a typical day. The Rivian R1T has three battery options with a range of either 260 miles, 314 miles, or 400 miles per charge.

The Ford F-150 Lightning has a choice of two batteries. The standard range battery offers a range of 230 miles while the extended range battery increases that number up to 320 miles depending on the trim. If you want the longest range possible, then the Rivian wins.

: Rivian R1T

Photo by Rivian

Towing and Payload Ratings That Let You Get Work Done

The Rivian R1T can handle a payload of up to 1,760 pounds and has a maximum tow rating of 11,000 pounds. The front trunk has an additional 11.1 cubic feet for cargo, and there’s a storage tunnel that runs the width of the R1T behind the cab with another 11.7 cubic feet.

The Ford F-150 Lightning can manage a payload of up to 2,235 pounds with a maximum tow rating of 10,000 pounds. Need even more room for stuff? The Mega Power Frunk under the hood offers another 14.1 cubic feet of cargo room and a max payload rating of 400 pounds. The Rivian R1T comes out ahead for its higher tow rating.

: Rivian R1T

Photo by Rivian

Tools for Towing

The Rivian R1T has a higher tow rating by 1,000 pounds, but there’s more to the story. The Ford F-150 Lighting has unique features to make towing easier. These include Intelligent Range, which collects vehicle data from speed to climate control to topography to calculate your range more accurately.

Onboard scales enhance this system so it can figure out how added cargo weight reduces range. There’s also FordPass Power My trip, which uses the data from trailers you configure and add to help figure out when you need to stop to charge. And it’s not just your truck, but other similar Ford vehicles with data pulled from the cloud that figure into the algorithm so you get more accurate estimates.

: Ford F-150 Lightning

Photo by Ford

Infotainment That Lacks Smartphone Connectivity

The Rivian R1T features a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. It’s how you control not only the infotainment system, but other vehicle functions including climate and even the hood release. While we like the system itself, there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which is a big negative.

The Ford F-150 Lightning has a 12.0-inch touchscreen on base trims with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, and navigation. The top two trims get a 15.5-inch touchscreen. Although it has smaller screens in its more affordable trims, the standard smartphone connectivity puts the Ford system in the lead.

: Ford F-150 Lightning

Photo by Ford

And the Winner Is…

These are two well-matched electric trucks that both have a lot to offer. The Rivian has a luxurious interior in both its trims, higher horsepower and range figures, and it can tow more. That’s plenty of reason to consider going with the fledgling EV maker.

The Ford F-150 Lightning has better smartphone connectivity for its infotainment system, a more upscale interior for its top trims, and features that make towing with an EV easier. It also has more trims and a lower starting price that keep it affordable.

: Ford F-150 Lightning

Photo by Ford