Compare the2026 Chevrolet Silverado EVVS 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning

Both the Silverado EV and the F-150 Lightning have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available driver alert monitors.

The Chevrolet Silverado EV weighs 510 to 2449 pounds more than the Ford F-150 Lightning. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Silverado EV’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the F-150 Lightning’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated below average.

The Silverado EV has more powerful engines than the F-150 Lightning:

The Silverado EV can travel longer on a full charge than the F-150 Lightning on a full charge:

For better stopping power the Silverado EV’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the F-150 Lightning:

The Silverado EV stops shorter than the F-150 Lightning:

For better traction, the Silverado EV Trail Boss’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the F-150 Lightning (285/75R18 vs. 275/65R18).

The Chevrolet Silverado EV’s wheels have 8 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford F-150 Lightning only has 6 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Silverado EV has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The F-150 Lightning doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Silverado EV offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The F-150 Lightning’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Silverado EV has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Silverado EV’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The F-150 Lightning doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Silverado EV handles at .73 G’s, while the F-150 Lightning Short Bed Platinum pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Silverado EV Trail Boss’ turning circle is 5.6 feet tighter than the F-150 Lightning’s (42.2 feet vs. 47.8 feet). The ’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the F-150 Lightning’s (44 feet vs. 47.8 feet).

The front grille of the Silverado EV uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The F-150 Lightning doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Silverado EV has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom and .8 inches more rear legroom than the F-150 Lightning.

The Silverado EV has a much larger cargo box than the F-150 Lightning shortbed (57.3 vs. 52.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Silverado EV easier. The Silverado EV’s bed lift-over height is 35 inches, while the F-150 Lightning’s liftover is 36.7 inches.

The Silverado EV’s cargo box is larger than the F-150 Lightning’s in almost every dimension:

The Chevrolet Silverado EV offers an optional midgate with a removable rear window that allows the front of the cargo box to be folded down in order to extend the length of the cargo box to allow it to safely carry longer cargo. The Ford F-150 Lightning doesn't offer a way to extend the cargo box into the rear seat.

The Silverado EV’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the F-150 Lightning’s (8500 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford F-150 Lightning Short Bed is only 10,000 pounds. The Silverado EV offers up to a 12500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Silverado EV has a much higher standard payload capacity than the F-150 Lightning (2350 vs. 2000 lbs.).

The Silverado EV has a higher optional payload capacity than the F-150 Lightning (2350 vs. 2235 lbs.).

A maintenance reminder system is optional on the Silverado EV to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for tire rotation, based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Ford doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the F-150 Lightning.

The Silverado EV LT/Trail Boss offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The F-150 Lightning doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Silverado EV’s standard front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The F-150 Lightning’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

On a hot day the Silverado EV’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the F-150 Lightning can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Silverado EV’s standard Keyless Open and Start allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the tailgate, and start the truck, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Push Button Start standard on the F-150 Lightning only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the truck. Push Button Start is not available on the F-150 Lightning Flash/Lariat/Platinum.

The Silverado EV’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the F-150 Lightning.

When the Silverado EV LT/Trail Boss with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The F-150 Lightning’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Silverado EV is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the F-150 Lightning, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Silverado EV offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the F-150 Lightning.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Silverado EV equipped with available HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The F-150 Lightning, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Chevrolet Silverado EV empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its November 2024 issue and the Chevrolet Silverado EV won out over the Ford F-150 Lightning Short Bed Platinum.