Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.For four years these were the two electric pickups that mattered. The Ford F-150 Lightning took America's best-selling vehicle and electrified it without making it look strange, and it worked, holding the electric-truck sales crown for most of its life. The Rivian R1T came from a startup with no truck history at all and won over reviewers with its engineering and its gear tunnel.2026 F-150 Lightning STXFordOnly one of them is still being built. That single fact reshapes this comparison more than any spec on the sheet, so we will deal with it first. Here is how the R1T and Lightning stack up, and which one we would buy today.2026 Rivian R1TRivianSpecs and pricingSpecificationRivian R1TFord F-150 LightningPower533 to 1,025 hp536 or 580 hpMax EPA range420 miles320 miles0-60 mph2.5 to 4.5 secAbout 3.8 to 4.1 secMax towing11,000 lb10,000 lbCharge portNative NACSCCS, NACS via adapterProduction statusOngoingEndedStarting priceAbout $71,000About $65,500The Lightning is out of productionFord has discontinued the all-electric F-150 Lightning. Production stopped in October 2025 after a fire at aluminum supplier Novelis forced Ford to prioritize its more profitable gas and hybrid F-150s, and it never restarted. In December, Ford confirmed the model was finished rather than paused, with executives saying the company would stop spending on large EVs with no path to profitability.2026 F-150 Lightning STXFordThe name is coming back as an extended-range electric vehicle, an EREV that drives on electricity but carries a gasoline generator to extend range and improve long-haul towing, though no on-sale date has been given. Ford has committed to maintaining parts and service for ten years and to continuing over-the-air software updates for existing trucks. Practically speaking, you can no longer factory-order a Lightning; you are shopping remaining new inventory or the used market. The full details of Ford's decision are worth reading in Kelley Blue Book's report.2026 Rivian R1TRivianAdvertisementAdvertisementPower, range, and chargingThe Rivian R1T covers far more ground. It runs from a 533-horsepower Dual Motor through a 665-horsepower Performance Dual, a 2.9-second Tri, and a 1,025-horsepower Quad that hits 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Three battery packs are offered, and range spans 258 to 420 miles depending on motors, pack, and wheel size. Every 2026 R1T now uses a native NACS port for direct Tesla Supercharger access.2026 Rivian R1S and R1TRivianThe 2026 Lightning simplified its lineup by dropping the 98-kWh standard-range battery entirely. Every trim now gets at least the 123-kWh pack, good for 536 horsepower and roughly 300 miles, while the 131-kWh option bumps that to 580 horsepower and up to 320 miles. That is competitive but a hundred miles behind the best R1T, and the Lightning still uses a CCS port requiring an adapter for Superchargers. Both are quick enough that acceleration is not a deciding factor.2026 F-150 Lightning STXFordTowing and truck workRivian holds a narrow edge on paper at 11,000 pounds to the Lightning's 10,000, but the details matter. The 11,000-pound rating now requires the Max battery pack on second-generation R1Ts, where the first generation offered it across the range, and without a weight-distributing hitch every R1T drops to 5,000 pounds. Ford's 10,000-pound figure needs the Max Trailer Tow Package.2025-2026 Rivian R1TRivianFor actual work, the Lightning is the more conventional truck and that helps. It is a full-size F-150 with a 5.5-foot bed, familiar dimensions, a large front trunk, and Pro Power Onboard, which turns the truck into a generator. The R1T is closer to midsize in practice despite its full-size classification, with a four-foot-six bed, a 9.9-cubic-foot frunk, and the 11.7-cubic-foot gear tunnel that remains one of the cleverest storage solutions on any pickup. Both lose enormous range under load; expect roughly half your rated miles with a heavy trailer.2026 F-150 Lightning STXFordAdvertisementAdvertisementInterior, tech, and everyday useThe R1T's cabin is the more interesting and the more premium, with an upscale minimalist design, adaptive air suspension offering up to 14.6 inches of ground clearance, and genuinely useful off-road modes including wading. Rivian ships meaningful improvements over the air, and the Quad models added features like Kick Turn and customizable drive modes after launch.2026 Rivian R1T RivianThe Lightning's interior is a familiar F-150 environment, which many buyers will prefer: physical controls, obvious ergonomics, a quiet ride, and a low center of gravity that makes it handle better than the gas truck. Ford's warranty runs 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5 years/60,000 miles powertrain, and 8 years/100,000 miles on the battery.2026 F-150 Lightning STXFordPrice and valueThe Lightning is cheaper. The 2026 STX starts around $65,500 with destination, and with the model discontinued, remaining inventory is being discounted hard, which makes it one of the better bargains in electric trucks right now. The R1T opens near $71,000 for the Dual Standard and climbs past $120,000 for a Quad Launch Edition.2025 Ford F-150 Lightning LariatFordThe offsetting risk is obvious. An orphaned model means uncertain resale, a shrinking service footprint over time, and no future updates to the hardware, even with Ford's ten-year parts commitment. Rivian's long-term stability is not a given either, but it is actively building and improving this truck.2026 Rivian R1T RivianAdvertisementAdvertisementSo which one wins?The Rivian R1T wins, and the production question is the biggest reason why. It is the only one of the two you can actually order, it offers up to 420 miles of range against the Lightning's 320, it has a native NACS port, it tows slightly more, and it spans a far wider range of configurations from a sensible Dual Motor to a 1,025-horsepower Quad. It is also the better-engineered and more interesting vehicle.The Ford F-150 Lightning is a close second on merit and, for the right buyer, a genuine bargain. If you can find remaining inventory at a steep discount, you get a conventional full-size truck with a real bed, Pro Power Onboard, 300-plus miles of range, and Ford's promise of a decade of parts and service. Just go in clear-eyed about buying a discontinued model, and know that a Lightning-badged EREV is coming. For the better electric truck to buy new today, the R1T wins.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Car Buying section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.