The word on the street is that after a few short years, everyone is going to be buying an electric car because that’s all of the new cars that will be available.

When Ford’s CEO hopped in one for a road trip, though, he realized how many hurdles there still are to cross before that can be a reality for everyone.

CEO Jim Farley took off in a Ford F-150 Lightning, which was introduced last year, heading from Silicon Valley to Las Vegas.

“Long hauling in an electric truck is an act of pioneerism, not because it’s hard or dangerous, but because it’s a new way to experience America.”

His first charging stop was a popular station in Coalinga, CA, and Farley was surprised to find his engine only charged to 40% after 40 minutes.

The Lightning can only go around 300 miles on a single charge.

“No surprise charging can be a challenge, but still learning a lot seeing firsthand the issues our customers face.”

Ford is currently in negotiations with Tesla to allow their customers to use the more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in the near future. That would nearly double the fast charges currently available for those who drive a Ford.

Starting in 2035, all vehicles sold in California need to be zero emissions, so getting this right – and fairly quickly – is important if Ford wants to stay competitive.

Proponents of electric vehicles say that Ford getting this right with a vehicle as popular as the F-150 could go a long way toward lessening anxiety and encouraging more people to make the switch now instead of later.

So good on Farley for taking a hard look at what needs to change in order to make the transition easier for everyone.