Pickup trucks are among the most popular and profitable vehicles sold by Detroit’s automakers, but after a century they are turning the workhorses into electric vehicles.
Rivian’s plant in Normal, Ili., may have been the first company to bring an electric pickup truck, the R1T, to market back in 2021, Ford Motor Co. was not far behind and unveiled the F-150 Ford Lightning EV in the spring of 2022 with an assist from President Joe Biden.
General Motors, meanwhile, moving forward with plans for its Chevrolet Silverado RST EV and GMC Sierra EV Denali, which GM executive are promising will debut this year.
In January, Stellantis, the company created in the merger of Fiat, Chrysler and Peugeot, unveiled its new battery electric pickup truck at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The Ram Revolution has a wheelbase that is four inches longer than the 2023 Ram 1500 — resulting in extra cabin space and enhanced comfort for passengers as well as room for the batteries. Full underbody aero panels and an active diffuser in the rear help reduce drag and improve battery range, according to Stellantis.
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To meet the needs of truck owners in terms of range, towing, payload and charge time, the Ram Revolution, the concept version of the 1500 RV expected out next year, maximizes the potential of the upcoming body-on-frame architecture, the Stellantis press kit notes.
Meanwhile, F-150 Lightning continues as America’s best-selling electric since its introduction in 2022, according to Ford’s monthly sales report.
Ford has announced plans to double production of the Lightning and has made a series of improvements to increase the vehicle's range to 240 miles per charge and improve cold-weather operation.
Among the most popular — and most-photographed — features of the F-150 Lightning is the Mega Power Frunk. Owners are using the space to store gear and are taking advantage of its 2.4 kW of Pro Power Onboard2 to help power their campsite or charge their tools while driving.
Nearly 80% of those reserving the F-150 Lightning said in a survey that it will be the first full EV in their household.
The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV was designed from the ground up to power General Motors' all-electric lineup. “The Ultium Platform is our electric solution for the future — making electric-propulsion, exhilarating-torque and zero-emissions driving possible,” according to GM.
Additionally, an Ultium Home accessory charging unit can switch between powering Silverado and a home, keeping the lights on for up to 21 days, GM says. Additionally, it may be able to store extra energy to save on electric bills and sell that power back to the grid with a participating utility company, GM notes.
The Silverado promises a range of 400 miles on a charge.
Rivian makes no qualms of describing the R1T as a “luxury truck.”
“From the hottest places to the coldest — from 130 degrees Fahrenheit to 25 degrees below — our battery systems were built to explore, targeting between 260–400 miles of range, depending on the battery pack and motor," Rivian notes, citing the Dual-Motor and 21-inch wheel combination as the most efficient, The 20- and 22-inch wheels reduce range 10-15% and 5-10%, depending on driving style and conditions,” Rivian says.
While General Motors and Stellantis have not released the prices for their EV pickups, the Ford Lightning starts at $46,000 and the R1T at $67,500.
Waiting in the wings is the Cybertruck, which Tesla unveiled in November 2019 and started the EV pickup race. Tesla is now promising it will begin building the Cybertruck this year and have it on sale in 2024.
