Dodge parent-company Stellantis recently announced that the automotive manufacturer plans to release an all-electric Ram 1500 truck in 2024. This is just the latest in a growing field of all-electric trucks. Here’s a look at some of the contenders.
Ford caught a lot of attention toward the end of May when they unveiled the all-electric F-150 Lightning truck. Set to release in 2022, the Lightning touts similar performance to the gas model and will be built in Dearborn, Michigan at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. The Lightning will also come with Ford’s hands-free highway driving system, BlueCruise.
While there will be four different trim levels available, all F-150 Lightnings have an all-wheel drive, dual-motor setup. There are two lithium-ion battery packs that will be available—Standard Range having an estimated 230 mile range and Extended Range with an estimated 300 miles. The powertrain setup with the Standard pack puts out roughly 426 horsepower and Extended boosts it up to 563 horsepower. According to Ford, both setups have 775 pound-foot torque and go from 0-60 mph in the mid-4 second range.
The Lightning is a little less equipped for towing however, as the Extended can haul up to 10,000 pounds—4000 pounds less than the top-of-the-line gas-powered F-150. That being said, the truck can display the current weight with onboard scales and adjusts the estimated driving range based on said weight. There is also 14 cubic feet of storage space in the front trunk that can accommodate up to 400 pounds.
Ford also says the F-150 Lightning will be capable of powering a properly equipped home through the Ford Intelligent Backup Power system. Under normal circumstances, plugging in the Lightning to the 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro will charge it. However, should the home lose power, the Lightning can essentially work as a backup generator to power the home for up to 3-10 days depending on power usage. The backup system can be turned on manually or set to automatically activate.
General Motors is releasing the all-electric Hummer EV Edition 1 pickup at the end of this year and the Chevy Silverado EV in 2023. Both will be built at GMC’s renamed Factory ZERO in Michigan, though the company hasn’t released much info on the Silverado EV outside of the claim of a 400 mile range.
The same can’t be said for the Hummer EV pickup. GMC estimates their Hummer EV 3X has a 350 mile range and a three motor drivetrain of up to 1000 horsepower—capable of 0-60 in 3 seconds and up to 11,500 pound-foot torque. The two motor Hummer EV 2 and EV 2X clock in a bit lower at an estimated 625 horsepower, 7,400 pound-foot torque and ranges of 250 or 300 miles respectively.
The Hummer EV will come with a three year subscription of GMC’s Super Cruise: a driver assistance system that enables hands-free driving and automatic lane changing. Also available is UtraVision, which uses 18 forward-and-rear-facing cameras to show terrain in real-time to help navigate at low speeds.
All of this performance on the Hummer EV will come at a cost, with estimated MSRP starting at $79,995. The various trims also have different estimated release dates over the next three years and reservations are already full for the Edition 1.
Not much is known yet about the Ram 1500 EV—which isn’t too surprising considering the 2024 release year. However, Ram has claimed that the 1500 EV will have a range of 500 miles and be able to tow more than 10,000 pounds.
Outside of the “Big Three” automakers, the Tesla Cybertruck was announced back in November of 2019, with a minimal number expected to be delivered later this year. Production doesn’t ramp up until then though, so most won’t be on the road until next year. Tesla offers three drivetrain options for the Cybertruck: a rear-wheel drive single motor, all-wheel drive dual motor and all-wheel drive tri motor. These have estimated 0-60 mph of 6.5, 4.5 and 2.9 seconds; towing capacities of 7,500, 10,000 and 14,000 pounds; and ranges of 250, 300 and 500 miles respectively.
New on the field is American startup Rivian with their R1T. The R1T is all-wheel drive with a motor at each wheel. According to Rivian, the quad-motor is capable of 0-60 in three seconds, has a range of over 300 miles, and has a 11,000 pound towing capacity. Having a motor for each wheel also allows the R1T to do what the company calls a “tank turn.” The vehicle can wade in depths of over three feet and was designed to handle outdoor temperatures between -25 F and 130 F. The first R1Ts were expected to be delivered this month.
There are a few other all-electric truck manufacturers on the horizon, including the Nikola Badger, the Bollinger B2 and the Lordstown Endurance.
Author: George Ftikas Jr.
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