NEW YORK, Dec 2 — Despite the words ‘all electric’ and ‘pickup truck’ seemingly existing in completely different realms, 2019 saw the terms come together on several occasions.
As sedans, SUVs, and even hypercars are given electric powertrains, pickup trucks have been slow to submit to the electrification trend, or rather, necessity. Nevertheless, 2019 did see a small handful swap out their engines for battery-powered motors — or at least a promise to.
Tesla Cybertruck
In late November, Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck, a heavy-duty electric pick-up with a “nearly impenetrable” geometric exoskeleton. With a range of over 250 miles, this truck gets more mileage on a single charge than most non-Tesla EVs on the market. It has 100 cubic feet of storage space and can tow over 7,500 lbs (3,401kg).
The Tesla Cybertruck is available for order now starting at US$39,900 (RM166,642).
Ford F-150 Electric
Two years ago, Ford announced that its classic F-150 pickup will be available with a hybrid powertrain; at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, the company confirmed that “We’re going to be electrifying the F-Series — battery electric and hybrid.” While the details about the model remain almost non-existent, sources say that the battery electric pickup could debut in 2021.
Rivian R1T
At the New York Auto Show this past spring, Rivian displayed the R1T electric pickup that was announced late last year. Naturally, as the only model in the segment (until the Cybertruck) to compete with its gas-powered counterparts, this truck set the standards for the electric pickup.
This model can travel over 400 miles on a single charge and can tow up to 11,000 lbs.
The Rivian R1T is available for pre-order now starting at US$69,000.
Though the all-electric pickup truck segment is gaining traction slowly but surely, Rivian’s R1T is going to be the model to beat. — AFP-Relaxnews
