Thanks to Tesla and a ton of other carmakers making hybrid and electric vehicles, the stigma around EVs is pretty much shattered at this point. However, one big development that’s set to rock the automotive world in the next few years is the rise of the electric truck! By the end of 2022, there are set to be 8 major electric trucks on the market. Say goodbye to the days of gas-guzzling pickups, electric is the future.
And no EV pickup has gotten more attention than the Tesla Cybertruck. But just because it’s the most famous, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the one you should set your sights on. In this article, I’m going to break down what makes the Tesla Cybertruck such a star, and compare it to all the other electric trucks that are set to come out in the next two years.
So if you’re thinking about buying an electric truck, or you just want to know more about the future of electric vehicles, strap in! This is Tesla Cybertruck versus the world.
Tesla Cybertruck – Elon’s Boxy Baby
Let’s kick it off with our baseline: the Tesla Cybertruck. We’re using the Cybertruck as the baseline for all the other EV trucks on the horizon because… well… it’s the one almost everyone has heard of!
Back in 2019, Elon Musk first took to the stage to reveal the all-new Cybertruck to the world, and the audience at the event seemed a bit confused at first. Is it a tank? Is it a spaceship? I think we can all agree that the aesthetics on the Cybertruck are… interesting.
But whether you love or hate the exterior design, there’s no denying that this EV is set to be seriously capable. Tesla plans to offer the Cybertruck with your choice of one, two, or three electric motors. And naturally, the more motors you have, the more pickup. 0 to 60 time is 6.5 seconds with one motor, 4.5 seconds with two motors, and wait for it… 2.9 seconds with the three! That’s about as quick as a McLaren 650S! Remember this is a truck we’re talking about…
The Cybertruck will be able to tow 7,500, 10,000, or 14,000 pounds depending on how many motors you go with, and every version of the Cybertruck will carry 3,500 pounds in the cargo bed. In terms of range, one motor gives you 250 miles, two gives you over 300 miles, and the three-motor version will apparently go over 500 miles on a single charge.
Not to mention the interior is lined with top-of-the line tech. Of course, it’ll have a movie-screen-sized touchscreen display, which will feature a towing calculator to let people know how much more their truck can handle.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, the exterior will be bulletproof. Tesla’s expected to start production of the Cybertruck in 2022, with the single-motor start at $39,900, the dual at $49,900, and the triple at $69,900. How’s anything going to compete with that kind of value?
Rivian R1T – Amazon’s Horse in the Race
You may have never heard of the brand Rivian before, but you should know that they’ve partnered up with a carmaker that you definitely know to build their electric truck: Ford! Ford tossed $500 million in investment money at Rivian just two months after Amazon put up $700 million.
Unfortunately the release of the Rivian truck, which we’ve only seen prototypes of thus far, has been delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus. Just one more thing that corona ruined… However, Ford and Rivian say they plan to push forward with development based on Rivian’s “skateboard” platform, so hopefully one day this beast will take to the streets.
What we do know, however, is that the R1T, like the Cybertruck, will most likely be offered in three battery variants at different price points: 105, 135, and 180 kilowatts. However, this EV pickup will be considerably more expensive than the Cybertruck, with the single motor starting around $70,000 and the triple motor around $80,000.
While the triple battery model is set to have the longest range, which will apparently be over 400 miles, the dual motor is set to be the quickest and most powerful with 754 horsepower and a 0 to 60 time of just 3 seconds.
The R1T will also have the ability to do what the startup calls Tank Turn, which involves turning the left and right wheels in opposite directions and turning on a dime.
Ford F-150 Electric – Electrified Classic
If you needed proof that the future is electric, the F-150, Ford’s flagship pickup and the top selling truck in the United States in 2020, will apparently be offering an all-electric version in the year 2022. Ford, however, will not be making the jump straight to electric. In 2021 they plan to unveil the F-150 Hybrid that will feature a PowerBoost gasoline-powered twin-turbocharged V6 hooked up to a 10-speed transmission paired with a 35 kilowatt electric motor. And then in the following year, they plan to roll out the all-electric version, which will either be called the Everglade or simply the F-150 Electric.
Apparently this electric version of America’s favorite truck will continue the F-150’s legacy of being able to handle massive workloads, as evidenced by the video Ford released of their all-electric prototype pulling a line of train cars weighing over a million pounds! No, the tow rating on the 2022 Ford EV will not be over a million, probably closer to 12,000 pounds, but that’s still pretty damn impressive.
The electric F-150 will sit on a modified version of the standard F-150’s frame, will feature an electric motor at all four wheels, and its range is expected to max out around 200 miles, which is considerably less than the Cybertruck’s. And the Cybertruck is also expected to outcompete in price. While the F-150 electric is expected to start under $100,000, it probably won’t come close to Tesla’s base price of $40,000.
Lordstown Endurance – Electric Company Truck
The Lordstown Endurance looks like if an F-150 got sucked through a wormhole, spent a few years getting tampered with on an alien planet, and returned back to Earth with a futuristic new exterior. Unveiled only back in June of 2020 at a release event in Ohio, Lordstown plans to get the Endurance on the road by early 2021, which would make it the first EV truck to market in the US.
Unfortunately for you and I, they plan to market only to big businesses like utility companies who have large fleets at first, and it could be a few years before private buyers can actually get their hands on the wheel of an Endurance.
This truck will definitely be a workhorse, but compared with the other electric trucks on this list, it sort of pales in comparison. It’s set to feature a hub-motor system with a motor at each wheel, combining for 600 horsepower and a range of 250 miles, with a towing capacity of 6,000 pounds.
The Endurance is supposedly going to start at $52,200. If Tesla delivers on their promises, the dual-motor Cybertruck will have a greater range, greater horsepower, greater towing capacity, and all at a lower price. Looks like the boys at Lordstown will have to try harder if they want to beat out Elon.
Nikola Badger – Badass Badger
If there was ever a direct shot at Tesla, naming your electric vehicle startup after the same guy is it. Nikola Tesla… Tesla took the last name, Nikola took the first. Started in 2014, Nikola Motors has been moving towards developing eclectic and hydrogen-powered trucks for 6 years now, and their first major electric truck to come to market will be the Badger in 2022.
But will this Badger be as badass as the YouTube-famous honey badger? Well, first off, the top-trim Badger won’t only be electrically powered but will also feature a hydrogen fuel cell as well. The 160-kilowatt battery and 120-kilowatt fuel cell will combine for a peak output of 906 horsepower, which is more than the Cybertruck even in its tri-motor version. And it’ll hit 60 in just 2.9 seconds, matching the tri-motor Cybertruck.
The top-trim Cybertruck will have a greater towing capacity, however, with the Badger towing 8,000 pounds, 2,000 pounds less than its competitor. And the tri-motor Cybertruck will also be about $10,000 cheaper than the Badger.
I think it’s safe to say that Nikola is a serious competitor to Tesla in the world of top-of-the-line EV trucks. Who will win the battle for Nikola Tesla’s namesake? We’ll just have to wait and see…
Bollinger B2 – Toolbox On Wheels
The Bollinger B1 SUV was the first electric vehicle that the company put out, and the thing looked like a literal metal cube on wheels. The Bollinger B2 pickup, which is set to come out in 2021, is basically just the B1 with a cargo bed slapped on the back.
The B2 features dual electric motors that will combine for a total of 614 horsepower and 688 pound-feet of torque, and all that power is capable of towing 7,500 pounds. Estimated range on the B2 will be around 200 miles, and it’ll hit 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.
You might notice something about all of the specs I just mentioned… none of them compare to the tri-motor Cybertruck. So the Bollinger B2 must be cheaper than the Cybertruck, right? Nope. The B2 is starting at $125,000, whereas you could have a tri-motor Cybertruck which trumps the B2 in almost every way for $45,000 less.
So, unless you love the idea of driving something that looks like your high school locker on wheels, go with the Tesla.
GMC Hummer EV – Yes, You Read That Correctly
No, you haven’t been sucked into the Matrix. The gas-guzzling army-truck-turned-street-car, the Hummer, is being revived as an electric truck! If that completely blows your mind, and you want to know more, make sure you check out our video all about the new Hummer EV.
Anyway, General Motors has decided to bring back the Hummer name, but this time as an EV which will be under the GMC brand. And if you watched the Super Bowl last year, you may have seen the commercial for the Hummer EV that was boasting some pretty unbelievable specs.
The Hummer will use GM’s new Ultium battery-pack system, which will give it a range of around 350 miles. And it will apparently be able to charge 100 miles in just 10 minutes. But where the Hummer EV really excels is power. This electric truck will have 1,000 horsepower and hit 60 in just 3 seconds.
The Super Bowl ad also boasted a mind-boggling 11,500 pound-feet of torque, although that number is almost definitely calculated using gear ratios. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry. All you need to know is that the real torque number will be between 1,000 and 1,100, which is just barely higher than the tri-motor Cybertruck. The Hummer EV also has the edge on Tesla in terms of horsepower, whereas the top-line Cybertruck beats out the Hummer in terms of range and towing capability.
The Edition 1 Hummer EV is set to come out in 2022 at a starting price of $112,595, which is considerably higher than any Cybertruck going on the market. GMC will roll out more affordable Hummer EV’s in later years, but you can expect those to be a whole lot less powerful.
Chevrolet EV Truck – Silverado Reborn
Near the end of 2021, Chevy plans to start production of an all-electric truck that will be stylistically similar to the Silverado. While the Hummer EV is an absolute statement, the Chevy EV Truck seems like an attempt at something a little more practical.
This new EV Chevy, which has yet to be named, will be offered with battery pack options from 50 to 200 kilowatts, and will have over 400 miles of range in the top version. Little is known about how powerful the Chevy EV truck will be, but the price is supposed to be somewhere between $50,000 to $70,000, which would make it a serious consideration for people who want an affordable EV truck that looks more like a classic pickup than a spacecraft. I’d say it’d be easier to sell middle America on a battery-powered Silverado than that weird sci-fi styled Cybertruck. But who knows? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see…
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