The appeal of electric vehicles has never been this strong. Tesla is already raking in profits while General Motors targets to start selling only electric vehicles by 2035. Volkswagen is taking it to the next level by targeting making electric vehicles far cheaper than the gas-fired models. To cap it all, approximately 2/3 of the US drivers have indicated they would want to own an electric vehicle.
Although the bulk of the focus so far has been directed to sedans and crossovers, there is no doubt that the trucks category is one of the high-potential niches. Take the example of the United States. Here, trucks are considered the backbone of the auto industry. There are more sales for tracks compared to other categories of cars. It is no wonder that most automakers out there are already working towards releasing the much-awaited electric trucks. Keep reading to understand what is coming, including specifics for each, such as charging, power, towing, and performance. Let’s do this!
What is an Electric Truck?
Before looking at the main categories of electric trucks likely to hit the road, let us go back to the beginning: what is an electric truck? This is a vehicle that runs on batteries instead of gas and is used for cargo transport, hauling specialized payloads, or personal work.
Electric trucks can help to reduce noise and pollution levels by a huge margin compared to internal combustion models. Because of this design, they are considered an important cog in addressing the problem of global warming. If the bulk of vehicles on the road are electric, it would be a great step in reducing emissions released from vehicles every year.
Because of low-component count and high efficiency, the cost of purchasing and running an electric truck is also lower than their gas-fired predecessors. “If they are this efficient, why are they not yet on the market?” The only reason for this is that the technology is new, but the fact is that they have started entering the market, and the performance is awesome, as we are going to see in the numbers in the next section.
Electric Trucks: What Does Research Say?
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is working with its partners in both private and public sectors to develop research and rapidly deploy electric vehicle technology (EV) technology. The department holds the view that driving an electric vehicle can help save on operating costs and is more beneficial to the environment.
In one of the studies done by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory, researchers found that drivers using electric cars can save up to $14,500 on fuel costs in a span of 15 years. However, they indicated that mass adoption of electric vehicles, such as plug-in electric vehicle models (PEV) models, will require a massive network of charging stations, from home-based models to fast charging public stations for greater efficiency.
In another study done by Fraunhofer ISI for the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the market uptake of electric trucks is expected to surge in the coming few years. The study recommended that the charging stations follow the current fueling stations to make the transition to the new types of trucks easy. In particular, the report suggested positioning the stations close or near the 750,000 individual stops.
Even as the American and European markets work on preparing the market for electric trucks, there is one that has already raced ahead – South Korea. In 2020 only, Hyundai sold more than 9,000 electric trucks in South Korea. Trailing Hyundai closely is KIA which sold over 5,000 units of the electric KIA Bongo in the same market. In total, about 7.6% of the trucks in South Korea are electric.
The success story that is South Korea and an enthusiastic world point at one thing: the word has reached a point of no return when it comes to electric trucks. Therefore, you better get prepared because they are going to become more common.
What are the Benefits of Using Electric Trucks
The most cited benefit of electric trucks is the reduced emissions. This will go a long way to help address the problem of global warming and climate change. Well, if you are yet to make the decision whether to go for an EV truck, here are additional benefits to anticipate:
Pros of Using Electric Trucks
- The Vehicles can Be a Renewable Resource
When you acquire an electric car, it means that it can be powered using a renewable resource, such as water, wind, or solar power. However, gasoline-powered trucks use petroleum, which is not renewable. This gives you the satisfaction of knowing your operations are eco-friendly.
You will also love them because electricity is cheaper than gasoline. After acquiring a truck, you are sure of cutting the cost by about 2/3 to run. Furthermore, their maintenance is cheap because they use the latest technologies. For example, most of them use generative braking, which is very cheap.
- Awesome Tax Credits
By simply owning an electric car, you are sure to enjoy awesome tax credits. The original owners of electric trucks can expect to get as much as $7,500 in some states. Remember that the tax credit might vary depending on the car model, technology employed, and state.
- Better Performance
When electric cars were first unveiled, they did not have a very good image. In fact, many are the people who had very low expectations about them, but this is changing. Ongoing research on electric vehicles has resulted in more efficient and appealing designs. Because they do not have a heavy internal combustion engine system, they are lighter and more spacious. They also accelerate and drive smoother compared to the gasoline models.
Cons of Electric Trucks
Although the benefits of electric trucks are many, they are not without a host of cons, and it is prudent to appreciate them. Here are the most common:
- The Driving Range
Although the distance you can drive on a single charge has improved significantly, it is still pretty low. Most electric cars on the market today can only do about 70 miles. This means that you need to keep stopping to recharge in order to proceed with the journey. This is why some people prefer a hybrid model that combines an internal combustion engine and an electric propulsion system.
The lovely thing about electric trucks is that they promise a longer driving range. For example, the new Cybertruck from Tesla is expected to hit a maximum of 500 miles per recharge. This implies that you can expect to run as smoothly as the standard gas-powered trucks.
- Low Battery Life
Because the batteries in electric trucks will be used intensively to drive and run other operations of the vehicle, they are expected to degrade rapidly. You should anticipate replacing the battery every 3-6 years, which is way shorter, compared to 10 years for the standard batteries. To address the challenge, some companies are using a battery lease system to give you a new one when the one on the electric vehicle depreciates.
Top Electric Trucks to Anticipate on the Road in 2021 and Beyond
Top auto manufacturers, from General Motors to Ford, are all in the race to introduce their electric trucks into the market. So, here are some of the top models that are about to hit the market:
1. Tesla Cybertruck
You have probably heard about Tesla’s ‘brutalist’ Cybertruck, a model that has drawn great inspiration even before hitting the road. Elon Musk of Tesla points out that the truck will be super strong and come at a price range between $39,990 and $69,990. Although the vehicle is still in the development stage, what is amazing is that Musk claims it will be able to do up to 500 miles. This is about ten times the standard range achieved by most electric vehicles on the road today.
Other attributes that have made the Cybertruck one of the most anticipated trucks is that it comes with a Level-3 ultra-fast charging system. Level one will be able to charge the batteries in 20-27 hours, level two in 10-15 hours, and level three in 30-50 minutes. When you hit the road, the truck is expected to deliver a maximum torque of 800-1000 pound-feet.
If you get the single-motor Cybertruck, it is expected to have a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds. However, the dual-motor and tri-motor models can hit higher towing power of up to 10,000 and 14,000 pounds, respectively.
2. Rivian RIT
Unlike Tesla, Rivian has opened for a different model to its operations and marketing. Instead of putting more effort into publicity, Rivian has been busy trying to create the next generation electric cars, and their efforts have not disappointed. Their RIT is expected to be one of top-of-the-range electric trucks when it hits the market.
The truck is expected to cost around $69,000, but the final price is yet to be revealed. The automaker promises users that they will be able to hit up to 400 miles on a single recharge, and like Tesla’s Cybertruck, this vehicle will also feature three charge speed levels. Level one will be able to charge the car fully in 20-27 hours, level two in about 15 hours, and level three in 30-50 minutes.
Once unveiled, Rivian RIT will hit between 750 and 825 horsepower, which is capable of towing up to 11,000 pounds. This means it will be able to compete with other gas-powered trucks, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning, which tows a maximum of 10,000 pounds.
3. Ford F-Series EV
When Ford released the F-150, it became the go-to truck for many people because of its awesome capabilities. Now, they are back and working on a new model, the F-Series EV truck, which is expected to be more magnificent. The car is designed in conjunction with Electrify America and is expected to feature three charge levels.
Although Ford has remained cagey about the horsepower and torque, they have pointed out it will be higher than that of the F-150. Since the F-150 raptor generates 510 pound-feet of torque, the new electric truck is expected to generate more.
4. Bollinger B2
Have you ever heard of Bollinger? This is a boutique EV builder based in Michigan and has a number of electric vehicles, including the B2 SUV, b1 SUV, and a truck under development. The starting price of the truck is expected to be $125,000, which is way lower than what Tesla and Rivian are offering.
The EV truck will feature up to level three charging systems. Level two will be able to charge the truck in 10 hours, and level three in 75 minutes. When running on the road, this electric truck is expected to make 614 horsepower capable of towing a maximum of 7,500. Although the towing rate is lower than the other top models, this might be why the price is also a little lower.
5. RAM e-1500 from Fiat-Chrysler
When Fiat-Chrysler announced the change of name to Stellanti’s, one of the significant outcomes of the meeting was that they would be releasing a new electric truck referred to as RAM e-1500 by 2024. Although Mike Kova, RAM’s CEO, did not divulge a lot of details, the new car is expected to hit up to 500 miles per recharge. Another attribute is that they are working towards beating the F-150 Lightning towing capacity of 10,000 pounds.
These are only a few of the trucks that you should anticipate as electric vehicles technology comes of age. Others you are also likely to get along the way include the Lordstown Endurance, which is expected to hit more than 250 miles per recharge. GMC has also jumped into the ring and is working on the electric Hummer.
This post has demonstrated that efforts directed to research and development of electric vehicles, especially trucks, is finally bearing results. Studies also show the growing enthusiasm and focus of the people to tackle the problem of global warming head-on with new technology. Therefore, if you were thinking of getting a truck, perhaps it might be a good idea to opt for an electric model as opposed to the gas-fired models.
