Electric pickup trucks are generating hype. Just ask Ford.
The company recently announced that the upcoming F-150 Lightning, an all-electric remake of one of Ford's most popular truck models, has surpassed over 160,000 reservations. Of those reservations, more than half are customers who have never owned a Ford product before, and 79% had never owned a battery-operated vehicle before.
The amount of reservations is enough to account for practically every F-150 Lightning projected to be available through 2023, according to electric vehicle website Electrek. Fueling the marketing push is a 3D and AR tour of the F-150 Lightning, which customers can view from their computer or phone.
"Nearly 80% of our F-150 Lightning reservation holders have never owned an all-electric vehicle before, so we created this campaign for them to understand and feel confident in their vehicle while also be excited to join in on the electric revolution with us," Suzy Deering, the chief marketing officer for Ford, said in the release.
The F-150 Lightning, when fully charged, has a targeted range of 230 miles, or 300 miles with an extended-range battery. The truck can also be used, in the event of an outage, to power a house for three days, or up to 10 if the power is rationed. It can also reach 60 miles per hour in four seconds, and has independent rear suspension. The truck will retail at a base price of $39,974, and the first shipment of trucks will begin in spring 2022.
Ford isn't the only electric vehicle manufacturer to generate enthusiasm. Here are three other electric pickup trucks, their features and when they are expected to be released:
Tesla
Designed to have "better utility than a truck with more performance than a sports car," the Tesla Cybertruck is probably among the most recognizable electric trucks right now. The Cybertruck can go from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, has up to 3,500 pounds of payload capacity, and can drive up to 500 miles on its battery, according to Tesla's website.
However, Tesla has removed prices from its website as of October after Cybertruck production was delayed, according to Electrek. The prices for the base model were previously listed as $39,900, and Tesla's co-founder Elon Musk told Electrek he doesn't see production fully ramping up until 2023.
Rivian
Rivian's electric truck model, the R1T, has comparable specs compared to industry competitors. The range on the truck is 314 miles with 21-inch wheels, though when using the 20- or 22-inch wheels its range decreases by 5% to 15%.
The truck can tow up to 11,000 pounds and cross difficult terrain, the company says. The base "explore" package starts at $67,500 and deliveries start in January 2022.
Chevrolet
The Chevy Silverado EV is Chevrolet's first all-electric truck. The company has yet to reveal details about the model, which is slated to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2022, but it is confirmed to have optional four-wheel steering and a fixed glass roof.
New legislation
Electric vehicles are a focus in the recently passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure act, and President Joe Biden has been vocal about his commitment to electric vehicles, which he reiterated during remarks on a visit to a General Motors plant in Detroit on Wednesday.
Biden applauded GM's decision to manufacture only electric vehicles by 2035 and to install 40,000 public charging stations. He also praised Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's proposal to place charging stations along key travel routes in Michigan.
Biden also reiterated his ideas for transforming public transit and educational transport with electric vehicles.
"I pledged when I ran, we have thousands and thousands of vehicles in the federal fleet. They're going to all go electric — all of them — down the road, supporting electric transit systems, electric school buses," Biden said.
