Where it all started…
America was once in a space race with the Soviet Union which led the nation to send the first man on the moon and say “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” which definitely filled all of us with pride and joy.
No, there is no connection to any of NASA’s space programs with EVs except the fact that the moon-rovers were the first alternative energy vehicles ever built. The same but more advanced America is now into a tech race inside its automotive industry back on our home planet and that is to decide who makes the first ultimate electric pickup truck.
Electric vehicles are still pretty new and until now, there have been smaller cars and hatchbacks like the Nissan Leaf, BMW i3, and MINI electric. However, with technological advancements in the electrical industry, it is now possible to make motors that power larger vehicles. There are a few innovators like Rimac Automobili that have made a prototype of their sports car, while the 2021 Tesla Model Y and the 2021 Lucid Air have already garnered quite a few fans, in the luxury EV business. Now, the biggies as well as the newbies are aiming for the pickup truck segment to go fully-electric.
How it is going…
It is a well-known fact that pickup trucks are the heart and soul of America. In fact, the sales for this segment in 2020 have outnumbered that of sedans and the American-truck makers have nearly half of their income generated from these mighty trucks. On the other hand, there are brilliant little startups that are putting all their efforts into trying to get recognition in the market.
While some traditional pickup truck producers like Ford and RAM are running hybrid versions already, they state to release a full-electric model of their own full-sized pickup trucks soon whereas General Motors have taken an even bigger step by bringing back their uncommon military-style vehicle – the Hummer as an EV.
Besides, there have also been other start-ups like Bollinger, Lordstown, and Nikola which have officially revealed some renders or test prototypes in action, however, these are purely marketing stunts and that is something that cannot be completely trusted, moreover, these brands actually have not specified a particular timeframe to expect their vehicles.
And probably, how it will shape up…
On the other hand, Tesla had already come up with its Cybertruck which did not perform as expected when pelted on its window whereas the design drove the science-fiction fans crazy. However, there is another startup that directly aims at Tesla’s Cybertruck and it is none other than the Rivian with its R1T truck that looks more like how a modern pickup should look.
Moreover, both of these vehicles have completed their test runs and are now available for pre-ordering. The Rivian R1T is supposed to storm the market in mid-2021 whereas Tesla’s Cybertruck needs a little more time and will be out for sales later in 2021.
Tesla vs. Rivian, who would take the spot?
Starting with the production stuff, Tesla is in good hands of the young, all-in, and one of the richest person in the world and hence the company is planning to set up its truck assembly unit in the state of Texas, a good place to settle as it has probably been the best market for sales of this segment since ages.
Meanwhile, Rivian managed to produce a revenue of $6 billion without making any sale, this made the new company look more promising in the eyes of the already existing Detroit-based truck manufacturers like Ford who made no delay and invested $500 million in the Michigan-based startup whereas recently Amazon came up with a $700 million partnership and announced to purchase as much as 100,000 electric vans from Rivian, there is also a rumor that this e-commerce magnate must have backed up the electric pickup truck manufacturer all this while. Moreover, Rivian also purchased a factory from Mitsubishi to get its operations back and running in 2018 where the R1T is planned to be manufactured.
Moving on towards specifications, which is what actually matters. Although not much about both of the cars are yet revealed, however, all the basics can be compared. Looking at the functionality first, Tesla gets a longer wheelbase and so the bed is 6.5-feet long, just like that of today’s trucks whereas the R1T has a smaller 4.5-feet cargo bed. Rivian, being more innovative, has managed to fill that 2 feet difference with under-bed storage between the rear passenger door and the bed area, additionally, there is a frunk for extra storage as well. This is also a part of the R1T’s marvelous skateboard architecture chassis which collaborates all the vehicle parts into one case, literally allowing it to bolt the whole body on this frame and make as much space as possible.
Talking about interiors, which is the least revealed section yet. Both the Cybertruck and R1T trucks are going to be proper 4-door crew-cab models with the Rivian holding up to 5 passengers whereas Tesla, with an additional fold-down front seat welcoming 6 people inside its Cybertruck.
Now, turning towards the most-awaited power and performance numbers, Tesla’s Cybertruck is estimated to produce a nightmarish 700 horsepower and 825 lb-ft of torque as the power is squeezed out by a combination of rugged Model 3 and high-performance Model S motors whereas Rivian’s top-truck, the R1T is supposed to level up by an enormous 750 horsepower and 830 lb-ft of torque. With that kind of power, the Cybertruck is expected to tow around 14,000 lbs and haul about 3,350 lbs in its bed whereas the R1T is limited to 11,000 lbs and 1,750 lbs respectively.
Both of the trucks are rumored to hit 60 MPH just below 3 seconds. While the Rivian boasts to go as far as 400 miles in a single charge, the lower-spec battery pack can pull off around 280 miles whereas Tesla claims that the Cybertruck can offer a range anywhere from 250 to 500 miles with a range of battery packs and powertrain setups. Also, these electric trucks are more of an off-roader than the current trucks as the approach, departure, and break-over angles are about 10 degrees higher when compared.
Wrapping it up with the price list, Rivian’s R1T which is the top-spec model is supposed to be as expensive as $69,000 whereas Tesla starts the range as low as $30,000 which elevates up to $70,000 for its top-tier Cybertruck.
What about the others?
While Tesla and Rivian battle it out, Lordstown motors, an Ohio-based startup is focused to sell its electric-truck in the fleet and has plans to spread itself into the passenger vehicle once they’ve set their kingdom. This startup is backed by General Motors and have recently purchased one of their assembly plants to start producing this commercial pickup truck and is supposed to do so by late 2021.
Meanwhile, Bollinger has already built its prototype which is called the B1 and B2, and tested both of them quite a few times. Their design looks very similar to the 2021 Ford Bronco but made electric. This small Michigan-based startup is also aiming towards perfecting their truck more towards the work-class as these will probably be the first, fully customizable electric truck in the world, sadly, Bollinger has not announced its launch but is expected to debut by the end of the year.
Nikola’s Badger is another electric pickup truck that was supposed to be backed by General Motors but after a short dispute with the founder of the company, this deal just seems to be done, pun intended. However, this project seems to be on the edge of the table for Nikola because they would build a Badger, provided some other motor company supported them. Currently, this startup has prioritized getting into building an all-electric semi-truck first which is equally cool.
How good will this idea work?
Bringing out electric trucks that are much better than the conventional type is the best idea that humanity might have had in recent years, however, Americans still seem to refuse this concept as it jinxes the feel that a conventionally-powered pickup truck would give which is understandable. But electric pickup trucks would surely conquer the whole segment once they are out because of the better practicality, efficiency, and utility that they provide for nearly the same cost when compared to the present trucks.