The General Motors Company (GM) has recently confirmed that they will be releasing three pure electric pickup trucks in the future. Currently, GM has unveiled two electric pickup truck models, the GMC Hummer EV and the Chevrolet Silverado electric version. The third pure electric pickup truck will be the GMC brand’s electric pickup truck, becoming the second electric pickup truck under the GMC brand.
When it comes to pickup trucks, the first thing that comes to mind is the American western movie, and the American “tough guys” driving pickup trucks on deserted western roads, giving off a sense of muscles and hardcore mechanics, making it seem like pickup trucks were designed for fuel-hardened men.
Since the release of the RIVIAN R1T and Tesla’s Cybertruck, electric pickup trucks have slowly entered people’s field of vision. Although the “labels” of electric and pickup trucks seem incompatible, in the pace of the current electrification promotion, the electronic pickup truck market is also being given great importance by major car manufacturers.
The Global Vice President of GMC, Duncan Aldred, confirmed during today’s media event that “GMC confirmed at the media roundtable on Monday that it is working on developing a second electric pickup truck.” Currently, there is no specific information or name of the vehicle, only that it will be a full-size pickup truck.
Now, many manufacturers are making layouts in their own electric pickup truck markets, including Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, and RAM 1500 electric pickup truck. Although these manufacturers that are currently making layouts have not yet delivered their pure electric pickup trucks, everyone is in the process of implementing their plans into mass production. However, it can be seen that GM has great competitive desires in the electric pickup truck market.
Will electric pickup trucks become mainstream? Why is everyone racing to enter this seemingly incompatible “electric pickup truck market”? We can take a look at the demand for pickup trucks in the largest market of pickup trucks in mainstream America.
In the North American region, full-size pickup trucks are the best-selling. Simply put, this type of vehicle satisfies Americans’ various needs for luxury, comfort, and the ability to transport goods and pull people. Additionally, the roads in America are wide and the population is sparse, so driving a pickup truck does not bring many inconveniences in daily life.
So, Why Are Mainstream Automakers Focusing on the Development of Electric Pickup Trucks?
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From a policy perspective, increasingly strict emission standards are making it difficult for large-displacement engines to pass, and most pickups have a displacement of 3.0 liters or higher to ensure their functionality and low-end torque. In terms of future development, the market for fuel-powered pickup trucks is bound to shrink, giving rise to electric pickup trucks that can meet the practicality requirements and better cope with environmental regulations.
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Once the daily needs are met, people begin to yearn for the outdoors. Pickup truck users have a relatively big demand for outdoor activities. According to the survey conducted by Strategic Vision, a car research and consulting company, at least 68% of new full-size pickup truck owners take their trucks out for recreational purposes each year, including numerous outdoor enthusiasts. Electric pickup trucks offer more comfort during camping, as they can power various electronic devices without a problem, such as heating water and cooking, and keep the air conditioning running at night. Meanwhile, the instantaneous torque of electric vehicles also allows for easier off-road driving, without the worry of overheating the engine due to power demands.
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For geeks who love new things, the tech-savvy exterior and unique interior of electric pickup trucks, such as Tesla’s Cybertruck, can arouse their curiosity. For this group of users, as long as it is cool and distinctive, electric pickup trucks can meet their needs.
Whatever the reason, if the first group of electric pickup truck users taste the sweet side of electrification, they will form a lighthouse effect and promote the potential users of electric pickup trucks in the future. With this virtuous cycle, electric pickup trucks seem to be a sub-segment market full of development opportunities.
However, everything has two sides, and electric pickup trucks also face many problems at present. The demand for range and convenient recharging remains high among pickup truck users, while fuel-powered pickup trucks can easily solve this issue through a large fuel tank and fast refueling. To increase the range of electric pickup trucks, the best option seems to be adding battery packs, which will bring about problems such as excessive weight and reduced safety, in addition to the current limited charging speed that cannot compare to fuel. For outdoor activities, the inability to recharge anytime and anywhere may cause significant inconvenience to users.So, the question remains: will newcomers like Tesla’s Cybertruck take the lead in the electric pickup truck market or will long-established manufacturers in the midst of transitioning to electrification be able to seize the top spot? Perhaps what we need to be more concerned about is how these vehicle companies plan to address the challenges posed by electrification when these electric pickup trucks are delivered.
🔗 Source: electrek
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.