Trucks are among the best-selling vehicles in America, and manufacturers understand their king size interiors and massive towing capacities make them perfect candidates for electrified powertrains.
This year has seen three electric pickup trucks hit the market and more will follow soon. Let’s take a look at 2023’s best electric trucks based on several key criteria including price, payload capacity and charging range.
Ford Lightning
With two electric motors powered by either a 98.0-kWh or 131.0-kWh battery, the Lightning generates 452 or 580 horsepower. EPA estimates its range at between 240 miles for its standard battery, or 345 miles with its optional extended-range battery option.
The Lightning truck is an impressive, comfortable, and efficient ride that makes you forget its gas engine when you hit the accelerator pedal. With dual motors to accelerate like a sports car, and its intuitive controls making for an easy driving experience.
Traction is amazing, enabling the truck to effortlessly navigate snow and ice with minimal effort – an impressive contrast from conventional 4×4 trucks with their cumbersome, uncontrollable, or painful traction control systems.
On the highway, the Lightning offers a comfortable and capable ride. Thanks to its well-designed independent rear suspension, which enables it to maintain a payload capacity of 2,235 pounds, towing with this truck quickly depletes its battery and necessitates frequent stops to charge up.
Rivian R1T
Rivian R1T, their inaugural electric pickup vehicle, went on sale last November and is gradually increasing production capacity.
The R1T stands out with four electric motors for performance and off-roading capabilities, particularly its ability to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in just three seconds and climb rocks or steep hills without difficulty.
As well, it offers various safety features, such as Driver+ technology that includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning.
As well as its regenerative braking capabilities, the R1T offers a one-pedal driving mode which gradually decreases speed when your foot leaves the accelerator pedal – helpful when driving on roads where slower driving is essential or short journeys where no acceleration is needed.
Chevrolet Silverado EV
Chevrolet’s Silverado EV pickup truck is solely powered by batteries. With an estimated range of 400 miles and DC fast charging capabilities up to 350 kilowatts, adding 100 miles in only 10 minutes.
Chevy touts its Silverado EV as being an easy, responsive truck capable of towing. Even at high speeds, towing should not pose any difficulties making this an excellent candidate as an off-roading or work truck option.
There are three trim levels to select, from entry-level WT up to premium RST First Edition – starting at an entry-level price point of $39,900 for WT and $105,000 for RST First Edition respectively.
GMC Hummer EV
GMC Hummer EV electric trucks are ready to hit the road, boasting up to 1,000 horsepower on its pickup and 830 on its SUV model. Zero to 60 miles per hour takes less than three seconds thanks to its massive 200kWh battery pack – not as heavy as you might expect either!
Watts to Freedom launch control mode enables maximum acceleration by activating all of its electric motors at full power, as well as off-road widgets on both infotainment screen and instrument cluster. They include information regarding locking differential status, torque output, tire pressure and roll angle.
In addition to its dynamic launch control mode, the Hummer EV also boasts various driving modes that help simulate regular vehicles more closely. For instance, its adjustable air suspension raises six inches when needed to clear boulders or ford water bodies; and it uses Continuous Damping Adaptive Ride Control which responds to road input by altering damping levels accordingly.