My biggest concern with EVs, particularly trucks is that their weight doesn't seem conducive to the off roading I do. I have a mountain trail about two miles long that needs to be crawled to get up or down it. Then there's the creek crossings. Add in a down pour and the trail becomes more difficult for a light truck, with heavier full sizes just getting stuck and left til it dries. As this is my hog hunting cabin, I go there fairly frequently.
My second concern is towing and hills. Oklahoma is not flat. I have no first hand experience, but general claims have been made that towing a boat to the lake up and down hills significantly affects driving range.
I agree about the weight. It was something I thought about too.
We don't really have a
direct comparison quite yet (i.e. F-150 Lightning vs F-150 "normal" truck), but:
1. A Rivian R1T weighs approximately 7,100 lbs.
2. An F-150 Lightning is reported to have a curb weight of approximately 6,500 lbs.
3. An F-150 Supercrew 4x4 w/ 3.5L Ecoboost weights approximately 5,200 lbs with a full fuel load.
4. An F-150 Raptor Supercrew weighs approximately 6,100 lbs with a full fuel load.
5. A Chevy Crew Cab 4x4 Trail Boss weighs approximately 5,225 lbs with a full fuel load.
6. An F-250 SWB Supercrew 4x4 w/ Powerstroke weighs approximately 7,250 lbs with a full fuel load.
In other words: weight-wise, an all electric truck would be
similar to an F-250, GM 2500, etc. I would think that the weight would be more centralized to the chassis, versus being nose-heavy like an ICE powered truck.
The Rivian R1T has a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs.
The Ford Lightning has a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs.
The Tesla Cybertruck supposedly has a towing capacity of 14,000 lbs.
And yes.....you can bet that towing would significantly impact the range.
The performance from each of these trucks should be pretty amazing. Let's face it, the VAST majority of truck owners rarely, if ever, tow anything. They just need something to pick up some bales of pinestraw, some lumber, a few bags of fertilizer, maybe throw a deer in the back, etc. Everyday performance from electric
cars is already superior (IMO) to ICE-powered
cars. Maybe not when we are talking about comparing a Tesla to a Porsche or Mercedes, but if you are comparing a Tesla to a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry, etc.....they are pretty amazing. Electric cars do have their limitations, but the gap is closing rapidly.
One thing is certain: At this time, an all-electric truck isn't the solution for everyone. Until technology catches up, ICE powered trucks will rule the market. But the technology and infrastructure
is constantly improving and the gap is closing with every iteration. I doubt ICE powered vehicles will go the way of the dodo in my lifetime, but their market share will continue to decrease as electric vehicles improve and the performance benchmarks equalize between them and ICE. Right now, electric isn't the "seat for every butt" some people want to act like they are......but pretty soon they might be.