Electric pickup trucks may not have the massive towing capacity of heavy duty diesel trucks, but for virtually every other purpose they are superior to gas- or diesel-powered trucks: they’re cleaner, quieter, quicker, more fun to drive, more tech-forward, and in many cases more capable. On the downside, they’re usually more expensive and towing heavy loads can eat up half the potential range.
Pickup trucks account for more than 20% of annual sales, and total vehicle sales in the U.S. hit about 16 million in 2024. This big haulers are also big profit drivers for automakers, with prices getting 3% more expensive every year since 2009, according to J.D. Power. In 2024, shoppers paid more than $60,000 on average for a new pickup truck.
Loaded with luxury and convenience options, the basic but long-lasting work truck has evolved into a family truck that can double as a mobile boardroom. Electric trucks follow a similar format, but have become tech showcases for their brands. With air suspensions and exceptional ground clearance, as well as clever storage areas that optimize the space afforded by EV platforms, electric pickup trucks reimagine and recreate what can be done with the traditional pickup truck form.
For good reason. The Rivian R1T won The Car Connection Best Pickup Truck To Buy 2025 award for its blistering acceleration, adventuresome off-road prowess, refined handling, and superlative telematics. Two years ago, Ford improved on its bestselling model with the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck that won our overall Best Car To Buy 2023 award. They’re not just great trucks, they’re evolutionary vehicles.
GM and Tesla had to play catchup in 2024, excluding the GMC Hummer pickup truck, and Ram announced in December it was once again delaying the Ram REV electric pickup truck until 2026. From the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevy Silverado EV to edgier takes such as the Rivian R1T and Tesla Cybertruck, electric trucks (and delivery vans) accounted for 132,993 sales in 2024, or 11.7% of EV sales, up from 10.2% in 2023. That’s a modest gain at best, and it’s still less than 1% of the roughly 16 million vehicles sold in 2024. Will the growing electric pickup segment falter under political headwinds?
Note, the revised 2025 federal EV tax credit of $7,500 applies to SUVs and trucks that cost less than $80,000 and must have final assembly in North America, as well as 60% of the battery pack sourced in North America. There are income limits as well, up to $150,000 for a single filer. For more info on income limits and other factors, visit the IRS page.
The following electric trucks qualify for the credit, which can be absorbed into the sticker price at the point of purchase so you don’t have to wait to file your taxes.
- 2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV LT ($7,500)
- 2024-2025 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash ($7,500)
- 2023-2025 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT and Lariat ($7,500)
- 2025 Tesla Cybertruck Single Motor and Dual Motor ($7,500)
The electric trucks listed below range from what’s on sale now to what are under development. Prices, like range, are subject to change.
Rivian R1T
R1T models and prices:
- R1T Dual Standard $71,700 (all listed prices include destination fees)
- R1T Dual Large $78,700 (available $5,000 Performance upgrade, $3,950 All-Terrain option)
- R1T Dual Max $85,700 (available $5,000 Performance upgrade, $3,950 All-Terrain option)
- R1T Tri Max $101,700
- R1T Quad Max TBA
R1T specs and range:
- Dual Standard has a 92.5-kwh battery pack, 270-mile range, 533 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque
- Dual Large has a 108.5-kwh pack, 329-mile range, 665 hp and 829 lb-ft (with $5,000 Performance upgrade)
- Dual Max has a 141.5-kwh pack, 420-mile range, 665 hp and 829 lb-ft (with $5,000 Performance upgrade)
- Tri Max comes only with the 141.5-kwh Max pack, 371-mile range, 850 hp and 1,103 lb-ft
- Forthcoming Quad Max comes only with the 141.5-kwh Max pack, range TBD, 1,025 hp and 1,198 lb-ft
Launched before the R1S SUV, the R1T was the first available battery electric pickup to market and it was such a great vehicle it won Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2022 and continues to win, earning The Car Connection Best Pickup To Buy 2025.
California-based Rivian offers the R1T with three battery pack options, three motor configurations, and two popular upgrades in the Performance and All-Terrain options. The base Dual Standard is pretty straightforward, with dual-motor all-wheel drive model and a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, which is quick especially for a 7,000-pound truck. The Dual Large and Dual Max unlock the Performance pack that cuts the 0-60 mph time to 3.4 seconds, or the All-Terrain pack slaps on more skid plates, off-road tires, and a full-size spare. The Dual Max is the range champ, at 420 miles, but that’s only attainable with the $2,200 aero wheels.
Not only is it quick, the R1T is capable, with a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds, an air suspension that enables nearly 15 inches of ground clearance for supreme off-roading, and more than 50 different drive mode configurations. As long as a mid-size truck but as wide as a full-size truck, the short 54-inch bed lends itself to a roomy, luxurious crew cab, and excellent cargo solutions such as a cargo tunnel between the cab and the bed that can hold up to 300 pounds of gear, with power doors that make for the perfect seat for taking off the ski boots. It is an excellent daily driver and a great weekend getaway car; silent, emission-free off-roading with its electric powertrain is an added bonus.
Ford F-150 Lightning
F-150 Lightning models and prices:
- Lightning Pro $49,875 (available only with Standard Range pack)
- Lightning XLT $65,090 (available only with Standard Range pack)
- Lightning Flash $70,090 (with Extended Range pack)
- Lightning Lariat $78,090 (with Extended Range pack)
- Lightning Platinum $86,090 (with Extended Range pack)
F-150 Lightning specs and range:
- Standard Range has a 98-kwh battery pack, 240-mile range, 452 hp and 775 lb-ft
- Extended Range has a 131-kwh pack, 320-mile range, 580 hp and 775 lb-ft
Sold in Pro, XLT, Flash, Lariat, and Platinum trims, the Lightning is pretty much the same as the gas F-150 from the crew cab back to the 5-foot-6 bed that carries over so owners can swap accessories between gas and electric models. Dual in-board motors are powered by either a standard-range 98-kwh battery pack good for 240 miles or an extended-range 131-kwh pack with an estimated 320-mile range. Either pack can create up to 775 lb-ft of torque from the motors, while the standard range generates 452 hp and trucks with the larger pack are rated at 580 hp. Towing capacity reaches 10,000 pounds and the payload maxes out at 2,000 pounds.
The Lightning’s frunk stores 14.1 cubic feet, carries 400 pounds, and doubles as a cooler or power source. It’s easier to load and unload big box runs than the bed, and it’s waterproof and secure. The Lightning can charge appliances with up to 9.6 kw of output from the bed or, when equipped with Ford’s innovative Home Integration System, it can act as a backup home generator in case of power outages. The bestseller has gotten better.
GMC Hummer EV Pickup
Hummer EV Pickup models and prices:
- Hummer EV 2X e4WD $98,845 (Extreme Off-Road package adds $9,995)
- Hummer EV 3X e4WD $106,945 (24-module battery pack available for $9,995)
Hummer EV Pickup specs and range:
- Hummer EV 2X e4WD has a 170-kwh pack, 311-mile range, 625 hp
- Hummer EV 3X e4WD has a 170-kwh pack, 314-mile range, 830 hp
- Hummer EV Edition 1 or 3X with larger 24-module 205-kwh pack, 381-mile range, 1,000 hp and 1,200 lb-ft
Once the nemesis for environmentalists, the return of the Hummer and its zero tailpipe emissions epitomizes all that’s changed in a decade. A tech showcase with four-wheel steering so it can crab walk, an adaptive air suspension with a ground clearance of up to 15.9 inches, GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system, and a four-panel removable roof that can be stowed in the frunk, the new Hummer is all about capability and exclusivity. The 1,000-hp three-motor system has an estimated range of 329 miles and can hit 60 mph in about 3.0 seconds despite weighing more than 9,000 pounds. Its 1,000 lb-ft of torque help it tow up to 11,000 pounds.
Chevrolet Silverado EV
Silverado EV models and prices:
- Silverado EV WT Standard Range $57,095, 282-mile range
- Silverado EV WT Extended Range $69,495, 422-mile range
- Silverado EV WT Max Range $77,795, 492-mile range
- Silverado EV LT Extended Range $75,195, 408-mile range
- Silverado EV LT Extended Range with Premium Package $81,995, 390-mile range
- Silverado EV RST Extended Range $89,395, 390-mile range
- Silverado EV RST Max Range $97,895, 460-mile range
Related to the Silverado pickup truck in name only, the Silverado EV shares its battery and motor propulsion systems with the GMC Hummer EV. Sold only with a crew cab and a 5-foot-11 bed and weighing about 8,000 pounds, The Silverado EV Work Truck, or WT, comes with front and rear motors making 510 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. With standard all-wheel drive and a steel suspension, it tows up to 8,000 pounds and carry a payload of up to 1,200 pounds. Chevy did not disclose battery size in its base model. The top RST Max Range makes 664 hp and 780 lb-ft, with a 24-module, 205-kwh battery pack, and it has an estimated 460-mile range. Chevy also quotes a 0-60 mph time of less than 4.5 seconds and a towing capacity of 10,000 pounds, but a payload of only 1,300 pounds. It has an air suspension with four inches of range and rear-axle steering. The RST model features an interior midgate that opens up to the bed much like the Chevy Avalanche of old. Opening the 60/40 split mid-gate into the cabin will allow items up to 9-feet long to fit. Lower the standard Multi-Flex tailgate, raise its rear stop, and the bed fits 10-foot-10 items.
Ram 1500 EV
Price: TBD
Expected delivery: 2026?
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept unveiled early in 2023 previews the production version to follow within the year. The long and lean concept has two electric motors for all-wheel drive, but Ram didn’t disclose battery pack sizes or even if it would be based on 400-volt or 800-volt architecture. The crew cab has grown 4.0 inches, and sports rear suicide doors and no B-pillar between the front and rear doors. The configurable cabin can be equipped with a third row of jump seats and a removable mid-gate option that can put the jump seats outside of the cabin. A center tunnel like a driveshaft tunnel runs from the bed through the cabin into the frunk to haul items that are 18 feet long.
Tesla Cybertruck
Price:
On sale now: 2024
We’re not sure if the production Cybertruck will match the triangular Tesla concept, but Tesla’s first pickup embodies the hype of other Tesla vehicles. The stainless-steel wedge with a 100-cubic foot vault instead of a cargo bed can carry 3,500 pounds or tow up to 14,000 pounds, seat six, hit 60 mph in under three seconds, and have a 500-mile range in top quad-motor AWD trim. Initially, a single-motor rear-wheel-drive model was supposed to start at $41,100, and the dual-motor AWD was priced at $51,100, but the only info available on Tesla’s configurator early in 2023 was a $100 deposit option.
RIP: Electric trucks that never made it
Price: $65,000
Expected delivery: Lordstown shipped the first batch of trucks to fleet customers in December 2022.
The mid-size Endurance makes 550 hp from four motors—one in each wheel—for a Lordstown-estimated 193-mile range. The battery is a 109-kwh unit and it accelerates from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds, and has a top speed of 118 mph. The truck can also haul a maximum payload of 1,050 pounds, and tow a maximum of 8,000 pounds. Beset by financial woes and an SEC inquiry over executives selling shares before bad news broke, the Lordstown Endurance electric truck factory was bought by iPhone maker Foxconn. An initial batch of 500 Endurance trucks will be built for delivery to fleet customers. Lordstown said it will work with Foxconn to slowly ramp up production as supply chain constraints are resolved.