Many electric pickup trucks will be released in the near future, including the Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, and GMC Hummer EV pickup. Lost in all the frenzy of the media attention for these other trucks is start-up Atlis, with its Atlis XT electric truck. Four years ago, Atlis announced its intention to build a brawny electric work truck, but not much has been heard from the company since then. However, that changed this week when a prototype version of the Atlis XT made its debut.

Atlis XT prototype debut

Atlis finally debuted its XT truck on Monday. It’s still a raw prototype. However, based on photos that Atlis shared, the XT features some of the same design elements as the Tesla Cybertruck, with sharp angles and a sloping windshield. The XT prototype vastly differs from the renderings of the XT that Atlis released in 2019. 

The cockpit of the XT is clearly still in the development phase. The materials look very rough, and the electronics don’t function yet. Atlis said that it plans to have retractable exterior mirrors for the XT, along with cameras that work as mirrors. Since it’s not yet legal in the U.S. to use camera-mirror technology in vehicles, it’s interesting that Atlis is going in this direction.

Atlis XT: 35,000-pound towing, 15-minute charge, and 500-mile range

Atlis hasn’t yet revealed the final specs for the XT, but the targeted specs are jaw-dropping. If the targeted specs hold true, the Atlis XT will have a maximum towing capacity of 35,000 pounds. It will be able to haul up to 5,000 pounds of payload. The pickup bed will be available in 6.5- or 8.0-foot versions and have 120- and 240-volt outlets. With no engine up front, the Atlis XT will have a frunk, with 18.5 cu-ft of storage space and more outlets. Also, both the bed and frunk will have a spray-on liner.

Another eye-opening detail of the Atlis XT is its charging capabilities. Atlas claims that the XT can be fully charged in only 15 minutes. That’s incredible. One of the biggest things holding people back from getting an electric vehicle is the long charge times. However, 15 minutes for a charge is not much longer than what it takes for a trip to a gas station. 

Another concern about electric vehicles is range anxiety — or the fear of running out of battery power. Atlis targets a 500-mile driving range for the XT, which is considerably more than the average range of not only other EVs, but also gas-powered cars.

Unique subscription program for the Atlis XT

As an alternative to traditional ownership, Atlis offers a unique subscription program for the XT. For a starting monthly cost of $700, customers will get insurance coverage, unlimited free charging, and routine maintenance and inspections. Also, customers can get a new XT truck every three, five, or seven years.

The Atlis XT still has a ways to go before a production version is released. However, it looks promising, and the prototype debut is an important step. It’s difficult to say how the XT will fare against other upcoming electric trucks like the F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck, and GMC Hummer EV pickup. 

However, Atlis may not even be targeting these models. The start-up company markets the XT as a work truck. In many ways, the Atlis XT is an electric version of a heavy-duty truck like the Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty. We’ll see what the future holds for the XT.