Will 2022 Be Remembered as the Year the Electric Truck Took Off?
This could be the year that we take electric trucks seriously. Ford’s delivering F-150 Lightings. Owners are getting Rivian R1Ts. The GMC Hummer EV is on the streets. The new Chevy Silverado EV is on the way and so is a new Ram EV truck. About the only truck we won’t expect to see in 2022 is the Tesla Cybertruck. But in 2022 EV trucks are hot, and getting hotter.
Is there an electric truck I can buy now? Yes!
Sure, we’re only partly through 2022, but a lot has happened in the EV truck space. For several years we’ve been promised sportscar fast, diesel-rivaling, off-road trucks. Finally, in 2022, consumers got to own and sit behind the wheels of new EV trucks. For most of 2021, all we could do was watch as people put in orders. Now, we can see them driving on the road, the track, and sometimes even hauling stuff.
Sure, smaller companies like Hercules, Lordstown, and Canoo are also promising a new 2022 EV truck. But it looks like the F-150 Lighting and Rivian R1T are making truck people, or electric truck people, out of non-believers.
Ford is leading the charge with the Ford F-150 Lightning
The Ford F-150 Lightning is the first mass-produced truck by a major manufacturer to hit the streets. It’s getting good reviews, too. “Now I’m a truck guy,” said Jay Leno, for example, after reviewing the truck for his TV show. The Lightning is an electrified version of the F-150, which is already the best-selling truck in North America. The Lightning starts at about $40,000 (if you can find one) and the base truck has a 230-mile range. An extended-range version is also available, but the bigger battery costs almost $10,000.
One of the most talked about features of the Lightning is its Pro Power Onboard feature that turns the truck into a generator for your house, or your tailgate party. The batteries pack so much power, the truck can run a house for a couple of days with a $4,000 extra system. The truck is not perfect, towing shows one of its weaknesses, but it’s certainly the hottest Ford on the market.
2022 EV trucks from Rivian and GMC are selling for a premium
The Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer also started deliveries this year. Almost immediately both 2022 EV trucks showed up on auction websites like Bring A Trailer at a massive premium price. The GMC Hummer EV showed up with several trick features, like the Crab Walk mode and sophisticated four-wheel steering.
Rivian overcame several difficulties to produce and deliver 2022 electric R1T trucks this year, too. They are starting to show up on public roads now and have a presence that sets them apart from others with their vertical headlights. The big news for Rivian, however, is that the R1S SUV should be delivered this fall, according to CarScoops. That SUV is about the size of a Jeep Grand Wagoneer and has four-wheel drive and an impressive amount of camping gear that you can add.
Ram and Chevy EV trucks are on the way in 2023
Ram has been pretty coy as to the details of its new truck. All we know, so far, is that it looks sleeker than the current 1500, and that it will be offered in black. We do know more about the Chevy Silverado EV, however. It will tow up to 20,000 pounds, it will offer four-wheel steering and four-wheel drive, and it will have an updated interior with a 17-inch touchscreen. The new Silverado starts at $39,900 and will come in two versions, a work truck and the more luxurious RST versions. Chevy is taking reservations now for the EV.
Cybertruck and others keep getting pushed out
The delivery dates for the Tesla Cybertruck and other EV trucks seem to be moving targets for the manufacturers. Tesla held its Cyber Rodeo in April of this year and previewed several pre-production versions of the trucks that were far from finished. But, with its new plant in Giga, Texas, coming on line the company has promised that its more-than-a-million reservations for the truck will soon be filled. Lordstown has promised its Endurance truck by the end of 2022, also.
