It’s one thing to see an electric passenger car on the road, but an all-electric truck is harder to believe. After all, a truck doesn’t just transport passengers, it tows, hauls, and works harder than any other vehicle. And trucks don’t just get us around, these vehicles are also part of the trade, economy, and infrastructure of the world.

As the toughest vehicles, trucks need power and performance that isn’t well-associated with all-electric powertrains. But with the world turning towards better alternatives, are trucks turning towards an all-electric future?

The electric trend: will all trucks go electric eventually?

A lot has changed in recent years, with the world and auto industry making extreme strides in technology and design. This doesn’t come as a surprise, with the world turning towards a more environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient vehicle.

Automakers must keep up with this electric trend, and in order for the truck industry to survive, it must follow suit. It may take some time, but it seems the future of trucks is moving to electric. According to Forbes:

“both startup and well-established automakers are readying full-electric versions that are both emissions-free and lose nothing in the way of sheer might and muscle.”

What the future of electric trucks looks like

The biggest auto brands in the world have had their eyes on electric pickups for years. In recent years, many have committed to focusing on electric-powered vehicles and producing all-electric trucks. But making a quality, high-performing, electric truck takes time. 

General Motors, for example, has been investing in the idea of an electric pickup but admits will need time to develop, according to Bloomberg. In fact, GM recently announced its place to have a completely-electric lineup and though a production date is not set, an all-electric pickup truck is already being developed.

According to Motor 1, GM has grand plans to build an electric platform that “will accommodate nearly 10 different body styles.” Ford has also invested billions into a range of electric vehicles, with the goal of hitting showrooms by 2022.

Some are quicker than others, however. Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer, is already giving the world an idea of what an all-electric truck looks like. According to Inside EVs, the R1T is an electric luxury truck that makes 800 hp, gets up to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds, and tows up to 11,000 lbs.

The R1T can be driven for up to 400 miles on a single charge and seems like our first sneak-peek into the future of pickup trucks. There’s also the Atlis Motor Vehicle company, which has created a full-size electric pickup capable of towing up to 35,000 lbs and travel up to 500 miles.

Auto innovator Tesla has also shown its commitment to producing a new kind of electric pickup. In typical Tesla form, however, the automaker has taken the electric truck a step further and announced its partnership with FedEx to build 20 all-electric Tesla trucks to its fleet, according to Interesting Engineering.

When will the world see an all-electric auto industry?

According to the New York Times, research indicates it may be some time before the world sees nothing on its roads but electric vehicles. In a report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the cost inconvenience of electric vehicles has decreased faster than experts thought it would, “spurred by cheaper batteries and aggressive policies” regarding environmental protection.

Because of this, experts estimate that plug-in/all-electric vehicles will reach equilibrium with the cost of gas-powered vehicles (without taking fuel savings and subsidies into account) around the years 2025 to 2030. When this happens, “mass adoption should quickly follow.” However, because of the difficult nature of electrifying trucks, we should expect an entirely-electric pickup market no time soon.