North America’s relationship with the pick-up truck runs so deep that the vehicle has become engrained in its culture, its appeal extending to audiences far beyond the workers and tradespeople who bought up early models. The figures still speak for themselves: in 2018, Ford’s F-Series, the main constituent of which is still the F-150, was the best selling vehicle for the 36th year running at over 900,000 units. Between the F-Series and its closest competitors—the Chevy Silverado and the RAM pick-up—sales totalled over two million.
It’s therefore hardly surprising that automakers are eyeing up the segment for electrification, much like some have in the similarly popular SUV and crossover segments: such ventures could ramp up the attractiveness of electric vehicles (EVs), a highly desirable outcome for automakers looking down the barrel of more stringent emissions targets and increasing societal pressure to go green.
“Pick-up trucks are a large, stable segment,” agrees Matt DeLorenzo, Senior Managing Editor at Kelley Blue Book, “and so it only seems natural that if manufacturers want to expand EV adoption and garner the emission and fuel economy credits they generate, why not build something that will cater to one of the largest and most profitable segments in the industry?”
Pick-up trucks are a large, stable segment, and so it only seems natural that if manufacturers want to expand EV adoption and garner the emission and fuel economy credits they generate, why not build something that will cater to one of the largest and most profitable segments in the industry?
Ford is among the hopefuls, having announced that both a hybrid and an all-electric F-150 are in the offing. Test vehicles have already been sighted on roads, and at a recent demonstration a prototype was shown towing a 1.25 million pound-load: a train full of regular F-150s. Not to be left behind, GM’s Mary Barra has told investors that an electric pick-up is a part of the company’s plan moving forward, although it is yet to confirm details. FCA meanwhile has not made any pick-up announcements, but has this year pledged US$4.5bn for new production facilities in Michigan, where its will build Rams and, importantly, hybrid Jeeps. It would be in keeping with tradition for the automaker to follow its Detroit rivals’ lead after some delay.
However, it seems likely that the Big Three could be beaten to the punch by newcomer Rivian. Together with Detroit-based Bollinger Motors and Tesla, the company represents efforts outside of the established industry to bring an electrified pick-up to market. But whereas Elon Musk has offered little but hints, Rivian’s R1T is close to production, and the company hopes to launch the vehicle in 2020. Bollinger too says it is aiming for a 2020 production start, but whether this will include its B2 off-road pick-up in addition to its B1 SUV is unclear.
DeLorenzo agrees that the race to reach the US market first is a younger company’s game. “It’s likely we’ll see an all-electric pick-up on the market within the next two years,” he says, adding that in the past, “Tesla has been optimistic in its timetables, and so I don’t expect to see it deliver first. I believe the race is between Rivian and Bollinger, somewhere in the 2020 to 2021 timeframe.”
Meanwhile, in China…
Strangely enough, it seems that both will be beaten in the global context: Nissan’s joint venture (JV) with Dongfeng will reportedly release its own Rich 6 EV this month. That China should birth the first is hardly a surprise, with a mature EV infrastructure, ambitious electrification targets and strict emissions regulations in place. The company itself has remained tight-lipped on the vehicle however, and there are no plans for export.
Tesla has been optimistic in its timetables, and so I don’t expect to see it deliver first. I believe the race is between Rivian and Bollinger, somewhere in the 2020 to 2021 timeframe
China has another advantage: a market of buyers far more used to EVs on the road, with market share of plug-in vehicles on course to reach 7% of sales by the end of 2019. Compare this to the US, where the figure is less than 2%. Then there is the cultural legacy of the internal combustion engine (ICE), a reliable workhorse. Couple this with a segment where reliability is everything—many rely on pick-ups for a living, after all—and it seems only fair to ask, are Americans ready? Can batteries really deliver the same performance?
For the major manufacturers, the prototypes may be out there, but they are no guarantee that electric pick-ups will become a mainstay product. Xavier Mosquet, Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group, says that some evolution of the pick-up truck is likely: “The 48V RAM 1500 is an example,” he says, “as this is a good and affordable way to gain fuel efficiency.” The Ford F-150 Hybrid is another, in part due to its offer of an on-board generator which can be used for work purposes.
However, battery suitability remains in doubt. “Pick-ups are likely to be the last segment to turn electric, as its applications are far more suited to diesel or gasoline powertrains,” he suggests. “Pick-up buyers need their vehicle for business. Range, the ability to carry and pull load, and all-terrain capabilities are all areas where conventional engines excel over electric vehicles. Light commercial vehicles for local transportation are much better candidates for electrification.”
Pick-up buyers need their vehicle for business
None of this has stopped Rivian and Bollinger from pinning their hopes on fully electrified pick-ups. Bollinger has made a show of its off-road and towing capabilities, with a reported ground clearance of 15 inches (406mm) and towing capability of 7,500lbs (3,401kg). Rivian argues that from a technical perspective, electric pick-ups can in fact offer better reliability, and that current ranges should prove sufficient for everyday needs. “With fewer moving parts than a gas-powered vehicle, reliability is not an issue for electric vehicles,” the company told M:bility, “and with the range of an R1T exceeding 400 miles with our largest pack, many people understand that an EV is suitable for their daily needs.”
A larger platform on which to build the vehicle also brings with it one advantage: the ability to package more batteries, on what Rivian—and many others within the industry—terms a ‘skateboard platform’. Suitability for rough working conditions means that electrical systems are fully waterproofed, allowing vehicles to wade up to a metre in the water. A ballistic shield is fitted to the vehicle’s underside for further protection.
The suggestion is that if there’s a problem with electric pick-ups, it’s an issue of the heart, and not of the head. “We do understand our role will also involve educating people on the new technology,” added the Rivian spokesperson. “Third parties such as charging station companies will also play a significant role here.”
DeLorenzo believes the changing cultural tides in the US mean an electric pick-up would be by no means written off by customers. “There is a certain novelty factor involved in an electric pick-up, which I see as an initial impetus to bring these vehicles to market,” he suggests. “It’s interesting that Rivian is positioning its pick-ups, as well as its SUVs, more as recreational vehicles than work vehicles.”
With fewer moving parts than a gas-powered vehicle, reliability is not an issue for electric vehicles, and with the range of an R1T exceeding 400 miles with our largest pack, many people understand that an EV is suitable for their daily needs
EV pick-ups could also have a certain appeal for the fleet markets in urban settings, he adds, particularly for return-to-base operations working in delivery or construction who can rely on regular charging. On the issue of heavy towing jobs, the practically instantaneous torque provided by an electric motor will be of note, but “this advantage is offset by the weight of the batteries, which compromises payload and towing capability.”
“I see a role for electrification of trucks more among the lines of hybrids and plug-in hybrids, complementing traditional gas and diesel power,” DeLorenzo adds. Clearly, the full electrification of America’s favourite auto is something Rivian and Bollinger are taking seriously, but any volume they produce will be, at first, limited. Whether major manufacturers such as Ford have plans to roll out an all-battery F-150 in any meaningful numbers is unclear: could it be mere sabre-rattling in a world where automakers are mobilising to electrify, perturbed by the likes of Tesla? Or could tomorrow’s pick-ups really go zero-emission? Either way, the fact that such an embedded institution is being talked about as fair game for electrification speaks to the ongoing technical progress in the world of EVs.
This article appeared in the Q4 2019 issue of M:bility | Magazine. Follow this link to download the full issue.
