This Electric Truck Can Compete With Ford and GM

The Rivian R1T faces heavy competition

The electric truck segment is slowly growing, and so far, every entry has been a full-size pickup. Ford and General Motors both offer their own full-size electric trucks meant to resemble regular trucks to attract non-EV customers. There are some oddities within the segment that can certainly turn heads, like the Tesla Cybertruck’s odd design and the GMC Hummer EV Pickup’s ‘supertruck’ spec sheet, but those aren’t the only ones. There’s another small automaker that’s looking to take on the big dogs with an attractive offering in the segment.

The Rivian R1T is one capable truck

Starting at $69,900, the Rivian R1T is one of the more affordable electric trucks on the market. The base Dual Standard model comes powered by two electric motors that generate 533 horsepower and 610 lb-ft of torque. The Standard battery offers a range of 270 miles, the aptly-named Large battery increases that figure to 329 miles, while the Max battery increases it to 420 miles.

At its largest, the Rivian R1T measures 88.4 inches wide by 78.2 inches tall. All models ride on a 135.8-inch wheelbase and measure 217.1 inches long. The electric truck also boasts a 14.6-inch ground clearance, making it sufficient for light off-roading. As far as capability goes, the $99,900 R1T Tri model tops out with 850 hp and an 11,000-lbs. maximum towing capacity, but it’s the R1T Dual trim that offers the highest hauling capability at 2,161 lbs.

General Motors has three electric trucks on its lineup

The Chevrolet Silverado EV kicks things off for General Motors with a $73,100 starting price. Available in three trim levels, the Silverado EV LT Extended Range features dual electric motors that produce 645 horsepower and 765 lb-ft of torque. Even with that performance, the base Silverado EV is rated for up to 408 miles of range, can tow up to 12,500 lbs. and haul 1,800 lbs. The mid-tier RST Extended Range adds 20 lb-ft of torque to the equation, bringing the total to 785 lb-ft. That bump in performance drops the truck’s range to 390 miles and also affects capability, with towing capacity falling to 10,500 lbs. and payload dropping to 1,420 lbs.

The range-topping RST Max Range trim boosts the range to 460 miles, placing the electric truck among the highest in the industry. That range comes alongside 760 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque, as well as 10,500-lbs. towing and 1,500-lbs. payload capacities. As far as size, the Chevrolet Silverado EV is a beefy pickup, with a 145.7-inch wheelbase and 233.1 inches in length. The truck is 78.7 inches tall and 83.8 inches wide. It’s a beastly truck, there’s no doubt about that, but it still falls short of the power and capacity of the range-topping Rivian R1T Tri Motor.

The GMC Sierra EV is available in the ever-luxurious Denali trim, although it’s similar to the Silverado EV in many ways. Available from $89,900, the Sierra EV is available in Extended and Max Range forms, with a range topping out at 460 miles. In its most powerful form, the Sierra EV’s dual electric motors pump out 760 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque. In addition to its luxurious cabin, as is the standard for the Denali moniker, the GMC Sierra EV can tow up to 10,500 lbs.

General Motors revived Hummer as an all-electric sub-brand of GMC for the 2022 model year, and the resulting GMC Hummer EV Pickup is the definition of a supertruck, if there ever was one. Starting at $96,550, the Hummer EV Pickup offers up to a 367-mile range paired with a triple-motor setup that’s capable of producing 1,000 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. In its most capable form, the GMC Hummer EV Pickup manages to tow 12,500 lbs. and haul up to 1,485 lbs.

The GMC Hummer EV Pickup’s design is an oddity that’s second only to the Tesla Cybertruck. The supertruck rides on a 135.6-inch wheelbase and measures 216.8 inches long. It rounds out fairly well, measuring 79.1 inches tall and 93.7 inches wide. While it isn’t the most practical pickup, it is one of the most powerful, beating out the Rivian R1T Tri in all metrics.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is plenty capable

The Ford F-150 Lightning builds on the success of America’s favorite full-size truck. The all-electric version starts at $62,995, with up to 240 miles of range in the XLT model. There, the dual motor setup produces 452 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque. Upgrading to the Lariat trim increases the truck’s performance to 580 horsepower, while the Extended Range battery increases range to 320 miles.

Ford’s electric truck measures 80 inches wide by 78.3 inches tall. While it’s a little thinner in width compared to the R1T, the F-150 Lightning’s wheelbase is nearly 10 inches longer at 145 inches. The full-size pickup is fairly long as a result, measuring 232.7 inches. The Ford F-150 Lightning isn’t quite as capable as the Rivian R1T, with a 10,000-lbs. maximum towing and 2,000-lbs. maximum payload capacity, depending on trim level.

Final Thoughts

In price alone, the Rivian R1T is an incredibly competitive electric truck. Its range, performance, and towing capability can not only challenge pickups from more established automakers but also beat several models to the punch. Rivian may be a fairly new automaker, but it has all the pieces in place to become a force to be reckoned with as the industry makes the shift to electrification.

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