Electric Pickup Roundup: Musk Says Tesla Truck 'Not Like Anything Else'

[Ty_McMahan]

Elon Musk continues to build hype for Tesla’s planned electric pickup. Tesla’s CEO said during the company’s Q4 earnings call that a Tesla-built hauler “might be ready” to unveil “this summer.” Further fueling the anticipation, he said the truck will be something “special” and “not like anything else.” The timeline for a reveal of the...
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[GoEV]

How do regular car occupants (including those in Tesla sedans/SUVs) survive a crash with one of these? What need are they fulfilling?

 

[roblab]

How do they survive a crash? Crumple zones. Like in Tesla front end. The obvious need is addressed in the movie "Shrek" where the king (short) gets lifted onto his horse (big) which has rider leg extensions for looks. As Shrek stated, "he has issues."

Me have big truck. Me big. Sorry, but not so much. I AM tall. There are a few pickup truck people in CA who actually need a truck, but I have found that my S can haul several bales of hay (but I don't have cows or horses) in an aluminum 4 x 6 utility trailer, or other bulky items like a refrigerator, and I only attach it when I need it. I have never seen the need to drive something that is super long and hard to park just so I can haul hay twice a year or get a new tree to my house. What a waste. Drive down the freeway, and just about every pickup truck will be empty, or have some firewood or concrete blocks sitting in the back for traction. And there are a few people, male and female, who are so heavy and compromised that they have to have a pickup door to hold onto to get in. Some of them make videos of various types of cars. Our post office clerk (a big girl) owns one for that reason.

And now you can have an eight foot bed and two rows of people.

 

[wgood33]

I too have been using a 5x9 utility trailer instead of buying a truck. I pull this with my wife's Dodge Magnum SRT8, it works great. I don't think my Model 3 is setup for a hitch system like the Model S or X (i wish). My wife and I were already thinking of buying the Tesla Pickup to replace the Magnum but when we saw the picture we were very disappointed in the look of the pickup. That thing looks too weird, bummer!

 

[johnanniegibson]

A guy could tow a boat with an electric truck...

 

[Drewsky84]

I've got a diesel truck and a mx and the thought of a truck from tesla is exciting. I'm not sure that I can replace my diesel with Electric right away due to the range variance when towing. Looking forward to seeing the though and possibly adding it along side the mx and diesel truck.

 

[ac_power]

Is it carrying a Silverado in its trunk ?

Although seriously, I that sort of a vehicle would need a huge battery, probably 2x of MX to get reasonable range. I don't think many people could justify going camping or for ski trip in $200K truck. And being unable to fill it up quickly in case of emergency in the middle of nowhere is another questionable feature.
Hybrid with 500-600 miles range would be a nice option, but apparently it won't be a Tesla in that case.

 

[Nocturnal]

How do they survive a crash? Crumple zones. Like in Tesla front end. The obvious need is addressed in the movie "Shrek" where the king (short) gets lifted onto his horse (big) which has rider leg extensions for looks. As Shrek stated, "he has issues."

Me have big truck. Me big. Sorry, but not so much. I AM tall. There are a few pickup truck people in CA who actually need a truck, but I have found that my S can haul several bales of hay (but I don't have cows or horses) in an aluminum 4 x 6 utility trailer, or other bulky items like a refrigerator, and I only attach it when I need it. I have never seen the need to drive something that is super long and hard to park just so I can haul hay twice a year or get a new tree to my house. What a waste. Drive down the freeway, and just about every pickup truck will be empty, or have some firewood or concrete blocks sitting in the back for traction. And there are a few people, male and female, who are so heavy and compromised that they have to have a pickup door to hold onto to get in. Some of them make videos of various types of cars. Our post office clerk (a big girl) owns one for that reason.

And now you can have an eight foot bed and two rows of people.

That's a lifestyle/style choice. If somebody really has issues getting into a vehicle then a Truck is a stupid choice. A minivan or crossover is far better in that situation.

That said, I think the question about crashes is not accurate here. A big old lifted truck is definitely dangerous to other drivers, but that's because people modify them. There is little chance that Elon will design a PU that is more dangerous to other people than a sedan.

Is it carrying a Silverado in its trunk ?

Although seriously, I that sort of a vehicle would need a huge battery, probably 2x of MX to get reasonable range. I don't think many people could justify going camping or for ski trip in $200K truck. And being unable to fill it up quickly in case of emergency in the middle of nowhere is another questionable feature.
Hybrid with 500-600 miles range would be a nice option, but apparently it won't be a Tesla in that case.

If you aren't sure then take a look at the Rivian trucks. Not designed for regular joes, they are for weekend warriors. Not so different than people who buy Land Rovers etc.

 

[doghousePVD]

The article missed Bollinger Trucks Bollinger Motors | Bollinger Motors

 

[ac_power]

If you aren't sure then take a look at the Rivian trucks. Not designed for regular joes, they are for weekend warriors. Not so different than people who buy Land Rovers etc.

I thought we're talking about F150 Raptor territory at least. Otherwise it will be just a fancy gadget with lacking features and zero leverage on the truck market.

 

[Barklikeadog]

I thought we're talking about F150 Raptor territory at least. Otherwise it will be just a fancy gadget with lacking features and zero leverage on the truck market.

Ford, GM and Dodge are pretty flippin good at building trucks that give guys what they want. Make it durable, reliable, with 500mi range and you have a winner.

 

[Nocturnal]

I thought we're talking about F150 Raptor territory at least. Otherwise it will be just a fancy gadget with lacking features and zero leverage on the truck market.

Hard to say, but it's not that different from what Tesla did with the roadster and Model S.

 

[ac_power]

Hard to say, but it's not that different from what Tesla did with the roadster and Model S.

I think the difference is that hi-tech and performance are main selling points in sporty cars, and they can outweigh higher cost, lower running range, inconvenience of charging and potential reliability issues.
With the trucks, practicality, range and reliability are first three features. Unfortunately, EV tech at this point compromises all three of them.
Let's see what acquisition of Maxwell Tech brings in. 300 Wh/kg (vs. 100..150 Wh/kg today), cheaper technology and better service life may actually change a lot.

 

[Brando]

I think the difference is that hi-tech and performance are main selling points in sporty cars, and they can outweigh higher cost, lower running range, inconvenience of charging and potential reliability issues.
With the trucks, practicality, range and reliability are first three features. Unfortunately, EV tech at this point compromises all three of them.
Let's see what acquisition of Maxwell Tech brings in. 300 Wh/kg (vs. 100..150 Wh/kg today), cheaper technology and better service life may actually change a lot.

million mile designs - 8 year warranty on battery/drive train - seems much less cost/mile for both fuel & maintenance,
So, seems to me Tesla getting deposit for SEMI from buyers that believe.
Pickup Truck? Well, many pickup truck drivers on the West Coast it seems like some kind of fashion statement rather than any practical reasons. Higher seats, less theft concerns? I really have no idea. Just seems strange to me.

 

[ac_power]

Exactly. In SEMI there's no single obvious disadvantage of EV technology. Even higher weight may be a useful feature for traction and stability. But it's completely different application.
So yes, fashionary EV pickup for premium SUV market - maybe. But all the money are sitting with F150 crowd, which is clearly unreachable for EV tech today. And traditional truck manufacturers are releasing hybrids soon, which will place them even higher.
So no "one size fits all". EV vendors should pick their battles.

 

[Jdcorbitt3]

This is my 1/2 ton pickup. I am in truck country. My wife would love a Tesla Pickup.

 

[ac_power]

Sure.
The only question is if she would love a hybrid truck + new kitchen + couple vacations to exotic places little better.

 

[Sunshine Enjoy]

Nice article!

Being out of the loop, I didn't know the big boys were getting into EV pickups but that said, because of TESLA's greater mission regarding the environment, I'm sure TESLA will make a awesome pickup and I'm looking forward to buying it!

 

[richman0841]

Speaking for people who love RVs, I'm thinking preferably of a van with a pop-top that fits neatly into a garage and can go through a carwash, but is bigger inside than it looks outside because of slideouts. Sort of a tardis. A pickup with a shell would be almost as good, but it would sacrifice a lot of that space. But think of the joy of traveling 48 contiguous states without paying for gas, maybe even having it self-drive from one RV park to the next. Great for retired people like me.

I can't imagine, now that I think of it, why Elon didn't START with vans, since the post office, UPS, FedEx, and SO many others need vans and buses that do limited mileage per day on fairly predictable routes, and could be recharged on-site every night, with minimal need for maintenance on radiators, trannies, etc. The post office alone would have paid the bills, getting billion-dollar contracts like SpaceX.

 

[ac_power]

I can't imagine, now that I think of it, why Elon didn't START with vans <...> The post office alone would have paid the bills, getting billion-dollar contracts like SpaceX.

That's exactly the answer. No business wants to sponsor new cool technology unless there's a solid economical justification behind it. And we're actually placing them into this position because not many people (if any) would agree to pay premium for the envelope delivered on EV.