The $100,000 electric truck market is here. A guide to pickups from Tesla, GM, Rivian and Ford

DETROIT- Tesla, General Motors, Rivian Automobile And Ford engine have created a new market in the American auto industry for expensive, powerful, and wobbly electric pickup trucks that sell for $100,000 or more.

Just five years ago, the idea of ​​a customer paying six figures for a pickup truck—traditionally a work vehicle meant for hauling and towing—was the stuff of national headlines. But it’s quickly become the norm as automakers try to boost profits on traditional trucks and simply make money on electric trucks.

“Customers are willing to spend money, so automakers are going to give it to them,” said Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility. “In general, pickup trucks with more equipment, better features and better materials reflect the general attitude of consumers to want more.”

But unlike traditional $100,000 internal combustion engine pickup trucks that offer greater capabilities than less expensive models, electric trucks are more expensive. That’s partly because of the technologies used, including the expensive batteries needed to power the vehicles.

“If you think about who is actually buying these new electric cars, it is definitely for the [automakers]a different demographic,” said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Cox Automotive director of industry insights. “These are very expensive, very niche vehicles.”

There are currently a handful of electric trucks for sale in the US market: the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and from General Motors GMC Hummer EV, GMC Sierra Denali, and Chevrolet Silverado. The GMC Hummer and Rivian also have SUV versions, which have similar features to their pickup counterparts, but in different forms.

All of these vehicles can easily top or come in at close to $100,000, including Tesla’s “Cyberbeast” model for around $120,000 and a limited-edition GMC Hummer for more than $150,000. Kelley Blue Book reports that both vehicles traded for more than $100,000 last month — and the Tesla Cybertruck became the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. priced at six figures or more.

That's in stark contrast to the average price paid for a traditional pickup truck: $65,713, including an average 7% rebates, according to Kelley Blue Book.

All told, this electric “truck” market, which includes SUVs, accounted for nearly 58,000 vehicles sold in the first half of this year, according to Motor Intelligence estimates. That’s less than 1% of the roughly 7.9 million new light vehicles sold in the U.S. during that period, but a 35% quarterly increase from the first to the second quarter, according to the data.

The market is expected to continue to grow, but so far I’ve driven each of these $100,000 vehicles for varying amounts of time. They all ride and handle well, but in different ways. Here are some thoughts on each:

The Tesla Cybertruck is in a class of its own in almost everything: design, functionality, polarization, and features.

It's much more “cyber” than it is “truck.” It does have some truck capabilities, like a cargo bed and other utility features, but it's not a truck in the traditional sense.

The Cybertruck has tight handling, including a tiller and a steer-by-wire system; a stiff chassis similar to that of a sports car; and, while arbitrary, a design that is far more form than function, which has historically been one of the primary reasons people buy a pickup truck.

The Cybertruck, like its GM competitors, also features “four-wheel steering,” where all of the vehicle’s wheels assist in turning. Compared to a traditional vehicle where two wheels turn the vehicle, this makes larger vehicles much easier to maneuver.

What the Tesla Cybertruck lacks in traditional “truck-ness,” it makes up for with technology and the vehicle’s human-machine interface (HMI) with the driver.

The vehicle is in many ways an experiment for the company in terms of its technologies.

• Advantages: Design, technology, software, weight (lowest in segment), four-wheel steering
• Disadvantages: Design, bed access, interior space and quality

The GMC Hummer EV, the first electric truck to hit the market, is most comparable to the Cybertuck in terms of performance, price and overall flashiness.

Driving the vehicle, whether on or off-road, is an experience. GM has called it the world’s first “supertruck.” It’s fast, big and the least efficient electric consumer vehicle currently on sale, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The SUV version is smaller and better to drive than the pickup truck version.

Both Hummer variants carry the weight of GM’s rapid vehicle development. They’re heavy — estimated at nearly 9,200 pounds for the pickup — compared to any other consumer vehicle on the market today, including their all-electric truck counterparts.

While Hummer's electric vehicles can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds or less and are very capable with their performance parts, the weight of the vehicles can easily be reduced. felt while driving.

GM designers have done a good job of updating the Hummer’s exterior design for the new EVs, including the ability to remove roof panels. But the interior, like the vehicles themselves, can feel a bit bulky.

• Advantages: Design, power, durability, four-wheel steering, hands-free Super Cruise advanced driver assistance system
• Disadvantages: Design, efficiency, spacious interior, range

GM’s latest all-electric pickup trucks are the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra Debali. Both models are available in the upper segment and cost almost $100,000.

While GM's design team has done an excellent job of keeping the vehicles visually separate to match their brands, the parts and functions of the vehicles are largely the same.

Both vehicles have an EPA-rated range of 440 miles and offer up to 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque. Importantly for many truck customers, they can also tow up to 10,000 pounds and can charge for 100 miles in about 10 minutes with a DC fast charger (if you can find a compatible charger).

The Sierra is more refined and luxurious than its Chevrolet counterpart, with open-pore wood trim, larger screens, GMC's “crab mode” four-wheel steering (shared with the Hummer), and other features.

A unique feature of the Silverado and Sierra EVs compared to other models is the ability to have a “midgate,” where the vehicle’s rear seat can be folded down and the rear window can be flipped open, creating a nearly 11-foot-long cargo bed with segment-high cargo space.

Both the Silverado and Sierra EVs drive well and feel like a “truck,” but are still significantly heavier than their non-GM competitors.

• Advantages: Power, Charging Speed, Range, Super Cruise, Center Gate, Four Wheel Steering
• Disadvantages: Efficiency, interior (mainly Silverado), weight

Rivian's flagship R1T pickup and R1S SUV remain standout models in the electric truck segment when it comes to outdoor adventure and lifestyle vehicles similar to those from Jeep.

The second generation of vehicles, released earlier this year, improved the ride and quality of the trucks. The R1S driving experience was noticeably smoother than the first generation of vehicles.

While the vehicles’ exterior designs remain largely unchanged for the second generation, Rivian says they pack 10 times the computing power they did before. The company has also changed more than half of the hardware components.

Where the R1T and R1S really stand out is in their interior design. They’re minimalist, much like Tesla products, but still have enough other controls to satisfy mainstream, traditional buyers. The functionality and HMI are also impressive.

• Advantages: Design, software, interior
• Disadvantages: Loading speed capability, no four-wheel steering, advanced driver assistance system

The F-150 Lightning is the most accessible all-electric truck on the market. That includes its starting price of around $63,000, driving dynamics, and utility. It handles much like a traditional F-150, but it’s electric. That’s because it shares many components with its internal combustion siblings.

When the F-150 Lightning hit the market, it was the first “mainstream” electric truck. It followed the Hummer “supertruck” and Rivian R1T, but it was the first real test of an all-electric vehicle for traditional truck owners.

When it was introduced, the vehicle was a true top performer, but the competition has largely caught up to or surpassed it in terms of range, driving dynamics and overall performance, especially when compared to the $100,000 trucks mentioned above.

The F-150 Lightning, which can cost more than $90,000, is still a solid vehicle, but for buyers willing to spend around $100,000 or more, the competition is much fiercer than when the truck launched in 2022.