We’re starting to see several new EV trucks enter the market and with that influx of workhorses powered by electricity.
Will you have as much power with these new EV models as you have had with the gasoline-powered versions? While that is certainly one question that you should ask, you might also want to know if these new models are as powerful as the diesel versions. Let’s dig in and see what we find with these new trucks that will drive silently to wherever you need to go.
The Electric Silverado Wears the Name, but Much has Changed
Should Chevy have brought back the Avalanche name with the new electric version of the Silverado pickup truck? The new Silverado EV (pictured above) is certainly built to look a lot different from the gasoline model. This new version wears side wings that make it look more like the Avalanche that was once part of the Chevy lineup and not like a Silverado at all. In fact, this new Chevy truck gives us a MutliFlex Midgate, which folds down to open more room into the cabin, which is one of the features we admired about the Avalanche.
The RST version of the Silverado EV will bring 664 horsepower, which is 200 more than the most powerful engine in the gasoline-powered Silverado 1500. This could mean that this is the right one of the EV trucks for you to drive when it arrives, but there’s more to the story. The top engine for the Silverado 1500 gives you 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque while the EV model offers 780 lb.-ft. of torque in the RST trim. Even so, the gasoline Silverado can tow up to 13,300 pounds while the electric model is rated at 10,000 pounds. The payload for the gasoline version also comes in at 2,280 pounds, while the EV can only carry up to 1,300 pounds.
There will be a model of the Silverado EV that will come with less power but still have more than the gasoline version. This will be the WT model, and it will be good for 510 horsepower and 615 lb.-ft. of torque when it arrives.
How About that Ford Lightning?
If you’re looking for one of the EV trucks that looks more like its gasoline-powered sibling, the Ford Lightning is the truck for you. This is going to be one of the three electric trucks you can buy this year, along with the GMC Hummer EV and the Rivian R1T. The Ford is built on the same platform as the F-150 to give you a truck that has the dimensions you want and the package of features that you’re looking for during your drive.
The new Ford Lightning will also bring you more power than the most powerful version of the F-150. The top model of the F-150 brings you an EcoBoost V6 engine that returns 400 horsepower and 500lb.-ft. of torque. The Lightning offers you 426 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque coming from the electric powertrain.
Upon initial launch, the Ford Lightning will offer you a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds, while the F-150 can pull 11,300 pounds in a trailer. That is a huge difference in the power to pull something behind this truck. Even so, it’s possible the Ford Lightning could have enough power to give you the experience you want and get things done out on the road.
There is No Comparison for the GMC Hummer EV
We can try and find a gasoline or diesel-powered truck that compares to the GMC Hummer EV, but that doesn’t seem to be possible. This will be one of the most powerful EV trucks that will arrive in the market and be enjoyed by those looking for something special to drive. The Hummer EV comes with features that other trucks just can’t match, including a Crab Walk feature and the Watts to Freedom launch control system.
This new electric truck wears the name of a gas-guzzling truck from the past, but it won’t take any gas to operate it. As much as we have looked for a power equivalent in the GMC lineup, there just isn’t one. The most powerful GMC Sierra 3500 HD has a 6.6-liter turbocharged diesel V8 engine that makes 445 horsepower and 910 lb.-ft. of torque. The Hummer EV is expected to arrive with 1,000 horsepower and has been quoted as having quite a bit more torque, but that item is a bit controversial right now.
The maximum towing and payload for the Sierra 3500 HD comes in at 36,000 pounds and 6,610 pounds, respectively. The Hummer EV is certainly not meant to be a work truck that can compare to the Sierra. This electric truck has a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds and 1,300 pounds of payload. That makes the Hummer EV an outdoor adventure truck, but not a work truck.
There Isn’t a Rivian Gasoline Truck, but…
Even though there isn’t a gasoline counterpart for the Rivian R1T, we can look at this new truck alongside one of the most powerful EV trucks in the market to see how it stacks up. If we were to look at the R1T with the First Edition model of the Hummer EV, we see that the Rivian model brings 800 horsepower and 900 lb.-ft. of torque, which is great compared to the Silverado EV and the Ford Lightning, but not the most powerful GMC Hummer EV.
You have to drop down to the EV2X model of the Hummer EV to find a model that doesn’t have more power than the R1T. At this level, the GMC truck gives you two electric motors that produce 625 horsepower for the drive. The new Rivian R1T might be the most truck-like version in the entire class. This model is rated to tow more than 11,000 pounds and carry a maximum payload of 1,760 pounds in the bed. It seems that Rivian has found the secret sauce to making EV trucks that can get a lot of work done.
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