Re: [EVDL] EVLN: Pickup e-trucks that can topple the mighty Ford

[Bill Woodcock via EV]

> On Feb 19, 2019, at 9:47 PM, brucedp5 via EV  wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-pickup-truck-rivian-r1t-vs-ford-f-150/
> Tesla’s pickup truck and Rivian’s R1T can topple the mighty Ford F-150

I’ve been trying to keep this Quora answer up-to-date:

https://www.quora.com/Are-there-any-hybrid-pick-up-trucks-available-in-the-US-market/answer/Bill-Woodcock-3

-Bill

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[EVDL] EVLN: Pickup e-trucks that can topple the mighty Ford

[brucedp5 via EV]

https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-pickup-truck-rivian-r1t-vs-ford-f-150/
Tesla’s pickup truck and Rivian’s R1T can topple the mighty Ford F-150
February 16, 2019  Simon Alvarez

[image  
https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/tesla-truck-rivian-r1t.jpg
(Photo: EV.network, Rivian/Twitter)

https://cdn.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Rivian-R1T.jpg
The Rivian R1T promises to bring electrification to the luxury adventure
industry. (Photo: Rivian)

https://cdn.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/tesla-pickup-heavy-duty-e1550234900506.jpg
The Tesla Truck imagined in a render. (Photo: EV.network/Twitter)

https://cdn.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ford-f-150-ev.jpg
An electric Ford F-150 spotted in the wild. (Photo: Brian Williams)
]

The mighty Ford F-150 might see a legitimate challenge in the near future,
if the veteran automaker neglects to prepare adequately for the arrival of
two all-electric pickup trucks on the market — the Tesla Truck and the
Rivian R1T.  

The disruption of battery-powered pickup trucks was highlighted in a note
from Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas on Thursday. Addressing the firm’s
investors, the analyst stated that an electric pickup successfully launched
by a new player like Tesla or Rivian “could be a serious problem for the
Detroit-based traditional automakers.” With the arrival of compelling
vehicles, Jonas noted that experienced carmakers like Ford could lose the
opportunity to gain a “first mover advantage” [
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/morgan-stanley-electric-pickup-tesla-130230268.html
] in the electric pickup market.

Promising Challengers

The Wall St analyst’s points hit the nail on the head, considering that the
innate characteristics of electric vehicles such as instant torque and
generous towing capacity are factors that are vital to the pickup truck
market. The Rivian R1T, for example, is listed with a towing capacity of
11,000 pounds, though CEO RJ Scaringe noted in a recent interview that the
truck could tow far beyond its official rating. Thanks to the R1T’s four
electric motors, the truck is also able to hit 60 mph in just 3 seconds.

The Tesla Truck, on the other hand, has been mentioned several times by Elon
Musk in recent months. Last year, Musk held a Twitter brainstorming session
with his social media followers to list down features that are important for
pickup truck owners. By the end of the session, Musk noted that the Tesla
Truck would have two electric motors and dynamic suspension, a range of
400-500 miles per charge [
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-pickup-truck-6-seats-300k-towing-capacity/
], four-wheel steering, a 240-volt connection for heavy-duty tools, and even
an air compressor to run other equipment. Musk also noted that the vehicle
could tow as much as 300,000 pounds.

Tesla’s Acid Test

Anyone skeptical of the potential disruption from an electric vehicle does
not need to look very far. Over the past year, Tesla’s Model 3 midsize sedan
all but shook the United States’ passenger car market, creeping up on
ubiquitous vehicles like the Toyota Camry and dominating in revenue
rankings. By the end of 2018, the Model 3 was the US’ best-selling luxury
vehicle, despite being a sedan in a market that prefers SUVs and pickup
trucks.

With a battery-powered pickup truck that is reasonably priced and
well-equipped with features, carmakers such as Tesla and Rivian could
challenge even the US auto industry’s biggest sellers, including the Ford
F-150. One thing that would be a hindrance to this potential disruption, of
course, would be the capability of electric car makers to scale production,
especially considering the demand for pickups in the US. In this light,
Rivian must still prove itself, since the production of the R1T is yet to
begin. Tesla, on the other hand, is already learning the art of mass
production, as shown by its growing pains with the Model 3 ramp.

A Way to Maintain the Status Quo

Despite the upcoming challenge and Wall Street’s recent warning, Ford does
have a way to maintain the status quo in the pickup truck market. Last
month, Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets, announced that the
F-series would be going electric. Farley later added that the decision to
adopt all-electric and hybrid power is a way to “future-proof” the company’s
most successful vehicle line.  

If recent sightings are any indication, it appears that Ford is at least
testing an electric prototype of the F-150 [
https://www.teslarati.com/ford-f-150-electric-tesla-pickup-truck-rivian/
]. As noted in a recent sighting, a camouflaged electric F-150 has been
spotted charging at a station. The vehicle looked a lot like a regular
truck, save for its charging port and its higher ride height, which appeared
to be the result of batteries installed underneath the vehicle. Provided
that Ford does not show some ill-timed hubris by giving the electric F-150
mediocre specs and range, the company could very well weather the