The electric truck market has been booming in recent years, with more and more options becoming available to consumers as of early 2024. If you're in the market for an electric truck, you may be wondering which models are the best of the best. Well, look no further!
In this post, we'll be showcasing the top electric pickup trucks of 2024 to help make a decision if you're looking to get yourself in to an electric pickup. All of these trucks have a good track record so far, and will work very well for the average person.
To create this list, we only included trucks that are available to order today by a regular customer. While most of these vehicles, especially the Cybertruck, are so new that it's very difficult to get your hands on one, they are still out in the wild and technically available for someone to order. You'll just have to wait to get yours!
We also excluded trucks that might be only available to special groups, like the Chevy Silverado EV, even though it seems like a solid entry in to the electric pickup space. At the time of writing seems to only be available to fleet buyers like rental or construction companies and not the average person. But we're hopeful to see this open up soon and when the landscape changes we'll continue to update this post with the latest and greatest for 2024.
The article will have a section focused on key specs for each truck, put together using information directly from the manufacturers.
With that out of the way, let's dive in to the list of the top electric pickup trucks available in the USA in 2024!
The Best Electric Pickup Truck Criteria
Everyone has a different use-case for their truck. How you drive, where you go, and what you're doing all will affect making the best choice for you. That said, we wanted to highlight some key criteria that allowed us to select these options.
Each information section for each truck will feature the following key stats detailed for you to help make a good decision about which electric truck fits your lifestyle.
Price: We will cover pricing of different trim levels in many cases, but will not include pricing of additional individual options Our focus will be on just the base price of the basic packages provided by the auto manufacturer.
Range: How far can the trucks go on a full charge?
Charging network: The key factors here will be availability of charging, speed, and reliability of the network.
Bed size: An important factor for any pickup owner is "how much can this thing haul?"
Towing capabilities: How much can the thing tow? We'll also include info about how much this affects the range if those numbers are available.
Payload capacity: Also fitting in to the utility picture is the payload capacity. We know the size of the bed but how heavy of a load can you haul?
We'll also list a few general pros and cons for each of the picks.
Through reviewing of these features along with some mentions of what makes each truck unique, we're hoping to give a great picture of what exactly the electric truck market looks like at this moment in time.
Tesla Cybertruck:
Let's start strong with the most polarizing and newest release on the road. The Tesla Cybertruck. Internet forums seem to be lighting up with jokes, memes, and insults for the truck; in the real world reactions have seemed very positive overall.
Although they're nearly impossible to get your hands on unless you're a very early reservation holder with deep pockets, this futuristic & stainless steel behemoth has begun to hit the streets in the United States to much fanfare. We'll leave the design and looks debate out of this post, but let's take a look at the specs and features to show what might make this a good option for an electric pickup.
Tesla Cybertruck price:Â
Tesla offers three price points, with only two of them actually available to order for potential delivery sometime this year (for early reservation holders). We'll focus on those two options. First the dual-motor all-wheel drive model. Second, Tesla's flagship top-performance model, the tri-motor "Cyberbeast".
An important thing to note is that at the time of writing, Tesla is only offering "founders edition" packages. These maxed-out and pricey trucks include additional accessories as well as Tesla's full suite of self-driving software. We'll list this pricing in addition to the basic pricing, but it's basically another $20,000 added to the price tags.
According to Tesla's website, the Cybertruck comes in three trim levels at the following prices:
Rear-wheel drive Cybertruck: $60,990
This model has yet to be produced and is estimated to be available sometime in 2025. It's not likely we'll see a "Founders Edition" version of this model.
All-wheel drive Cybertruck: $79,990
"Founders Edition" price: $99,990
Tri-motor, Cyberbeast Cybertruck: $99,990
"Founders Edition" price: $119,990
Tesla Cybertruck range:
The tesla Cybertruck range, like most of the other manufacturers, depends on the model you purchase. Different features, performance, and even the battery size can vary slightly in electric vehicles, so it's important to understand by trim-level what you're getting yourself in to.
The currently stated ranges are:
RWD Tesla Cybertruck: 250 miles (estimated as the truck is not yet available)
AWD Tesla Cybertruck: 340 miles
Cyberbeast Tesla Cybertruck: 320 miles
Unfortunately, vs. the announcement specs of 500 miles, the Cyberbeast falls extremely short. The mid-range AWD Cybertruck however is likely to be the most popular option for sale and it's hitting a very reasonable target. 300+ miles is excellent for everyday driving and even occasional road-trips.
Tesla Cybertruck charging network:Â
Tesla, of course, primarily uses the Tesla Supercharger network as their high-speed charging network of choice. Supercharging is extremely consistent, easy to use, and widely available. In our opinion, along with many others, it's the best option for reliable high-speed charging when on a road trip and frankly, we wouldn't travel without it!
Since the Cybertruck is a Tesla product, it of course interfaces seamlessly with the Supercharger network. Simply pull up, plug in, and Tesla handles everything automatically.
The Cybertruck, like all Tesla's, also comes with an adapter to allow it to plug in to a "J1772" outlet. If you're not familiar with the jargon, this adapter is for what's called "level 2" charging. It's not very fast like a supercharger, but you can often find these mid-range stations out in public many places. They're also commonly attached to various brands of at-home fast chargers.
It's not something you'd use for a quick charge on a road trip, but is a great option for overnight charging or if you happen to find a free public charger while you're stopping off for a few hours somewhere.
Tesla Cybertruck bed size:Â
The Tesla Cybertruck has a very interesting bed. They call it a "vault" with a heavy-duty automatic tonneau cover standard on the AWD and Cyberbeast models. It's fully lined and has kind of an interesting shape. But overall it's very functional and a good size for a pickup.
According to Tesla's specs, the bed is a full 4 feet x 6 feet long. With the tailgate down, Tesla shares that it's easy to haul full-sized 4'x8' construction materials. A full 6 foot bed is a nice feature to have on a truck this size!
The Cybertruck also has a Gear Locker in the bottom of the bed. Open it up for even more waterproof storage. Unfortunately though, this isn't accessible if you have a bed full of other stuff, but nice to know it's available!
Tesla Cybertruck towing capabilities:Â
The towing specs of the Cybertruck are the same across both available models as of the time of writing. They're fairly solid numbers for a truck this class, and most casual weekend warriors shouldn't have any problem towing their favorite boats, RV's, or snow-mobiles to and from wherever they're going.
Both the Tesla AWD Cybertruck and the Tesla Cyberbeast Cybertruck can tow up to 11,000lbs. with a tongue weight of 1,110 lbs.
As with all electric vehicles on this list, the electric drivetrains are crazy powerful and make towing these loads a breeze. The big challenge is how much towing affects the range.
Wind resistance is the biggest factor of reduced range when traveling at highway speeds. With a large, non aerodynamic trailer behind you, it's possible to see the range be 50% less than without the trailer! Towing tests are still being done with the Cybertruck, however the expectation for it is the same as all other electric trucks.
Tesla Cybertruck payload capacity:Â
So how much can the Tesla Cybertruck carry as a payload? Tesla shares that both models of the Cybertruck, AWD and Cyberbeast, can carry 2,500lbs safely.
Rivian R1T
next up is the Rivian R1T. An extremely practical and capable pickup truck built for adventure. This truck is the smallest size on the list, but that doesn't mean it can't compete with the big boys.
Of all the trucks on the list, the Rivian is probably the one that you can get in your hands the quickest if you need something right away. Rivian's trucks can be ordered on their website and at the time of writing, they have some inventory models that can arrive within 4 weeks of your order! If you're custom configuring, it's likely you'll have a few month's wait to get in to your new adventure vehicle. Still not too terrible!
How does this small but mighty truck stack-up?
Rivian R1T price:
Rivian has a ton of configuration options that can affect the price, even letting you pair different drivetrains & performance with different battery sizes to build a truck that's just right for you. This can get complicated quick, but we'll do our best to simplify it as much as possible.
To keep things simple, we've built the following chart using the "Adventure" trim Rivian R1T (the only trim package available at this time). We also did not add any options or accessories, focusing on the base price of each type of truck, drivetrain, and battery combo.
In short, the following items add the following amounts to the most basic price of a Rivian R1T.
Rivian R1T Drivetrain Pricing:
Performance Dual-Motor AWD: +$5,000
Quad-Motor AWD: +$8,000
Rivian R1T Battery Pricing:
Standard+: +$3,100
Large: +$9,100
Max: +$19,100
Rivian R1T, Adventure Trim Pricing Combos
Dual-Motor, Standard Battery | $69,900 |
Dual-Motor, Standard+ Battery | $73,000 |
Dual-Motor, Large Battery | $79,000 |
Dual-Motor, Max Battery | $89,000 |
Performance Dual-Motor, Standard Battery | Option not available |
Performance Dual-Motor, Standard+ Battery | $78,000 |
Performance Dual-Motor, Large Battery | $84,000 |
Performance Dual-Motor, Max Battery | $94,000 |
Quad-Motor, Standard Battery | Option not available |
Quad-Motor, Standard+ Battery | Option not available |
Quad-Motor, Large Battery | $87,000 |
Quad-Motor, Max Battery | Option not available |
Rivian R1T range:Â
The Rivian R1T really has some winning configurations making it a champion on range in the pickup truck category. Based on different drivetrains and battery sizes, you can hit a range of numbers beginning as low as 270 miles, going all the way up to an astounding 410 miles on a charge!
Here are the minimum and maximum ranges available by drivetrain type, depending on the battery you choose for the truck:
Rivian R1T Range Minimum and Maximums
Dual-Motor AWD | 270 miles - 410 miles |
Performance Dual-Motor AWD | 315 miles - 410 miles |
Quad Motor AWD | 328 miles |
Rivian R1T charging network:
Rivian uses CSS chargers by default, meaning not only do they interface with their own network, but they also interface with general charging networks like EVgo, Chargepoint, and Electrify America.
Rivian, like Tesla, has their own charging network called the "Rivian Adventure Network". However unlike Tesla, locations are fairly limited, but that's a little bit by design. Since they interface with any CSS charger, there is still a lot of options.
While options are great, all of these charging companies have pretty poor reliability reputations, with many charging stations either not working, or offering slower than expected charging speeds.
There is however some incredibly exciting news as of March 2024. Rivian vehicles are now compatible with Tesla Superchargers!!! This opens up a huge range of possibilities for Rivian owners to go anywhere Tesla can. Adapters are being provided beginning in April 2024 for Rivians to plug in and go as simply as Teslas can on the Tesla Supercharger network.
Rivian R1T bed size:
The Rivian is a smaller-sized truck and the smallest on this list. It goes without saying that this leads to being the smallest bed. That said, it fits the truck's lifestyle and company mission well.
The Rivian R1T clocks in with a 4.5 foot bed. Small, but still livable and very practical. Keep in mind this truck is purpose-built for adventure, not for construction.
Rivian R1T towing capabilities:Â
I've mentioned a few times that the Rivian R1T is "small but mighty". The towing numbers are arguably where this is most true.
The R1T, despite it's relatively compact size, is capable of towing up to 11,000 lbs
with a tongue weight of 1,155 lbs. Effectively the same capabilities as the Cybertruck (with a little more wiggle room up on the tongue weight).
Overall, this little truck can play with the big ones.
Rivian R1T payload capacity:
The maximum payload of a Rivian R1T is 1,764 lbs. As with most of this truck's specs. Great for the size, but a little shy of the Cybertruck and F150.
Ford F-150 Lightning
The Ford F-150, widely considered to be the king of trucks, and one of the best selling vehicles of all time. While many might consider this the "safe" or "boring" option, Ford has done an excellent job electrifying the most loved pickup truck of all time.
The big question is though, did the Ford F150 translate to the world of EV's while keeping its utility? Let's find out.
Ford F-150 Lightning price
Just like the Rivian, Ford offers a ton of options and the ability to customize quite a bit between trim levels and battery pack sizes. These different combinations can really impact the price, so as we did with the Rivian we'll keep base models in mind in a simple chart.
No accessories have been added to any of these to truly keep them at the lowest base level price an average person might see.
Worth mentioning is that unfortunately Ford is still on a traditional dealership model. Meaning that the prices listed may not be the price you find locally. We are not including any adjustments for dealership markups, which in my research have been astronomical. So if you're in the market keep that in mind when using these base prices as a reference.
Note that only the XLT and LARIAT models have optional battery sizes as an option when buying:
PRO - Standard Range | $49,995 |
XLT - Standard Range | $54,995 |
XLT - Extended Range | $57,485 |
LARIAT - Standard Range | $69,995 |
LARIAT - Extended Range | $71,990 |
Platinum - Extended Range | $91,995 |
Ford F-150 Lightning range:Â
With several trims and battery sizes available, it's worth taking a look at each configuration individually. In short though, on the low end you can expect about 240 miles range, and on the high end maximum spec you will see about 320 miles.
PRO - Standard Range | 240 miles |
XLT - Standard Range | 240 miles |
XLT - Extended Range | 320 miles |
LARIAT - Standard Range | 240 miles |
LARIAT - Extended Range | 320 miles |
Platinum - Extended Range | 300 miles |
Ford F-150 Lightning charging network
Ford promotes a "BlueOval" charging network however this isn't like the Tesla Supercharger network, with thousands of Ford branded chargers everywhere. Instead, it's an app that is supposed to simplify many different charger brands in to one Ford-run app.
The F-150 Lightning, similar to the Rivian, currently supports the CSS charging standard. So all of the chargers like EVgo, Blink, Electrify America, etc. should all work as long as they are a CSS compatible charging station.
The amazing news however is that, just like Rivian, Ford now officially supports Tesla Superchargers! All that's needed is a simple CSS to Tesla adapter, a sign-up with the Tesla app (or BlueOval) and you're good to go!
Ford F-150 Lightning bed size
The F-150 lightning is essentially the same as any other F-150 on the road, except the drivetrain is electric. With that in mind, the bed is the exact same size as a standard Ford F-150.
The Ford F-150 lightning features a 5.5 foot bed. This is pretty standard and sits in between the Rivian and Cybertruck. It's big enough to offer plenty of utility and hauling, but at the same time means the truck isn't too long for maneuvering an average parking lot.
Ford F-150 Lightning towing capabilities
The F-150 towing capabilities are not quite as straightforward as the Rivian or Cybertruck. While those have a fairly standardized capacity, the F-150 Lightning has a varied capability based on whether or not the owner has an upgraded towing package installed.
The towing package adds some additional cooling hardware to the battery and motors, to ensure the truck can handle the increased stress of heavier hauling.
Fully stock without the additional official Ford tow-package, the F-150 Lightning capacity can vary a bit, but you can expect roughly 7,700-8,600lbs to be safe to pull (consult your manual before towing for the exact number on your truck).
With the additional towing package (a $1,100 add-on), this increases the towing capacity to 10,000 lbs.
Ford states that the tongue weight should not exceed more than 10% of the loaded trailer weight. For maximums that puts us anywhere from about 700lbs up to 1,000lbs
Ford F-150 Lightning payload capacity
Now on to the payload capacity. How much can this hauler haul? The F-150 Lightning comes with a capacity of 2,235 lbs.