3 Electric Pickup Trucks We'd Rather Have Over The Rivian R1T

Chris Davies/SlashGear

By Alex Hevesy/May 3, 2023 9:45 pm EST

Electric pickups are the next frontier for EVs. Cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, and Ford Mustang Mach-E have proved that the world of EVs has already figured out how to make funky space-age crossovers, but so far, there are slim pickings as far as trucks are concerned. The Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, and the GMC Hummer EV are so far the only ones on the scene, with the Rivian beating most other automakers to the punch. And with the astronomical price tag and low sales of the GMC Hummer, and Ford's manufacturing foibles with the Lightning, the Rivian is just about the only EV truck you can actually buy. 

The R1T is not a bad truck by any means. At its full specification (and full $87,000 price), it has four electric motors that produce a combined 835 horsepower and can launch the truck to 60 mph in three seconds flat, if that's your thing. But when considering the long list of EV trucks on the horizon, is the R1T really your best bet for an electron-powered pickup?

Chevrolet

The gas-powered Chevy Silverado is well and truly one of the most popular vehicles ever made, and is locked in an eternal struggle with the F-150. The Silverado EV will likely continue that fight when it launches this year. According to Chevy, even the base model WT Silverado will be available with over 400 miles of range, more than multiple EVs currently on the market and further than any other EV that GM makes. Better yet, Chevy claims the Silverado will excel at towing, a feat that EVs are famously lacking. After launch, Chevy says it will reveal a version that can tow upwards of 20,000 pounds. The base R1T can tow up to 11,000 pounds. 

Where the EV Silverado really beats out Rivian is the anticipated price. The WT or "Work Truck" trim is slated to start at $39,900, about $33,100 less than the price of a base Rivian R1T. The base model puts out 510 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque. A bone-stock Rivian puts out roughly 90 more horsepower. More power is generally always better, but is it worth more than $30,000 for fractionally more power? 

Ford

The F-150 is the fundamental ideal of a truck. If you don't currently have a truck from the Big Blue Oval sitting in your driveway right now, you likely know several people who do. It's the only Ford that's as iconic and recognizable as the Mustang. As is the case with a lot of EVs, automotive designers tend to give them a futuristic "Blade Runner"-esque look with either harsh angles like the Tesla Cybertruck, or a beefy muscular profile like the GMC Sierra EV. The Lightning looks a lot like a regular gas-powered F-150, aside from the fact it has no functioning grille. There are certainly aesthetic touches that betray the fact it's not your average "dad" truck, but the design looks strikingly similar to every other 14th-generation F-150. 

The Lightning shines (or rather flashes) because it's by far the most "normal" EV truck. It's ready for work and practically free of gimmicks, unlike whatever Tesla is trying to do with the Cybertruck, and it's definitely not aimed at the adventurous overlanding crowd, like the Rivian R1T. After all, the flashy camping gear of the R1T and the enigma that is the Cybertruck aren't going to get you to the job site any faster – that is, if Ford can actually start making the truck in a timely fashion. 

Stellantis

The Ram 1500 REV has a bit of an odd name. "REV" is an acronym for RAM Electric Vehicle, which makes enough sense, but in the automotive world, the word "rev" has other meanings that are wholly inapplicable to the EV, given the fact it can't actually "rev" its motor. Misnomer nomenclature aside, the REV is Stellantis' first real EV offering to the United States and it's a big one. First, the battery is huge at 229-kilowatt hours for the extended-range model. That translates to upwards of 500 miles of range — and 14,000 pounds of towing capacity isn't too shabby either. 

The top-of-the-line "Tungsten" trim turns the REV into a luxo-barge that can haul the contents of a hardware store, with leather everywhere, and a 23-speaker sound system. The exact price has not been revealed yet, but given the fact that the highest trim F-150 Lightning Platinum starts at $98,074 and the Chevy Silverado EV RST starts at $105,000, the REV Tungsten won't be cheap. High price or not, the REV is a more compelling vehicle than the R1T. It's from an automaker that ostensibly knows how trucks work and 500 potential miles of range beats Rivian's maximum range of 400 miles.