Photo: GMC
Not that long ago, the vice president of global strategy at General Motors said “there will not be any AV/EV pickups." That happened in November 2018, but more recently, the vice president of GMC replied “it's something we're considering” when asked about the prospects of electrifying the Sierra.
So what made General Motors change its mind? For starters, Ford has the F-150 Hybrid in the pipeline for 2020. Later on, the F-150 EV will be added to the lineup, confirmed by the president of global markets Jim Farley.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles already has the eTorque mild-hybrid system in the Pentastar V6- and HEMI V8-engined Ram 1500. As it stands, General Motors is at the bottom of the rankings as far as electrified trucks are concerned.
Worse still for General Motors, the Silverado 1500 with the 2.7-liter turbo drinks more fuel when driven at 75 mph on the highway compared to the same pickup with the 5.3-liter V8. Given these circumstances, GM can make amends with an electrified Sierra (and Silverado).
Speaking to CNBC, Duncan Aldred referred to the “all-electric future” that Mary Barra promised back in March 2018. Looking deeper into the matter, it’s certain that General Motors wants to level up to or even surpass the F-150 EV that’s expected in 2022.
In addition to an upgraded or all-new truck platform, the Sierra EV would require a large battery and powerful electric motors. Battery cells are getting cheaper with each year that passes, with General Motors targeting a cost of lower than $100 per kilowatt-hour according to David Cole, director-emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
On the other hand, the first generation of electric full-size pickups won’t be affordable to commercial users such as builders and contractors. Ford and GMC are likely to target the premium-oriented customer pool, which would drive these trucks as an alternative to other EVs.
Tesla has an electric pickup of its own in the offing for 2020, and then there’s Rivian. The Detroit start-up previewed a 400-mile electric pickup at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring four motors and close to 800 horsepower.
The prospect of electrifying the full-size pickup is thrilling for sure, but in the long run, internal combustion will remain the gold standard in this segment.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles already has the eTorque mild-hybrid system in the Pentastar V6- and HEMI V8-engined Ram 1500. As it stands, General Motors is at the bottom of the rankings as far as electrified trucks are concerned.
Worse still for General Motors, the Silverado 1500 with the 2.7-liter turbo drinks more fuel when driven at 75 mph on the highway compared to the same pickup with the 5.3-liter V8. Given these circumstances, GM can make amends with an electrified Sierra (and Silverado).
Speaking to CNBC, Duncan Aldred referred to the “all-electric future” that Mary Barra promised back in March 2018. Looking deeper into the matter, it’s certain that General Motors wants to level up to or even surpass the F-150 EV that’s expected in 2022.
In addition to an upgraded or all-new truck platform, the Sierra EV would require a large battery and powerful electric motors. Battery cells are getting cheaper with each year that passes, with General Motors targeting a cost of lower than $100 per kilowatt-hour according to David Cole, director-emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
On the other hand, the first generation of electric full-size pickups won’t be affordable to commercial users such as builders and contractors. Ford and GMC are likely to target the premium-oriented customer pool, which would drive these trucks as an alternative to other EVs.
Tesla has an electric pickup of its own in the offing for 2020, and then there’s Rivian. The Detroit start-up previewed a 400-mile electric pickup at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring four motors and close to 800 horsepower.
The prospect of electrifying the full-size pickup is thrilling for sure, but in the long run, internal combustion will remain the gold standard in this segment.
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