Now that we know how the U.S. automakers are trying to stack up against each other, let us usher in a prognosis about who will get on top of the EV hauling pyramid – the Rivian R1T, GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning, or the new kids on the block, aka the Silverado and Sierra EV, Ram 1500 REV, and Tesla Cybertruck?
For sure, after a little stagnation to see who will take the crown in 2022, the first year of full sales for the initial trio, now the full-size electric pickup segment is heating up with Ram premiering its 2025 REV variant at the 2023 New York Auto Show and a couple of major competitors still missing in action. Right now, all we have to properly compose our guesses are the first quarter sales, which have rebounded quite nicely compared to the distressing couple of past years, as far as full-size pickup truck deliveries are concerned.
Anyone who dared to voice the potential demise of the mighty full-size pickup truck game in America might want to hold on to that thought for a later date. As far as sales are concerned, for the first three months of 2023, while the levels are not as great as before the health crisis struck, they are also showing great signs of recovery. So, when delegitimizing GM’s love of bundling the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra together, the Ford F-Series kept its lead for the U.S. market crown, with Ram’s trucks tucked neatly in between the Silverado and Sierra, plus the popular Toyota Tundra taking fifth place.
It seems that the latter’s hybrid option makes it a worthy candidate for greatness, but it is still not enough to claim the throne because it does not have any EV option in the cards, just yet. Unlike General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, and even the Rivian newcomer, which still does not separate R1T sales from R1S deliveries so that we have a clearer picture of whether or not it’s the most popular EV pickup truck of Q1 of 2023 on the back of Ford’s shutdown of the F-150 Lighting production to resolve a pesky battery fire issue.
As such, all we know is that Ford sold almost 4,300 F-150 Lightning units during the first three months of the year and that the GMC Hummer EV went down from 99 deliveries in 2022 to just two whole units in 2023! That is right, they sold just two behemoth SUVs, and everyone is rightfully wondering what on Earth is going on with the Ultium platform if General Motors cannot ramp up the production to even try and remotely challenge the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning. Besides, the competition is not sitting idle, as proven by the recent arrival of the production version of the 2025 Ram 1500 REV in New York. Sure, given the late 2024 market introduction, there is still enough time to make sure that GM can still throw a jab at the competitor's claims – especially that bold 500-mile (805 km) EV range promise.
Photo: Tesla, Ford, Chevrolet, Ram, GMC
In fact, these EV pickup trucks will be butting heads (sorry, that Ram pun was totally intended) from more than one direction, given the upcoming Rivian R1T-GMC Hummer EV-Ford F-150 Lightning-Silverado/Sierra EV-Ram 1500 REV-Tesla Cybertruck foes. Naturally, we can easily discard the R1T for being too early-adopter-like and the Tesla Cybertruck for being eternally late to the party from the discussion. At least until they prove their worth with Rivian admitting the real sales of their EV truck and Elon Musk and Co. finally kicking off production for their edgy Cybertruck game-changer.
Before that happens, chances are that most people will cross-shop between the Big Detroit Three, as always, even when it comes to the novel approach of plugging in their all-new pickup truck to the mains and allowing them to sip some battery-replenishing electron juice. In terms of pricing, if (and only if) General Motors respects its word, the 2024 Chevy Silverado WT can win the brawl with its intended $40k asking price – after Ford’s F-150 Lightning’s base MSRP has surged $20k since it was introduced to the market. The Ram 1500 REV is a rogue agent, as prices have not been announced, yet.
As far as performance is concerned, the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning has 426 (standard battery) and 563 ponies (extended battery), whereas the Silverado EV and Sierra EV siblings start from 510 hp and can jump to no less than 754 hp in Max Power mode, though only if their Ultium underpinnings can actually deliver. Meanwhile, the Ram 1500 REV fits snuggly in the middle with 654 horsepower. The range is also crucial, with Ford touting 240 miles (390 km) and 320 miles (510 km), respectively, the Silverado EV and Sierra EV boasting up to 400 miles (644 km), and the Ram 1500 REV going between 350 (563 km) and 500 miles (805 km), depending on the 168 or 229 kWh battery packs, of course. So, which is the right or potentially perfect fit for you?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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