Six Tesla Cybertruck alternatives to get excited about

Cybertruck: That’s the only electric truck that matters, right? Wrong.

Companies new and old are planning on releasing their own electric trucks — some of which may be able to dethrone Tesla as the king of EVs. After all, pickup trucks account for a fifth of new vehicles sold in the United States and there aren’t any electric versions for sale yet. The interest is there — manufacturers now need to deliver.

Those electric trucks are coming. In addition to the Cybertruck, most of the big truckmakers — including Jeep and General Motors — have announced or at least hinted that they’ll be building an EV pickup and the writing is on the wall for everyone else.

Meanwhile, there’s something positive to be said about seeing electric trucks from the established brands rather than startups. As Tesla and a litany of already failed EV startups have shown, building cars is really hard. Is General Motors more likely to follow through in producing a solid vehicle? Probably.

Truck buyers want capability, performance, and, crucially, great looks. It doesn’t matter if Ford trucks are Ford Truck Tough if they don’t look the part. Here are the Inverse picks for electric trucks you should be excited about if your reservation for the Tesla Cybertruck takes a while to fill.

GMC Hummer EV

The Hummer is back and it looks amazing. Set for a full reveal this Saturday (4/3), the GMC Hummer (it’s not a standalone brand anymore) is an all-electric pickup with some impressive stats, at least on the top-trim version:

• 350+ mile range
• 0-60 mph in ~3 seconds
• Up to 1,000 horsepower
• 11,500 lb-ft of torque
• Starts around $80,000 and runs well north of $100K with all the options ticked

It also promises an “Infinity Roof” with removable T-top glass panels, General Motor’s fantastic Super Cruise driver-assist system, and a wild feature called CrabWalk that allows the truck to drive diagonally.

First shipments of the GMC Hummer EV are expected late 2021.

Ford F-150 EV

We don’t know much about the Ford F-150 EV but we know that it exists.

Earlier this year, Ford announced that it would be investing $22 billion in electrification, with CEO Jim Farley promising that the company was “all in and will not cede ground to anyone” when it comes to electric vehicles. He also promised an all-electric F-150 by the middle of 2022, and the company announced that the truck will be built in Michigan.

The new 2021 Ford F-150 has received significant critical acclaim, and an EV version would likely be an instant hit — Ford’s line of F-Series pickups have been the best-selling vehicle in America for decades. That said, when it comes to pricing, range, horsepower, and everything else, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Chevrolet Silverado EV

If didn’t know much about the Ford F-150, we know even less about Chevy EV pickup. Other than a single mention in a long keynote address by GM CEO Mary Barra at the virtual CES this year, we would only know about the electric Silverado (if it’s called that) from spy shots and speculation.

But Barra promised that Chevrolet would “further expand its range of electric vehicles to full-size pickup trucks” so we know something is coming. Of course, this is the same company that’s building the insane GMC Hummer, so perhaps the Chevy version will be similar in tech but a bit tamer.

Jeep Wrangler Magneto

Last week, Jeep unveiled its yearly lineup of Easter Jeep Safari concept vehicles and the Jeep Wrangler Magneto was the surprise of the group. Jeep often uses these concepts to hint at what’s coming, and this is an exciting one. The Jeep Magneto concept joins the existing plug-in hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4xe (which you can actually buy) as the only electrified vehicle in Jeep’s lineup.

We don’t know when or if Jeep would make the Magneto, but it’s a safe bet that they’re considering it. These Easter Jeep Safari vehicles aren’t just for show — the company generally invests a lot of time and money into making sure they really work. A few years ago I got to drive a concept Wrangler with a 707-horsepower Hellcat engine shoehorned under the hood. It was ridiculous.

The Magneto is a bit less ridiculous and a bit more reality:

• 273 lb-ft of torque and 285 horsepower, similar to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 in the standard Wrangler
• As with all EV’s, all the torque is delivered instantly, something that is particularly key for off-roading
• The batteries and battery control module are all housed in waterproof enclosures allowing the vehicle to ford up to 30-inches of water
• Two 12-volt batteries are included to power accessories like lights, the radio, or a winch

Pricing and availability aren’t available of course, since this is a one-off, but it gives us a peek into what Jeep might build for us in the future.

Rivian R1T

Rivian is one of the most promising startup EV companies, with the R1T as its first announced product. The company claims it will begin deliveries of the truck this year and the company recently closed a $2.65 billion investment round with some really big names — including Amazon, Ford, and Fidelity — participating.

The R1T promises some impressive specs:

• 0-60 mph in 3 seconds
• Up to 11,000 pounds towing capacity
• A three-foot wading depth
• Four 110-volt onboard household outlets, perfect for camping out in the wilderness
• A 300-plus mile range

Preorders are open now for $1,000 down for an estimated January 2022 delivery, with a base price of around $67,500, rising to $100K if you include things like the optional built-in induction cooktop, a built-in sink, larger battery pack, and more.

Bollinger B2

No electric truck list would be complete without the boxy and beautiful Bollinger B2.

Like the Cybertruck, this is a complete love-it-or-hate-it-mobile. It’s unapologetically utilitarian and that’s just how Bollinger likes it. The eponymous founder, Robert Bollinger, wanted a heavy-duty, off-road capable electric truck. When he couldn’t find one, he decided to build one. So here we are.

Some of Bollinger B2’s quoted specs:

• 614 horsepower
• 668 ft-lb of torque
• 7,500 lb towing capacity
• Estimated 200-mile range

An all that can be yours for the unapologetically high price of $125,000. Bollinger will happily take your $1,000 deposit to reserve your B2 and you’ll be tooling around your country estate in blissful silence in no time. Or whenever they finally go on sale.

By the way, if you liked this article, you’ll love my weekly car review newsletter PRNDL. Click here to subscribe for free on Substack. I’ll even answer your new car questions!