Gas vs. Electric: Which Pickup Truck Should You Drive?
The pickup truck market is changing, and it’s changing fast. We expect to see several new electric trucks enter the market in 2023, including the new Tesla truck, which brings unique styling and technology. Does it make to stick with a traditional gas-powered pickup truck or move to one of the many electric trucks?
Towing: Gas trucks are simply better than electric trucks at towing
Hitching a trailer up to a truck is one of the best ways to haul a boat or trailer to your destination. Unfortunately, most electric trucks aren’t capable of towing as much weight as traditional gas-powered pickup trucks. While strong enough to handle the load, electric pickups lose significant driving range when towing and require several hours to recharge.
Are automakers adding more tech to EV trucks?
Building new vehicles allows automakers to build and create tons of amazing new features. The GMC Hummer EV has several features, including Crab Walk, Watts to Freedom, and Extract Mode, to offer amazing off-road qualities. The Ford F-150 Lightning uses the front area under the hood as a large frunk with power outlets to add more storage and capability for truck owners. The new Tesla truck offers a slew of amazing new features that will blow us away.
Traditional pickup trucks don’t offer ways to offer some of the features we see in the new electric trucks. If you’re searching for a truck with advanced, modern tech, you’ll likely want to consider some of the new EV pickups offered.
Are electric trucks as strong as gas?
If we look at how Car and Driver compared the electric Silverado EV to its gas-powered sibling, we find two ways to measure strength. The gasoline-powered Chevy Silverado 1500 tops out at 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The electric truck version offers 664 horsepower and 780 lb-ft of torque at the top RST trim. Even the base Silverado EV WT offers more power than the traditional version of this pickup truck. It comes with 510 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque. For sheer power numbers, the electric truck has much more than the gas-powered truck.
The Silverado EV has more power than the regular Silverado 1500. However, the gas-powered truck can tow and carry more weight. The electric Silverado can tow 10,000 pounds and carry 1,300 pounds in the bed. This could be enough for most truck owners. That said, the regular Silverado pickup truck can tow 13,300 pounds and carry up to 2,280 pounds in the bed.
Why are electric trucks better?
Eventually, we expect electric trucks to be better at towing. These EV models are better for the environment, more efficient, have fewer maintenance needs, and are more economical than their gas and diesel-powered counterparts. Unless you need to pull a large trailer or carry heavier loads than what an electric truck can handle, moving away from traditional pickup trucks makes sense for most consumers.
Of course, if you live in an area with few charging stations or need to haul heavier loads, gas-powered trucks still make sense.
Next, check out some benefits of new electric off-road vehicles, or learn more about the benefits of electric trucks vs. gas pickup trucks in the video below:
