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ALISTAIR WEAVER: Electric trucks have
been probably the most exciting development
in the automotive world in the past 12 months.
There are three on sale right now,
with more set to launch in the year ahead.
Rapid, capable, and blessed with transformative new
technologies, they will fundamentally
shift how we work and play.
Driving one isn't just a revelation, it's fun, too.
We're here to tell you which of the new electric trucks we love
and which is Edmunds Top Rated for 2023.
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At Edmunds, we test over 300 vehicles every year,
on the road and here at our private test track.
We spend thousands of hours analyzing everything
from technology to trunk space to deliver
the definitive Edmunds Rating.
And if the vehicle is powered by electricity,
we subject it to the famous Edmunds EV Range Test,
delivering real-world range and efficiency
numbers you can trust.
In these awards, we recognize the very best vehicles
on sale today, not just those that
happen to be launched in the last year.
And we've got separate trophies for EVs
and those powered by internal combustion.
There are three electric trucks on sale right now,
but much as we love the GMC Hummer's crazy acceleration,
it lacks the everyday appeal of our chosen two.
In fact, we were so intrigued by the Rivian R1T and the Ford
F-150 Lightning that we bought them with our own cash,
and we're going to live with them
for the next year at least.
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: So there's all kinds of creative ideas
inside the Rivian R1T.
Obviously, first of all, it's fully electric.
But then, just as a pickup truck,
there's lots of neat things like hidden storage
compartments in places I never even would have thought.
EMME HALL: The bed is smaller than your traditional full-size
pickup truck.
LAUREN MCCAY: But it has a freaking tunnel!
EMME HALL: And then you have the frunk,
which adds storage space.
So you can carry so much gear.
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: The fact that this thing made it
to production and is on the road right
now is incredible, frankly.
The coolest thing about the Rivian
is the air suspension because it can
be adjusted all the way up to 15 inches of ground
clearance, which is just nuts and makes true hardcore
off-roading a real possibility.
EMME HALL: This doesn't look like any other truck out there.
Like most trucks look like bear, football,
and the Rivian has a tough element
to it, but at the same time, it's much more approachable.
And I've really, really come to love
those little oval headlights in the front and then
the tail light that goes across the entire tailgate.
I just think it looks really good,
and it's a nod to the future while still being approachable
for audiences today.
LAUREN MCCAY: I am blown away and
impressed by the acceleration, by the range of the Rivian,
the air suspension and being able to go from Sport Mode
to off-roading in just seconds.
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: It's stupid fast.
That's the crazy thing about it this thing
is super heavy and a legitimate pickup truck,
but also will out-drag almost anything you come across.
LAUREN MCCAY: I'm just so impressed that I'm
on the edge of my seat waiting for what's next.
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F-150 is just like your classic American like truck, you know?
And if they mess it up, you're like messing up a legacy,
right?
But they didn't.
They totally killed it.
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: The Lightning is wild.
It's an F-150, but to the max.
I mean, this is the most torque you can get in any F-150,
and it's not close.
On top of all that, it's got really strong payload ratings.
EMME HALL: So you'll get into it,
and you'll think, oh, this is just like my regular truck.
Then you'll drive it and you'll go, whoa!
This is way better than my regular truck!
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: I would say for most Americans
that aren't having to tow or go really long distances
on a regular basis--
like hundreds of miles a day-- it's
going to be a better experience overall.
For one, it's going to be far less expensive to charge up
if you're charging at home.
It's going to offer far better power and response
than pretty much any of the powertrains can offer.
EMME HALL: So for some buyers who
just need to maybe haul heavier payloads
or do short bursts of towing, this
is going to be a great vehicle.
You know, I think when we did the towing competition where
we took the Electric F-150, the hybrid F-150, a gas-powered,
and a diesel, I thought, this F-150
is going to need to charge by after 50 miles.
And it didn't!
It did way better than I thought it
was going to in terms of getting up and over the hills
with a heavier load.
I was so surprised.
And I'm like, well, yeah, this is a great truck.
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: You have some power outlets in there
that you can plug things into.
And if you upgrade to the Pro Power onboard,
that ups your power output by so much
where it becomes basically a mobile workstation
that you can plug any appliance into, go camping, run tools off
of.
It's a very useful feature of the Lightning.
LAUREN MCCAY: The center console alone has just enormous space.
I could probably fit my whole body.
And then, that frunk?
I could probably fit four of mes in there.
EMME HALL: Here's what I like about the mega power frunk,
is that when that thing lifts up,
it takes the grille with it.
So if you want to put something into it,
you don't have to lift anything up and over.
You can just take it here and put it in.
And that is really, really good design.
RYAN ZUMMALLEN: The F-150 Lightning
knows what it is, knows what its mission is, and goes out there
and does it.
It's really well put-together in a way that makes you confident
that it can do hard work.
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ALISTAIR WEAVER: This is a brand new segment,
but we still had two standout tracks in our short list.
Both impress, but what is clearly the better
option for more buyers?
And we think it's got the goods to surprise even diehard EV
skeptics.
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Our winner cam both outsprint a sports car and power
your house in a blackout.
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It combines epic torque--
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--tech--
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--and versatility with more familiar truck skills.
[WHOOSH] That's why the Ford F-150 Lightning is Edmunds Top
Rated Electric Truck for 2023.
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