Tesla Pickup Release: Are Ford And GM 'Threatened' By Elon Musk's New Vehicle?

When it comes to market share, powerhouse brands Ford and General Motors remain to be the leaders of the pickup pack. However, in the past few months, electric vehicle leader Tesla has been making some serious headlines with its mysterious Tesla pickup.

The Tesla pickup, which is currently being referred to as the Tesla Model B, is currently getting a lot of attention from both Tesla fans and pickup enthusiasts even if no one has actually seen a picture of the actual vehicle. This is because Tesla CEO Elon Musk has successfully piqued the interest of most gearheads by describing the electric utility vehicle as futuristic and “cyberpunk.”

The description is so intriguing that various concept art and design renders for the possible outcome of the truck flooded the internet in recent months — all of which are quite impressive and fantastic to behold. Musk’s description has also caused the Tesla Model B to “overtake” the Ford F-150 in a Twitter survey conducted a few months ago.

But is the interest enough for Ford and GM to feel threatened and just come up with something that can go head to head with the Tesla pickup? Well, it seems so. In a report by the New York Post, it seems like the two brands are actually “racing to design radical new takes on their most profitable models” by actually coming up with battery-powered pickup models to thwart Tesla’s current reign in the developing electric pickup market. To date, Ford’s F-150 and GM’s Chevrolet Silverado are the top-selling pickup models in the U.S. market.

“This is going to be a real watershed for the whole industry,” Ford Chairman Bill Ford said in an interview. Ford slowly flex its electric pickup muscle when it recently showcased its towing capability that overshadowed Tesla’s 300,000-pound towing claim. In a video, the Ford pickup was able to carry approximately more than 1 million pounds of load.

The company also disclosed a few details about its electric vehicle including extra space in the hood apart from the ones at the back. “You pick up all that extra space where the engine compartment has been,” Ford said.

Just like the Tesla Model B, Ford’s electric F-Series will function as a work truck in which batteries can be used to power certain tools in a job site. It is seen as a high-performance vehicle that will be leveled alongside the 450-horsepower Raptor pickup truck.

In an earlier report, Ford seemed to not really feel the pressure of competing against the Tesla pickup. “We have dominated this segment, it’s the best-selling truck for 42 years. We think combining Built Ford Tough with electrification exemplifies all of those attributes customers love. We want to build on the leadership we have had,” Ford chief product development officer Hau Thai-Tang said on Yahoo Finance’s “The First Trade.”

At any rate, having an electric pickup would prove to be an advantage to both Ford and GM in terms of meeting tougher emission standards and electric vehicle mandates in U.S. states such as California.