Tesla Pickup Release News: Which Rival Electric Pickup Should Elon Musk Worry About?

In light of the soon-to-be-launched Tesla pickup truck this Nov. 21 that everyone is looking forward to, it should be known that the market is actually brimming with exciting news not only about Elon Musk’s latest vehicle but the competition that’s heating up in the electric pickup segment.

Tesla will be revealing its long-anticipated pickup truck nicknamed “Cybertruck” near the SpaceX factory in Los Angeles, coinciding with the L.A. auto show. Though not much has been revealed about the truck’s overall look, it is said to look like something from the movie “Blade Runner” after the CEO also tweeted a teaser pic with a clip playing the movie’s theme song.

The truck is a total mystery but what we know so far about the vehicle will change the way we look at electric vehicles. It is said to be capable of driving up to 400 and 500 miles on a full charge and will have enough juice to power outlets for heavy-duty tools requiring no generators. The price of the Tesla pickup is also going to be attractive at less than $50,000 for its base model.

The Tesla pickup is looking quite attractive but its competition also needs to be considered. The Rivian R1T pickup, which enjoyed an early edge than Tesla’s UV, will run up to 300 or 400 miles of range (depending on battery) with an estimated starting price of $69,000. It is also estimated to have 750 horsepower and can accelerate from 0-60 mph times in three seconds.

It will have three battery options: 105, 135 and 180 kWh. What’s special about the R1T is how its four individual motor works, but it will be instrumental to the pickup’s towing capacity of at least 11,000 pounds. The fully loaded 180-kWh R1T will be the first model to be produced, followed by the 135-kWh. The 105-kWh R1T is expected to be available within 12 months after the start of production.

Ford, the current U.S. pickup truck leader, is also anticipated to debut its all-electric F150 soon. Ted Cannis, Ford's global director for electrification, hinted in an interview with Automotive News Canada that the electric F-150 will follow the Mach E, a Mustang-inspired crossover EV which will be available in 2020 as a 2021 model. The electric truck is expected to follow in a few years, by which the year 2021 is assumed. The announcement of the specific production dates is still being awaited.

Looking at all the electric trucks, the Rivian R1T pickup’s existing specifications show that it is good especially for taking on a road trip. The upcoming F150 lacks enough details as of now but it has already proven that it can tow approximately 1 million pounds of load.

Given its price, Tesla’s pickup is the most affordable. It should also be noted that Tesla dominates the US electric car market sales with a 57 percent market share and is the global leader when it comes to electric cars. Musk’s company enjoys a cushy 16 percent of the global market share as of late, making Tesla’s pickup the truck to beat in the future.