Yahoo Autos Why hasn't anyone sparked the revolution of compact electric trucks?
The Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV have proven that there is demand for electric trucks, but not everyone needs a full-size pickup. The entry of the Ford Maverick back in 2022 proves that there’s demand for small trucks, but they’re still few and far between. In fact, at the time of writing, there are no mass-produced small electric trucks available.
A lack of demand isn’t the culprit, as the Ford Maverick outsells the Toyota Tacoma thanks to its lower price tag. Ford has a smaller electric truck on the docket, but it’s still years out. Toyota has shown it's still fighting a losing battle against electrification, so we aren’t likely to see an electric truck from them.
Why then haven’t other automakers brought a small electric truck to market, especially when the Ford Maverick proved that demand for small pickups is alive and well?
Chevrolet
Related: Toyota exec pushes back on U.S. policies promoting EV adoption
A 60-year-old tariff stifles foreign competition
Tariffs have been the talk of the nation for the past few months, but there’s one tariff impacting the automotive industry that dates back more than half a century. Dubbed the ‘Chicken Tax,’ this tariff was put in place by Lyndon B. Johnson and his administration back in 1964. It was originally a tax on imported potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light-duty vehicles in response to French and German tariffs on chicken, but today, the tariff only applies to vehicles.
By design, the tariff resulted in a 25% tax on imported light trucks and commercial vans. While the tax targeted German manufacturers, specifically the Volkswagen Type 2 microbus, it also put the squeeze on smaller Asian manufacturers. Toyota, Datsun, Isuzu, and Mazda all withdrew most of their pickup trucks from the United States market, although some models lingered for a little while longer.
VW
It wouldn’t be until 1989, 25 years after the tariff went into effect, that foreign automakers, including Honda and Toyota, would build their assembly plants on United States soil. Even today, 60 years later, the Chicken Tax is still in effect and continues to protect domestic light-duty trucks from foreign competitors.
The weight & profits of electric trucks are the primary issues
Large trucks are typically more expensive, and manufacturers can charge a premium for them. After all, large trucks and SUVs are advertised as ‘lifestyle’ vehicles for a reason. The high price tags for electric trucks keep many consumers out of the market. Typically, smaller vehicles don’t demand a high price tag, resulting in lower profit margins.
As large electric trucks continue their development cycle, automakers can figure out how to best produce a smaller model without losing money. Trucks aren’t very aerodynamic, which means automakers need more battery to get a decent range.
Related: EV apocalypse: Which brands might not survive the electric revolution?
Batteries are also heavy, so adding more batteries means dramatically increasing the weight of the pickup. It’s a vicious cycle that automakers are still trying to optimize. That’s not even taking towing capacity into account, which would almost certainly require more powerful electric motors, further increasing battery size. More battery capacity also means there’s more power required and longer charging times.
There’s not much competition
As a result of the Chicken Tax stifling small truck competition and automakers working backwards to optimize processes before moving on to less profitable vehicles, there simply isn’t much competition in the small electric truck segment - yet. Because smaller models typically have a lower profit margin, importing small electric pickups is out of the question.
Fortunately, small electric trucks are on the way, but they're still years away. Back in 2023, GM said they were working on a small electric pickup that’s expected to hit the market around 2028. Smaller automakers, like Telo and Alpha Motors, are working on carving a stake of their own in the small truck niche.
Alpha Motor Corporation
Small electric trucks also aren’t new, though, with the Ford Ranger EV entering the market back in 1997. That model cost a hefty $52,720, or around $103,045 in 2024. As you might expect, the Ranger EV saw a range of 57 to 115 miles, depending on the type of battery and model year. Unfortunately, it was discontinued following the 2002 model year. Notably, the Chevrolet S-10 Electric also made its debut for the 1997 model year, but it only lasted two years before getting the ax.
Final thoughts
Not everyone has a need for a large truck, but electric trucks are only getting better with time. GM plans to add a Silverado EV that can tow up to 20,000 pounds soon. That’s good news for consumers who are waiting on small electric pickups, as those developments will be passed down the line. The Chicken Tax isn’t likely to be repealed, so expect the list of manufacturers investing in the development of small electric trucks to be a short one.
