An electric pickup truck would be “the chance of a lifetime,” Volkswagen Group of America CEO Scott Keogh said in a recent interview with Business Insider.
Pickup buyers are known for brand loyalty and very specific preferences, but Keogh said he sees electrification as a “reset moment” that could allow new alternatives from different brands to gain traction in the market.
It’s worth noting that the VW Microbus, which served as the inspiration for the ID.Buzz electric van scheduled to reach North America in 2023, had a pickup variant. But VW hasn’t committed to an electric pickup in any form just yet.
2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
“It’s something we’re active looking at,” Keogh said, “but nothing to actually report now.”
Many other automakers seem to be thinking along the same lines as Keogh. The list of companies developing electric trucks is long, and includes both established truck makers and newcomers.
Several startups have proposed electric pickups, although only the Rivian R1T has reached production so far. The Lordstown Endurance is overdue, and the company has perhaps lost its window of opportunity.
Pickups are the bestsellers for the Detroit Three automakers, and all three have committed to electric models. The Ford F-150 Lightning is slated to start production later this month, and Ford has already discussed a higher-volume model to succeed it in a few years.
2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
General Motors started building GMC Hummer EV pickups in December 2021, and has higher-volume GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado EVs on the way.
An electric Ram pickup is expected to arrive in 2024, and Nissan is reportedly considering a compact electric pickup.
Like VW, Kia doesn’t currently sell a pickup in the United States. It has confirmed plans for an electric pickup as a global model, but has indicated it would need to be an upscale model to make sense in the U.S.
