Automotive News recently asked why electric-powered trucks have sold in much smaller numbers than initial hype promised. Reporter Laurence Iliff (2025) offered some background before concluding that high prices and inadequate range have limited EV usage compared to conventional trucks, which he says are typically bought for “utility or adventure.”
That’s true as far as it goes, but Iliff arguably painted with too broad of a brush and his quotes tilted toward naysayers. The analysis is surprisingly shallow for what is supposed to be the U.S. auto industry’s leading trade journal.
What’s up with that? Was getting something posted quickly more important than offering a better-rounded overview of a fast-evolving situation?
Who is responsible for over-hyping the Cybertruck?
When the Cybertruck was announced, Iliff (2025) noted that Tesla received more than 1 million refundable reservations for the truck and CEO Elon Musk predicted annual sales of 250,000 to 500,000. Instead, only around 40,000 Cybertrucks were registered in 2024.
Iliff (2025) pointed out that despite promising an entry-level price tag of $40,000, the Cybertruck has instead started at $70,000 with shipping. That’s above what an analyst said was the “sweet spot” for trucks — between $40,000 to $60,000.
Left unexplored was whether the number of refundable reservations should have ever been viewed as an accurate indicator of the number of people who would actually end up buying a vehicle. In this case, one could argue that all bets were off once the Cybertruck’s price jumped so dramatically.
This raises a number of questions. Does the automotive media give too much weight to the number of reservations automakers report for a forthcoming vehicle? And did Tesla make a mistake by trying to maximize profits by initially emphasizing higher-priced models?
Iliff (2025) didn’t say so explicitly. Nor did he note that the Cybertruck’s popularity may have also suffered from reliability issues and Musk’s controversial political involvements. And while he noted at the top of his story that the Cybertruck’s design was intended to challenge the status quo, he didn’t address whether slow sales may suggest a limited market for such a radically different alternative.
Do Rivian and Ford struggle with different issues?
Iliff’s (2025) story is similarly vague about the Rivian R1T, which in 2024 garnered under 10,000 registrations. However, Rivian’s sales may have suffered partly because it is a fledgling automaker. If the same truck had been offered by the better-established Tesla, might it have sold thus far in much higher numbers?
That brings us to Ford’s F-150 Lightning. In theory, this should be the best test of EV truck popularity because it is a relentlessly conventional design produced by a market leader in gas-powered trucks. Iliff (2025) stated that Ford initially expected annual production to hit 150,000 but that registrations last year were under 33,000.
Also see ‘Which EV startups will succeed in crossing the Valley of Death?’
Only generic reasons were offered for the Lightning’s low sales. Nor did Iliff mention what could be a major issue with legacy automakers who add EVs to their lineup — less dealer enthusiasm about selling them. Here we may have a similar situation to the postwar era, when the Big Three came out with compact cars but dealers were often more inclined to emphasize bigger, more profitable cars.
EVs may be more expensive than gas-powered trucks, but they generate less service revenue because they require less maintenance than gas-powered vehicles. In addition, legacy dealers may still be getting used to selling EVs, and thus may not always be effective in addressing misconceptions about them (George, 2024).
Iliff treats EV trucks as just another fad
Another curious aspect of Iliff’s story is that he didn’t address the public policy implications of EV trucks selling so poorly. Gas-powered trucks are the biggest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S. automotive fleet (EPA, 2024). Boosting EV sales has thus been considered a key to cutting the nation’s carbon footprint.
Before the last election the Automotive News (2024) editorial board argued that climate change is “real” and that the auto industry needs to “be a functional partner in a broad, global solution.” That meant maintaining a sense of “urgency and sense of purpose in striving for cleaner cars.”
The tone of Iliff’s article suggests that the above perspective is obsolete now that Republicans have taken control of the federal government — and they are systematically dismantling Biden administration efforts to fight climate change.
Also see ‘Automotive News staff struggle to transcend paper’s checkered past’
Iliff (2025) ended his story with a broadside against the forthcoming Slate pickup, an unusually stripped-to-the-bone compact. “All Slate did was show me how hard it is to make an inexpensive EV,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars. “They’ve pulled every lever, no paint, no touchscreen, no power windows, only two seats. And it costs $27,500 before government incentives, which will be gone. Why the hell would I buy the Slate over a Maverick?”
If this were an objective story, Iliff would have answered that question with a countervailing perspective. For example, the Slate is considerably smaller than the Maverick — which some buyers may prefer. In addition, if range anxiety isn’t an issue because the Slate may be used primarily around town, the lower maintenance costs of an EV could be an important advantage.
Some truck buyers might even want to maintain an “urgency and sense of purpose in striving for cleaner cars.” If that sounds implausible to Iliff, he might consider how Tesla has been the most successful U.S. automotive startup since the Chrysler Corporation’s founding in the 1920s.
Share your reactions to this post with a comment below or a note to the editor.
RE:SOURCES
- Automotive News; 2024. “Editorial: Believe the storms: Climate change is real.” Subscription required. Posted Oct. 10.
- EPA; 2024. “Fast Facts: U.S. Transportation Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2022.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Published May.
- George, Patrick; 2024. “Your Car Dealer Is Probably ‘Not Excited At All’ To Sell EVs.” Inside EVs. Posted Aug. 8.
- Iliff, Laurence. “Electric pickups got huge hype and preorders — but failed to win over truck buyers.” Automotive News. Posted June 4.
PHOTOGRAPHY:
- 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning: Photo by Elise240SX via Wikipedia Creative Commons 4.0. Photo edited to lighten tone.
No mention of how towing (trailers, boats) and hauling loads in the truck bed affect range? Altitude, mountain driving, and cold weather? Some truck drivers just want a tough looking, high riding four door with all the bells and whistles. Others need a truck to do truck tasks. Commercial trucks might follow a predictable route for matching the range to the task. Private owners using trucks as recreational toy haulers for weekend warrior activities different needs. The price differential vs. utilitarian needs means that electric trucks aren’t for everyone.
Iliff’s article goes into that a bit. My goal was to critique what he left out rather than itemize everything he wrote.
By truck driver, I just meant “people who like to drive trucks around town.”
It will be interesting to see how the Dodge range-extender Ramcharger truck does when it makes it to showrooms. The March 2025 edition of Automotive Powertrain Technology International had a nice overview of the truck’s features, and to roll it out first, before Dodge retails its full electric (a mistake that Ford did) is like dipping one’s toe in the economic waters. I believe it’s a wise and cautious move. If it’s also not pricey would be smart; spending $30,000-$50,000 for a truck is all too common these days, and I believe that folks have become cautious spenders this season. How are truck sales trending?