An electric Hummer? Battery- powered trucks head to showrooms

Seven auto companies have plans to roll out new batterypowered pickup trucks over the next two years, aiming to cash in on a popular and lucrative market for expensive vehicles.

General Motors is among them, and in October its GMC brand introduced a new electric Hummer pickup, with a high- end version due in showrooms next fall.

Prices announced thus far range from roughly $ 40,000 for a base Cybertruck to a loaded offroad Hummer “Edition 1” that will start at more than $ 112,000.

GM, Ford, Tesla, Bollinger Motors, Nikola, Rivian and Lordstown Motors all want a piece of what is now a petroleum- powered market. All intend to start producing electric pickups between June and the end of 2022.

Last year, U. S. consumers bought more than 3 million pickups of all sizes. Ford’s F- Series for decades has been the nation’s topselling vehicle.

Big pickups now start around $ 30,000, but can run over $ 90,000 when loaded with options. The average light- duty, full- size pickup cost nearly $ 50,000 in September, according to Edmunds. com, which provides content to The Associated Press.

Experts say that since buyers are willing to pay more for trucks, it’s likely they’ll also be willing to shell out the cost of electric batteries and motors, which now are more expensive than gas or diesel trucks.

It’s likely the Detroit automakers are defending their turf from Tesla’s Cybertruck, fearing that Tesla might take sales from pickups much like it did in the luxury car market, says Eric Ibara, director of residual vehicle values for Cox Automotive. “They don’t want to see their grip on full- size trucks end up in the same way,” he said.

Ibara sees SUVs as the big market for consumers.

But the electric trucks could appeal to businesses, which could unload gasoline costs in favor of cheaper electricity in many places. They also could take advantage of the big batteries by using the trucks to power tools on job sites instead of a generator. Most of the trucks will be able to travel more than 250 miles on a single charge, with the Hummer going at least 350 miles in early testing.

The Hummer also has a “crab walk” feature that lets the front and rear wheels steer at the same angle at low speeds so it can move diagonally around obstacles.

Ed Williamson, owner of a GMC dealership in Miami, said he looks forward to getting the truck. It could appeal to businesses wanting to get noticed, he said.

“I think it’s wonderful that they’ve taken this vehicle that was the icon of anti- green, if you will, and made it the opposite,” he said.