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Pickup trucks were traditionally the workhorse vehicles for families, handling their towing and hauling while a sedan, van, or SUV handled commuting. Over the years, trucks became posher and more commuter-friendly, becoming the family car. However, one deterrent was always their fuel consumption.
Today, with the advancement of EV technology, electric trucks have outstanding power and fuel efficiency. Below, we outline the best electric trucks in Canada. We also offer a few alternatives if an electric truck is not for you.
The Electric Truck Shift
While electric cars have been on a fairly consistent upward trajectory in popularity over the past decade, electric trucks have lagged. But now with electrification and lithium-ion battery pack technology reaching new heights for range and power, electric pickup trucks are a reality.
Before all these advancements, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) were a little underpowered, underwhelming, and had limited range. Today, EVs have outrageous specs, including upwards of 1,000 horsepower and driving ranges over 600 km. With all that power and range, the doorway to electric trucks has flung open, and automakers are taking advantage of it.
The Best Electric Trucks In Canada
While electric trucks are still in their infancy, there are a few to pick from at Canadian dealerships. There are also more on the way that you can pre-order today, given you’re willing to wait.
Here are the best electric trucks you can buy now in Canada.
GMC Hummer EV Pickup
The GMC Hummer EV Pickup, which debuted for the 2022 model year but has yet to arrive in Canada kicked the production electric pickup movement into high gear, despite Tesla getting a head start with its Cybertruck concept and Rivian already launching its R1T.
The Hummer EV is a callback to the now-defunct Hummer SUV arm from General Motors with its upright and angular body and off-road prowess. Under its hood, this pickup has astounding specifications, including standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and up to 1,000 horsepower (hp) and 11,500 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque. This will translate into a heavy-duty 3,402-kg towing capacity and a 680-kg payload capacity.
GMC estimates the Hummer EV Pickup will sprint to 100 km/h in about 3 seconds and boast a 560+ km driving range thanks to GM’s new Ultium battery technology. Those are all impressive numbers for a pickup truck.
On top of that, it’s loaded with tons of useful features, including a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a crabwalk (4-wheel steering) feature, Supercruise semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control, and more.
GMC has not released official pricing on the Hummer EV Pickup in Canada as of February 2023, but it’ll likely start in the $90,000 to $100,000 range.
Ford F-150 Lightning
The Ford F-150 Lightning returned in the 2022 model year but in a way no one expected — as an all-electric truck.
This performance-oriented pickup boasts 451 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque with its standard-range battery pack and 580 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque with its extended-range battery. Its driving range with these batteries sits at 386 km and 515 km, respectively. The better-equipped Platinum model travels 483 km on a full charge with the extended-range battery.
Towing will check in at an impressive 4,536 kg with the upgraded battery of 2,268 kg with the base battery. The payload capacity is 816 kg with the larger battery and 907 kg with the base battery, while the Platinum model has just a 671-kg payload capacity.
On top of its 1,494.8 litres of cargo bed space, the Lightning also has 400 litres of front trunk space. It also includes a standard 12-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, 120-volt outlets, and much more.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning starts from $79,000 and rises to $121,000 for the
Rivian R1T
Though it’s nowhere near as well-known as the Tesla Cybertruck or GMC Hummer EV Pickup, the Rivian R1T was around before them all. As the first true production electric truck, the Rivian R1T has a leg up in the experience department, despite Rivian still being a startup company.
The Rivian R1T has a pair of powertrain options, starting with the standard dual-motor AWD setup that produces over 600 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. This setup translates into a four-second 0-to-60 time and a 4,990-kg towing capacity.
The upgraded quad-motor AWD system pounds out 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque, giving it a three-second 0-to-60 time. This quad electric motor setup also affords it a 4,990-kg towing capacity.
The 2023 Rivian R1T’s driving range varies with wheel sizes: 465 km with 20-inch wheels, 488 km with 22-inch wheels, and 528 km with 21-inch wheels.
Inside, this EV truck comes well-equipped with a tablet-style touchscreen, Wi-Fi capability, Bluetooth connectivity, a wireless inductive charger, six USB ports, four 120-volt outlets, Amazon Alexa voice commands, and more. Plus, the R1T has an additional 1,756 litres of storage space on top of its bed.
Pricing is hard to track down on the Rivian R1T, but recent reports indicate it ranges from $90,000 for the base model to $108,750 for the Adventure Quad-Motor model.
Chevrolet Silverado EV
The Silverado EV is Chevy’s first entry into the EV segment. It may share the Silverado nameplate with Chevy’s volume-selling lineup, but its design is distinct. It features a closed grill, slit-style lighting, and a shorter bed. Overall, it feels like a truck, albeit one designed with aerodynamics top of mind.
Chevy is still finalizing numbers on the Silverado EV, as it’s not due out until the 2024 model year. However, initial estimates peg it at up to 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque. This will deliver a sub-4.5-second 0-to-60 time and a 4,534-kg towing capacity. After launch, there will also be a WT variant with a 9,072-kg towing capacity.
This zero-emissions pickup will debut with a 640-km driving range, but more models will follow with lower ranges and more affordable pricing.
When it arrives, the base WT model will carry a starting MSRP of $55,197 and will arrive in the spring of 2024. The better-equipped but sold-out RST - First Edition model will ring in at a whopping $122,697 and will be available in the fall of 2023.
Tesla Cybertruck
The Tesla Cybertruck sounds incredible on paper, but it remains in production limbo amid battery shortages and typical Tesla delays.
The Cybertruck’s specifications are unconfirmed, but CEO Elon Musk promised over an 805-km range and a roughly three-second 0-to-100 km/h time. Plus, the company stands by an astounding 1,588-kg payload capacity.
As for design, the current Cybertruck concept is a wild, triangular design that looks neat and futuristic but likely won’t sell well to truck buyers. This will likely become far timider in a production model.
Other Green Pickup Truck Options
If an all-electric truck is not the right option, you can also opt for a hybrid pickup. There are currently two on the market.
Ford Maverick
Ford dabbles in this area with its Maverick hybrid pickup.
The Maverick is a compact pickup truck, so its capabilities are limited. It can tow up to 2,000 pounds and handle up to 1,500 pounds of payload.
Under the hood, it features a 2.5-litre hybrid four-cylinder setup with 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain delivers 5.6 L/100km city, 7.1 L/100 km highway, and 6.3 L/100km combined.
Toyota Tundra Hybrid
The latest Toyota Tundra debuted with an inline hybrid option that pairs a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V-6 engine with a transmission-mounted electric motor. This pairing, known as the i-FORCE MAX, produces up to 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, which helps it tow up to 11,450 pounds. It can also haul up to 1,665 pounds of payload.
Though it is technically a hybrid, this pickup is relatively efficient, consuming fuel at a clip of 12.7 L/100km city, 10.5 L/100km highway, and 11.7 L/100km combined. The TRD Pro model is a little thirstier at 12.9 L/100km city, 11.6 L/100km highway, and 12.3 L/100km combined.
The 2023 Tundra Hybrid ranges from $73,174.20 to $90,934.20.
Ford F-150 Limited Hybrid
Ford has two hybrid trucks, and the second is a hybrid variant of the F-150 Limited. This truck combines a 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 engine and an electric motor to deliver 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque. With this power and the F-150’s touch platform, it can tow up to 12,700 pounds.
Buyers can choose between rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD).
Fuel consumption checks in at 10.1 to 10.5 L/100km city, 10 to 10.4 L/100km highway, and 10.1 to 10.4 L/100km combined. For reference, the normal F-150 with a 3.5-litre V6 has fuel consumption numbers of 13.4 L/100km city, 10.2 L/100km highway, and 12 L/100km combined.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Limited Hybrid starts from $106,285.
No Pre-Owned Electric Trucks Yet, but Lots of Options at Clutch
While electric trucks are still too new for Clutch to have many pre-owned options in stock, we always look out for new, green inventory for our customers. Until then, we have a wide range of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in other segments, such as crossovers and sedans.
You can feel confident buying your pre-owned green vehicles from Clutch because they’ve all been through a 210-point inspection and reconditioning process and include a 90-day or 6,000-km warranty. Plus, we offer a 10-day or 750-km test-own period. If you don’t love your clutch vehicle during this time, you can return or exchange it, no questions asked.
