Why is everyone building an electric pickup truck?

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  The shape says Aston Martin Bulldog, the materials say Delorean DMC12. [credit: Tesla ]

The electric pickup trucks are here. Or almost here, at least.

General Motors dropped a pretty penny to debut its new electric Hummer during the World Series on Tuesday, with a 2 minute, 15 second ad that took up an entire commercial break. But you won't be able to drive the $112,595 truck off the lot until at least next fall. Tesla staged a smashing reveal for its Cybertruck pickup nearly a year ago, but it hasn't yet built the factory in Texas that will make the thing-reservation holders can probably expect their truck late next year. Other contenders on the horizon include the Rivian R1T, which, after delays, should show up around June; the Lordstown Endurance (sometime in 2021); the Bollinger B2 (probably next year); the Ford F-150 EV (due mid-2022); and the Nikola Badger (thanks to the company's leadership troubles, who knows). The competition for the hearts and minds of the American electric pickup truck buyer is bound to be intense.

Here's the problem: no one knows who that American electric pickup buyer is. It's not like people have been asking for this," says Jessica Caldwell, the executive director of insights at Edmunds. I don't think people have been sitting around and thinking, You now what I need? A pickup with an electric motor.'"

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