Upcoming Tesla Pickup Truck Imagined by Artist
Tesla has gone on record saying that it wants to build an electric pickup truck, so our graphic artist has imagined what that could look like.
As part of Tesla’s Master Plan, Part Two, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that a light-duty and heavy-duty pickup truck are in the early stages of development and will be unveiled early next year. Musk said he wants a product to compete with the Ford F-150.
But what would a Tesla pickup truck be called? So far, we have the Model S, 3, X, so maybe Model Y would be a good name for the truck to complete Tesla’s cheeky “S3XY” lineup? The Model Y could also be a compact crossover built on the Model 3 platform, but Tesla could still use that designation for its upcoming pickup truck.
Engineering a proper powertrain for an electric truck would be a huge challenge for the American automaker, as it would need to have a good driving range, even under a heavy load. Trucks need massive torque for pulling, towing, and off-roading, but Tesla should be somewhat prepared for a light-duty pickup with its existing technology. It shouldn’t be too difficult for the automaker to create a Honda Ridgeline-sized competitor that is based on a car chassis and with a shorter bed like the one imagined in these artist renderings.
A heavy-duty truck is also in Tesla’s cards, and that will likely be more difficult to engineer.
Our artist chose to use Tesla’s grille design, but it’s very possible that a pickup truck could debut without a traditional grille. What do you think of these renders? Let us know in the comments section.
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Jodi has been obsessed with cars since she was little and has been an automotive journalist for the past 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto, is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and a jury member for the prestigious North American Car/Truck/Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY). Besides hosting videos, and writing news, reviews and features, Jodi is the Editor-in-Chief of AutoGuide.com and takes care of the site's day-to-day operations.
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I'm in school for Environmental Science and because of that I can't exactly, in good conscience, be driving a V8 Gas or Diesel burning truck that gets 5mpg. So I would love to see a zero-emission Heavy Duty truck to help haul around equipment to-and-from different research locations. I had an idea that if this truck was released it should be able to haul a travel trailer or 5th wheel camper. Then I could mount solar panels to the entirety of the roof of the 5th wheel, paired with a Tesla Powerwall unit. Then, in theory, you could be constantly charging your vehicle while you drive. Also, because I would be hauling my power source, there would be zero range anxiety.
Please make the bed long enough to fit a few mt bikes or a riding mower. It doesn't need to be heavy duty but it does need to be lifestyle functional and handle basic homeowner duties. I would expect it to have plenty of torque for light towing needs like mini camper trailers, jet skis or small boats, snowmobiles and motorcycles or quads. That's all I envision buyers for this type of ute to need.