NEW YORK, May 17 ― American motorists are among the hardest to convince to switch to all-electric vehicles, mainly because of an inadequate market offering. In the United States, the king of vehicles is the pickup truck, and electric models are still very limited in this genre. Entering the ring with Ford and Tesla, who have already launched ambitious programmes in this area, Europe-based Volkswagen Group plans to shake things up with a project for an electric pickup by 2026.

In order to encourage as many drivers as possible to adopt electric cars, they need an offer that matches their lifestyle. In the United States, the pickup truck is king of the road. Which is why Volkswagen wants to make a big splash with its next models designed specifically for Americans.

Volkswagen is preparing to launch a pickup truck, as well as a rugged, all-electric SUV in the United States in a few years' time, under the Scout brand. This is in fact the name of a famous range of off-road vehicles, developed in the 1960s and 1970s by International Harvester, often considered to be the precursor of the SUV as we know it today. These cars will be designed on the same electric platform, with production set to start in 2026.

US-based manufacturers have been working on this for years. Tesla made headlines in 2019 by unveiling its Cybertruck, its first pickup truck, with futuristic lines and performance rivalling that of a sports car. Although it has since been the subject of numerous pre-orders, production is not expected to begin until 2023. In addition to its general appearance, this 6-seater pickup is supposed to be highly resistant for instance to stones and even bullets.

Meanwhile, Ford isn't doing things by halves either, with the F-150 Lightning, an electric version of its iconic pickup. The capacity announced for its battery is set to be so massive that it would even be able to supply the needs of a house or a construction site for several days if necessary, thanks to the bi-directional charging system. The vehicle is already available for order, and first deliveries are expected later this year. All these developments in a category that is highly popular among Americans should help boost the proportion of electric vehicles on the road. ― ETX Studio