America’s love for pickup trucks is undeniable, and to put things into perspective, the top three vehicles in America are all pickup trucks. This is mainly because the utility and freedom truck offering cannot be found on any other vehicle. You can use your truck for off-road errands, haul your bike on a trail, or use it to go about your business. This absence of limits resonates with the American dream.
Previously, we’ve written about the best-selling trucks of 2021 and the best pickups of each decade. Today, the transport sector is experiencing a radical change in development as the world moves towards more sustainable energy development. Although truck sales have remained resilient, this does not mean that new trends will not affect the truck and off-road market. The biggest change to date is in electrified trucks, and every major manufacturer has an all-new, exciting truck hitting the market this year or in the near future. Here are the next trucks we are looking forward to.
ten Toyota Hilux GR SPORT
For more than five decades, the essential Toyota Hilux has earned a reputation as an indestructible, reliable, predictable and unpretentious machine. Recent versions of the Japanese truck have been more luxurious than ever, and you can drive one every day without sacrificing the workhorse DNA it offers. Now Toyota is rewarding the legendary pickup with the Gazoo Racing treatment.
Compared to the standard next-gen Hilux, the Toyota Hilux GR SPORT will not bring significant changes under the hood. Yet it will only feature the newest and most powerful engine offered in the Hilux lineup. It will also feature handling improvements with an upgraded monotube shock coil suspension. The truck will be marketed in the summer of 2022.
9 Tesla Cybertruck
There’s no new car design that has divided opinion like the next Tesla Cybertruck. While the EV company’s truck looks like something derelict from an alien ship, it has all the capabilities to go against any high-end truck on the market. The outer shell is designed with a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton to provide industry-leading durability and passenger protection.
The all-electric truck will have a range of 500 miles and a towing capacity of 14,000 pounds. Plus, performance will be supercar fast, accelerating from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds.
8 Bollinger B2
Bollinger, the auto manufacturing startup, has had a rocky start since joining the electric truck foray in 2015, which shows how difficult it is to succeed as a startup in the electric vehicle space. Although the B2 project has been put on hold, the new truck is an exciting product that will likely have many fans when it finally hits the market. It will use powerful electric motors on the front and rear axles, with a combined output of 614hp and a battery range of 200 miles.
The Bollinger B2 features an aquarium-like cabin and, like the Jeep Wrangler, comes with removable doors and roof panels.
7 Ford Maverick XL
The entry-level pickup war is heating up and Ford is set to deliver the Maverick, which is the American giant’s smallest truck. The truck will be available in two powertrain options. The standard gasoline-powered hybrid will send 191 horsepower to the front wheels. A more powerful option is the 2-litre EcoBoost turbo-four, producing 250bhp and mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Ford estimates 40 mpg fuel economy and 500 miles of range on a tank.
At an affordable $21,000, this truck will likely sell out when it arrives later in the year.
6 Hyundai Santa Cruz
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The Hyundai Santa Cruz is another newcomer to the entry-level truck category that will fight for market share with the Ford Maverick. This truck will aim to bring the utility of vans to a city-based customer base. Although not equipped with an electric motor, it will provide fuel-efficient payload capacity relative to pure horsepower and towing capability.
The Santa Cruz will be a sporty adventure vehicle that combines the comfort of an SUV with the utility of an open-bed pickup.
5 Chevrolet Silverado EV
Chevrolet showed up at the Consumer Electronics Show with an all-electric variant of its popular pickup truck. The Silverado EV will share an electric powertrain with the GMC Hummer EV, but the Chevy takes a more traditional approach to the electric pickup truck. Only two electric motors will power it, with a combined power rating of 664hp in the top-spec RST trim.
The Silverado EV will be able to tow up to 10,000 pounds while hauling 1,300 pounds. However, there will be a Max towing package, which will include four-wheel steering and a towing capacity of 20,000 pounds.
4 GMC Hummer EV pickup
The Hummer nameplate will make a comeback this year with this monster electric pickup. The truck will feature a removable roof and have the ability to drive sideways with four-wheel steering and crab mode.
The Hummer EV will help dispel the belief that EVs have to be small and efficient thanks to its massive dimensions. It was recently revealed that the pickup’s batteries will weigh more than a Honda Civic, at 2,923 pounds. According to GM’s test data, these will store 212.7 kWh of usable energy that will have a range of 329 miles.
3 Ford F-150 Lightning
The Ford F-150 Lightning will arguably be the most important truck on the market in 2022, seeing as its gasoline-powered older sibling the F-150 has been America’s favorite pickup truck for years. Arguably, adding the F-150 tag to the Lightning is Ford’s marketing strategy and a show of confidence in the incoming EV truck.
With billions of dollars invested in EV technology by Ford, much is expected of this truck, and it will deliver powerful performance, reasonable price and plenty of tech features. Ford will offer an optional 300-mile extended range battery, with the standard pack offering around 230 miles on a single charge.
2 Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1 T’s unique light signature helps set it apart from the rest of the truck offerings on the market, which is, in a way, a sign of what’s to come with modern trucks. The R1T’s dimensions are close to a mid-size truck, though its price is high-end at $74,075. But the automotive newcomer will come with impressive performance. It will launch to 60 mph in three seconds, have a range of over 400 miles and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds.
A nice feature is the Gear Guard safety feature which uses vehicle cameras to record a 360 degree view of the R1T when the owner is away. This is similar to the Sentry mode offered by Tesla.
1 Ford F-150 Raptor R
The Ford F-150 Raptor isn’t a new car, as the desert-race-ready full-size pickup has been around for the past decade, when it sparked the high-performance off-road truck wars. With the release of the Dodge RAM 1500 TRX, Ford had to do something to stay on top, and their answer is the facelifted F-150 Raptor R coming in 2022.
A monstrous V8 engine producing over 700 horsepower will help challenge the 702 hp of the Hellcat-powered RAM 1500 TRX. It will also feature numerous performance and suspension upgrades that will allow it to tackle desert terrain at extremely high speeds. The Raptor Trail 1-Pedal Drive will allow the driver to accelerate and brake using only the accelerator pedal.
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