“They’ll sell like hot cakes:” EV researcher’s verdict on Ford and Rivian electric utes

There might not be any electric utes available in Australia just yet, but one Australian – who it happens is also a respected EV researcher – has had the chance to see some up close in the US.

On a long awaited overseas trip, head of policy for the Electric Vehicle Council Jake Whitehead, has seized the chance to get into some seriously drool-worthy and powerful electric utility trucks (known as pickups in the US).

First up was the Ford F-150 Lightning, the production of which has been described as a “Model T moment.”

Stopping in California, Whitehead shared some photos of he and partner Jessica as they checked out Ford’s electric answer to the iconic F-150 pickup.

“First stop USA and look what Jessica and I found in Santa Monica!” he said on LinkedIn.

“The all electric Ford F150 Lightning and its Megafrunk! With pulling power of a truck but the acceleration of a performance car. The ability to power your home and work site. Serious offroading capabilities.”

A a research fellow for the University of Queensland (currently on leave), Whitehead has spearheaded a great deal of electric vehicle research in Australia.

Some of his work has included underlining why the hugely controversial electric vehicle road user tax in Victoria that is now the subject of a High Court challenge backed by the federal government would stimy the nascent EV market, and harm the state’s progress towards net zero by 2050.

Whitehead used his latest post to share again why he thinks policy settings need to encourage, not slow down, the uptake of electric vehicles.

“Instead of selling more combustion engine utes that will keep polluting our neighbourhoods and harming our health and our children’s health for the next 15+ years we should be putting the policy settings in place in Australia to support investment in right hand drive manufacturing and supply of all electric utes just like this,” he said.

“After our short time in it we would put our $$$ down tomorrow to secure this or anything like it. I have no doubt they would sell like hot cakes in Aus!”

Next stop was the Rivian hub at Venice Beach, to see the Rivian R1T ute and R1S SUV.

Although there have actually been an R1T and an R1S electric SUV on Australian soil, these were only for testing purposes.

Whitehead’s verdict of the R1T was equally enthused as for the F-150.

“Super impressed with the quality of the build and all of the various features built into the vehicles,” he said.

“Removable wireless speaker built into the centre console, rechargeable portable flashlight hidden in the front door, gear tunnel to store tonnes of goodies (even potential for a full portable electric kitchen powered directly by the vehicle’s battery) between the rear tray/bed and rear passenger seats,” he said.

“And that’s before looking at its offroading capabilities with up to almost 380mm ground clearance!! (For reference, for an unmodified SUV/ute 220-230mm is generally considered “high clearance”).

“The other bonus is they have built the vehicles so you can drop them down to around 200mm to make it easier to load/unload and also give supercar performance while driving on road.”

Overall, he says that both the F-150 and the R1T are “great examples of how EVs will be a step change improvement in lifestyle / adventure vehicles.”

However, he also said that after seeing the Rivian offerings, “it would be a tough choice between the ute and SUV but after seeing them in person I think the SUV might just have the edge for me!”

“Can’t wait to start seeing these in Australia.”

However, as he again points out – this will only happen if the EV market has the right policy settings to encourage auto makers to prioritise Australia.

“Again though we will only get supply if we put in place the policy settings today required to send a signal to manufacturers that we should be a priority market, we are a reliable market and we are a market that is wanting to seruously co-invest in the global EV supply chain to help drive an increase in production rates, and in turn uptake,” he said.

You can follow he and partner Jessica at @drjakew.