DETROIT — Score one for the legacy automakers.
Ford Motor Co.’s upcoming F-150 Lightning and the electric Chevrolet Silverado expected in 2023 topped the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T in an Autolist survey on which electric pickups consumers are most interested in buying.
Of those surveyed, 38 percent said they prefer the Lightning, 26 percent said they want General Motors’ Silverado EV, 20 percent prefer the Cybertruck, and 11 percent want the GMC Hummer EV. Five percent said they want the R1T, which is the only one of the five that’s already on sale.
In a similar survey Autolist conducted in 2019, Rivian’s pickup ranked first, followed by Tesla second and Ford third. Ford had not yet announced the Lightning name or released any product details at the time.
“The Lightning has all the ingredients of a successful launch,” Autolist CEO Corey Lydstone said in a statement. “It has the name recognition that transcends the EV marketplace, it has the styling and features that appeal to truck owners and first-time buyers alike, and its wide price range makes it attainable but also aspirational.”
The F-150 Lightning also ranked as the most desirable electric pickup among past or current EV owners, with 32 percent choosing Ford, 30 percent choosing Tesla and 17 percent choosing Chevy.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company was “approaching 200,000” reservations for the Lightning, which was unveiled in May and is scheduled to go on sale next year.
Autolist surveyed 1,100 current car shoppers in late October and early November. The company said choices were limited to vehicles that are currently available, are available for preorder or have publicly been given a name with a debut date.
