The Detroit Three automakers are pushing toward an electrified future, but they’re not yet putting their gas and diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks on the back burner.
After all, the profitable sales of these fuel-guzzling vehicles are funding the expensive transition to electric vehicles, which promise zero emissions and freedom from high gas prices. General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis NV over the last several weeks have revealed heavy-duty (HD) truck updates for next year, but don't expect electrified versions of these beefy pickups anytime soon.
"This will be the dead last segment that it's going to happen to because they are the most demanding and it would be the most taxing on the electrical system," said Ivan Drury, director of insights for Edmunds.com Inc., a vehicle information website. The batteries needed to tow the thousands of pounds HD customers demand might be available, but they cost more and offer less range than gas and diesel powertrains.
