The arrival of the Ford F-150 Lightning this spring followed by the Chevrolet Silverado EV next year could be the true litmus test for widespread consumer acceptance of electric vehicles.
“If it works in pickup trucks, the technology will work anywhere,” said Robert Karwel, senior manager of the Canadian automotive practice at J.D. Power.
“Full-size trucks are the second-largest retail segment in Canada ... so the effects of EVs penetrating this class of vehicle will be large.”
It’s certainly big business for General Motors and Ford.
Chevrolet sold nearly 52,000 Silverados in Canada in 2021, more than three times that of all Chevrolet cars (15,909) and about 43,000 more than the second-place Chevrolet Equinox utility vehicle (8,675).
Ford sold 116,401 F-Series pickups in 2021, accounting for nearly half of the company’s 243,447 total passenger-vehicle sales. The second-place Escape crossover found homes in 25,960 Canadian driveways.