If you’re trying to figure out the best electric truck for 2025, you’re not alone. Ford, GM, Rivian, GMC and Tesla have all taken a swing at the electric pickup, and the choices can feel overwhelming, especially when you factor in towing, range, price, and how you really use a truck day to day.
Why electric trucks feel confusing right now
Automakers raced electric pickups to market, then hit the brakes when demand cooled. That means incentives, pricing and trim availability have been shifting quickly. Instead of chasing hype, focus on the numbers that actually matter for you: usable range, towing needs, and total cost of ownership.
What “Best Electric Truck” Really Means in 2025
The honest answer is that there’s no single “best electric truck” for everyone. A contractor who tows a skid steer twice a week needs something very different from a family who wants an electric adventure rig, or a commuter who just likes the idea of a quiet, powerful truck.
- Range: How far you can actually go at highway speeds and in bad weather.
- Towing & payload: What you can safely haul, and what it does to your range.
- Charging: How quickly you can add miles, and how convenient your charging options are.
- Price & value: Sticker price, incentives, and what you get for the money.
- Comfort & tech: Cabin quality, driver-assistance features, and in-truck power outlets.
- Long-term ownership: Battery health, resale value, and ease of service, especially if you buy used.
Start with your use case
Before falling in love with a particular model, write down how often you tow, how far you typically drive in a day, and where you’ll charge. That shortlist will make one or two trucks emerge as the “best” for your reality, not someone else’s.
Electric Truck Snapshot for 2025
Quick Picks: Best Electric Trucks for Different Buyers
Best Electric Trucks by Category
Match the truck to the job, not the headline range number.
Best All-Around Electric Truck
Ford F-150 Lightning
Balances familiar F-150 usability with strong performance, solid range options, and a huge dealer network. Great for buyers crossing over from gas F-150s.
Best Adventure & Lifestyle Truck
Rivian R1T
Outstanding off-road capability, clever storage, and long-range battery options up to around 410 miles. Ideal for outdoor-focused owners.
Best Long-Range Electric Truck
Chevrolet Silverado EV
With an EPA range rating around 440 miles on certain trims, it’s the distance champ among the current crop of electric pickups.
Also Worth a Serious Look
More options if you prioritize luxury or future capability.
GMC Sierra EV Denali
Essentially the luxury twin to the Silverado EV with up to about 460 miles of range in Max Range form and high-end cabin materials. A strong pick if you want a premium electric truck experience.
Tesla Cybertruck
An eye-catching choice with impressive acceleration and strong specs on paper. But pricing, availability, build quality, and real-world range variation make it better suited to early adopters than conservative truck buyers.
Availability check
Some trims, especially high-range or work-truck versions, are still ramping up production, may be fleet-only, or limited in certain regions. Always confirm what’s actually available near you and at what price before you build your budget around a specific configuration.
Top Electric Trucks Compared: Range, Towing, Price
Let’s put the leading electric pickups side by side. Exact numbers vary by trim, so think of this as a directional comparison to help you narrow the field.
Key Specs: Leading Electric Trucks (U.S. Market)
Headline specs for popular electric pickups as of late 2025. Always verify the specific trim you’re considering.
| Model | Approx. Base Price (New) | Max EPA Range (mi) | Max Towing (lb) | Notable Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 Lightning | ~$55,000+ | Up to ~320 | Up to 10,000 | Familiar F-150 feel, big dealer network, great in-bed and frunk power options. |
| Rivian R1T | ~$72,000+ | Up to ~410 | Up to 11,000 | Adventure-focused, excellent off-road capability, long-range battery options. |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | ~$73,000+ (WT), $94,000+ (RST) | Around 440 | Up to 10,000 | Segment-leading range, strong towing, big battery pack. |
| GMC Sierra EV Denali | ~$90,000+ | Up to ~460 (Max Range) | Around 10,500 | Luxury interior, long range, powerful dual-motor setup. |
| Tesla Cybertruck | Varies by trim, typically $80,000+ | Roughly 320–340+ | Up to ~11,000 | Wild styling, strong acceleration, growing Supercharger access. |
Approximate specs; check manufacturer data and window stickers for exact figures.
What the table doesn’t show
On paper, several trucks look similar. The big differences show up in how they drive, how they ride when unloaded, software quality, dealer support, and real-world range when towing. Treat the specs as filters, not the final decision.
Range and Towing: What You Can Really Expect
Range numbers on the window sticker assume mixed driving without a heavy trailer behind you. Hook up a serious load, drive 70 mph in winter, and any electric truck’s range can drop dramatically, often to half or less of its EPA number.
Unloaded or Lightly Loaded
- Most electric trucks will come reasonably close to their EPA range in mild weather at moderate speeds.
- At 70–75 mph on the highway, expect some drop versus the rating, but still usable road-trip range.
- For a typical U.S. commute, any of these trucks will feel like overkill on range.
Towing and Heavy Hauling
- At 6,000+ pounds of trailer, real-world testing has shown range can fall to roughly one-third to one-half of the EPA rating.
- That means a 320-mile truck might effectively be a 100–150 mile truck between charges when towing at highway speed.
- Plan routes around fast chargers and avoid running the battery too low when hauling serious weight.
Don’t size your truck on brochure range alone
If you buy based on best-case range and then ask the truck to tow at the limit, you may be disappointed. Instead, work from your worst-case scenario, winter temps, headwinds, heavy trailer, and build in plenty of buffer.
Work Truck or Lifestyle Rig? Matching a Truck to Your Use
A big part of picking the best electric truck is being honest about what you actually do with a truck. The needs of a rural contractor differ dramatically from a suburban family who likes weekend camping trips.
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Best Electric Truck by Use Case
Think about which column feels most like your life.
Trades & Jobsite Use
- Consider: Ford F-150 Lightning, Silverado EV WT.
- Both offer in-bed power outlets for tools and site lighting.
- Look for trims with higher payload ratings and work-truck interiors.
Adventure & Weekend Toys
- Consider: Rivian R1T, GMC Sierra EV Denali, Cybertruck.
- Emphasis on off-road hardware, clever storage, and long-range packs.
- Check tongue weights carefully if you’re towing a camper or boat.
Daily Driver & Family Duty
- Consider: F-150 Lightning, Silverado EV, Rivian R1T.
- Prioritize ride comfort, driver-assistance tech, and cabin space.
- A smaller battery may be fine if most of your driving is local.
When an electric truck is a great fit
If you mostly drive predictable daily routes, have home or workplace charging, and only tow occasionally, or shorter distances, an electric truck can be quieter, smoother, and cheaper to operate than a gas or diesel equivalent.
Charging, Road Trips, and Everyday Convenience
Charging is where living with an electric truck either feels effortless or frustrating. The truck you pick, and where you charge it, matter just as much as the specs on the dash.
Home & Workplace Charging
- Best case: You install a 240V Level 2 charger at home. That turns any of these trucks into a “full tank every morning” experience.
- Most electric trucks will add 20–30+ miles of range per hour on a strong Level 2 setup.
- If you can also plug in at work, you may rarely visit public chargers.
Public & Road-Trip Charging
- Look for 200+ kW DC fast-charging capability; many modern trucks can add 100+ miles in 10–20 minutes under ideal conditions.
- Access to Tesla Superchargers is evolving. Rivian and legacy automakers are rolling into the network as adapters and NACS ports become common.
- Before a long tow, map out high-power stations along your route and build in extra time.
Try your charging life before you buy
Use charging apps to scout stations near your home, work, and favorite weekend spots. If they’re plentiful, and you can add Level 2 at home, an electric pickup will fit your life much more smoothly.
Buying a Used Electric Truck: What to Watch For
Given the prices of new electric pickups, a used electric truck can be a smart move, especially as early adopters trade into newer models. But with any used EV, the battery is the heart of the deal.
Used Electric Truck Buying Checklist
1. Focus on battery health, not just mileage
Two trucks with the same odometer reading can have very different battery health depending on how they were charged, stored, and driven. Look for a trustworthy battery health report, not just “it feels fine.”
2. Review DC fast-charging history
Frequent DC fast charging isn’t automatically bad, but extremely heavy fast-charger use can accelerate battery wear. When possible, review service records and charging patterns.
3. Check remaining warranty coverage
Most electric trucks carry 8-year battery warranties with mileage caps. Know exactly how much time and mileage are left, it’s a key part of the truck’s value.
4. Inspect the underbody and suspension
Electric pickups are heavy. Have a technician inspect suspension components, bushings, brakes, and tires for accelerated wear, especially if the truck has seen off-road use or heavy towing.
5. Test charging at home and at a public station
If you can, perform a brief charge at both a Level 2 charger and a DC fast charger. You want to confirm charging speeds, connector fit, and that there are no error messages.
6. Evaluate software and driver-assist features
On trucks like the R1T or Cybertruck, software is a huge part of the ownership experience. Make sure all updates are current and test driver-assistance features on your route.
How Recharged can help with used electric trucks
Every EV sold through Recharged includes a Recharged Score Report with verified battery health, fair-market pricing analysis, and expert-guided support. That can take a lot of the guesswork out of shopping for a used F-150 Lightning, R1T, or other electric truck.
Future of Electric Trucks: What’s Coming Next
The electric truck market is still young and changing fast. Some planned models have been delayed or cancelled as automakers respond to softer-than-expected demand for full-size electric pickups and shifting incentives. But development hasn’t stopped, far from it.
- More range and efficiency: Expect incremental range gains through better aerodynamics, more efficient motors, and improved battery chemistry, especially in GM’s and Ford’s next rounds of updates.
- Charging standard shakeout: With more brands adopting the NACS connector, future electric trucks are likely to ship with native access to a wider fast-charging network.
- Mixed powertrains: Plug-in hybrids and range-extended trucks (like the Ram 1500 REV approach) may appeal to buyers who tow long distances but still want significant electric-only capability.
- Used market growth: As first- and second-wave electric trucks age, the used market will expand, making electric pickups accessible at more price points, where tools like Recharged’s battery diagnostics become critical.
Don’t wait forever for the “perfect” truck
There will always be a next model year promising a little more range or a slightly lower price. If an electric truck meets your needs and pencils out today, especially if you find a well-priced used example, it’s often better to start saving on fuel and maintenance now rather than chasing the next announcement.
FAQ: Best Electric Truck Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Electric Truck
Bottom Line: Which Electric Truck Is Best for You?
The search for the best electric truck isn’t about chasing the highest range number or the wildest styling. It’s about choosing the truck that fits your towing needs, driving pattern, budget, and appetite for new technology. For many shoppers, the Ford F-150 Lightning is the most well-rounded option, the Rivian R1T is the enthusiast’s adventure pick, and the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV set the pace on long-range capability.
If you’re considering going electric with your next pickup, or moving into a used electric truck, taking the time to understand your usage, your charging options, and the condition of the battery will pay off for years. And when you’re ready to shop, working with a specialist like Recharged, with verified battery health reports, fair-market pricing, and EV-focused support, can turn a complicated decision into a confident one.
