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Another Tesla Cybertruck Rival Has Big Things Happening
Another Tesla Cybertruck Rival Has Big Things Happening
Is Detroit also paying attention?
All-electric pickup trucks appear to be the next big thing and America is leading the charge (no pun intended). Not only are the Detroit automakers actively developing EV trucks to compete with the Tesla Cybertruck, but so are a couple of other American start-up companies. Aside from Rivian, the other is Lordstown Motors, which is turning the old GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio (former home of the Chevrolet Cruze) into an assembly plant for its own purposes. The Endurance EV truck will be built there and, apparently, something else will be as well.
Speaking with the Detroit Free Press, Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns indicated more vehicles are planned aside from the Endurance. "We didn't buy a mass volume plant like this and not plan to fill it up," he said. What will those new vehicles be? An SUV and a smaller midsize truck. Both are expected to debut in 2022.
Right now, though, the main focus is all on the Endurance, which was originally scheduled to debut at the now-canceled 2020 Detroit Auto Show. An online virtual reveal will take place instead. Fortunately, this hasn't been a significant setback because Burns also said the company has taken "well over several thousand" pre-orders. A total of 20,000 units are planned next year, each with a starting price tag of $52,500.
But Burns is confident that the planned production figure will increase following the truck's debut. Just to give you a better idea as to how many vehicles this facility is capable of building annually, it previously churned out 400,000 Chevy Cruze units per year.
However, Burns added that "because our vehicle is simpler to make, with only four moving parts [to the powertrain], we think that plant is capable of putting out 600,000 vehicles a year." while also proudly touting the facility, saying, "This is a gem of a building built for volume manufacturing."
Along with Burns' latest comments, the company has released a few new and more detailed renderings of the Endurance, pictured above. Overall, it's a very attractive design that won't offend traditional truck buyers the way the Cybertruck has done. We like its headlight design and front-end styling along with the line that flows from the front to the rear.
Expect complete details and official images of the real deal in just a few weeks' time.
