So you‘re looking to go electric with your next vehicle purchase? Welcome to the club! As an auto industry analyst and EV enthusiast, I get asked constantly about whether Ford or GM has the upper hand these days when it comes to electric offerings. With manufacturing giants over a century old, both automakers have taken fascinatingly different paths to electrification. Come along as we take a historical tour to help better understand the rapidly-unfolding EV competition between these longstanding rivals!
Setting the Scene: Early Electrified Experiments
Before overwhelmed by the Hummer EV or Lightning hype, let‘s ground ourselves in some context. GM actually sold the first modern highway-capable electric car available to the public – the legendary EV1 of 1996 to 1999. Built on a bespoke platform, this sleek two-seater offered a still-respectable 100+ mile range via lead-acid or NiMH battery packs. Lease-only ownership also previewed today‘s EV subscription models.
But the program‘s cancellation after falling battery costs sparked controversy – despite waiting lists of hopeful drivers! GM rounded up and destroyed every last roadworthy EV1 amidst protests. This debacle became captured in the influential documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? Its stinging critique of short-term profiteering clearly still haunts GM today.
| EV Model | Year Launched | Range | Battery Type | Original MSRP | Total Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM EV1 | 1996 | 80-140 miles | Lead-acid / NiMH | Lease only | 1,117 |
| Ford Ranger EV | 1998 | 80-100 miles | Lead-acid | $52,000 | ~1,500 |
Meanwhile Ford electrified its Ranger pickup in 1998 – though only fleets could acquire this 3-phase AC induction motor curiosity. So neither pioneer set true mass EV precedent at the time, though lessons learned clearly advanced R&D efforts behind today‘s revival.
Present Lineups: Familiar Names, Radical Changes
Jumping forward, Ford now boasts the stunning Mustang Mach-E crossover as its headline EV act. Carving up twisty canyon roads much like its namesake pony car forebear thanks to standard AWD torque vectoring, the Mach-E gives Tesla chasers pride of place with up to 480 horsepower and blazing 3.5s 0-60 runs. OTA updates promise to iron out early quality niggles like easily-dislodged glass panels. Global annual production should eclipse 50,000 units during 2023 as Ford doubles down.
But what vaults GM into today‘s pole position is its audacious 1,000 horsepower GMC Hummer EV supertruck. With up to 350 miles of range and 0-60 acceleration under 3.5s wearing its 9,063 lb curb weight, few vehicles so viscerally shake perceptions of what electric vehicles can achieve. And with initial year‘s volume of pickups now sold out, frenzied demand saw examples reselling at insane $100k premiums!
Clearly dethroning Tesla as the cool kids‘ choice, GM‘s Hummer has crucially brought electrification into the cultural mainstream here in truck-obsessed America. Let‘s examine manufacturers‘ upcoming offerings to see whether Ford can soon regain the initiative.
| Model | Peak Horsepower | Peak Range | Tow Rating | Acceleration (0-60 mph) | Available Trims | First Model Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 480 hp | 300 miles | 0 | 3.5s | 5 | 2021 |
| GMC Hummer EV | 1000 hp | 329 miles | 7,500+ lbs | 3.0s | 5 | 2022 |
Pickup Throwdown: Can the F-150 Lightning Beat Silverado EV?
Most industry observers agree that topping the Hummer EV for raw shock and awe stats looks unlikely from Ford during the truck segment‘s unfolding EV era. Ford‘s 2022 F-150 Lightning targets broader appeal for cost-conscious commercial fleets rather than otherwise-unattainable six-figure excess.
With pricing from a reasonable $41k, Ford banks on contractors and tradesworkers seeing 300+ mile range and ample torque for worksites/towing as sufficient. And neat features like the front trunk‘s AC outlet for powertools should entice jobsite regulars.
- "Ford has led pickup sales for decades thanks to contractor brand loyalty. Lightning‘s clever site power export function protects its workhorse cash cow as urban regulators and big builders demand emissions cuts," notes longtime industry analyst Allana Maine of EV Ratings Report.
But GM plans to closely chase Ford‘s operational formula with its slightly delayed 2024 Silverado EV lineup. Spanning fleet-oriented WT work spec and luxed-up RST First Edition boundaries, Chevy promises comparable capabilities in "…a truck that does everything full-size trucks do."
And with muscular style reminiscent of today‘s Silverado, range up to 400 miles and latest Ultium platform underpinnings, GM‘s electric Silverado seems likely to siphon away a sizable fraction of Ford‘s formerly steadfast buyer base given time. Why?
"Reputation aside, Chevy looks set to deliver better reliability and liquid cooled battery durability than the Lightning‘s existing systems can match," remarks battery performance expert Dr. Hiro Tanaka of Nagoya Tech. "And advanced features like 4-wheel steering plus automatic charging coordination with home solar panels and batteries will attract progressive second wave adopters."
So in upcoming metal, the advantage again trends GM given strong early indicators around the Silverado EV model. Production practicality where rubber meets road is soon to rival or even outpace Ford‘s at least on paper.
Long Term Outlook: Barra‘s "All Electric" Gambit
Zooming out to speculate further, revealing context comes from GM CEO Mary Barra‘s 2021 announcement of the automaker only launching zero emissions models by 2040. That‘s barely two design generations away in auto industry product cycles! Contrast Ford stating 60% battery electric sales by then – still leaving ICE loyalists an exit ramp.
So GM has clearly doubled down further by making Ultium propulsion its unified path forward. And such focused EV devotion tends to spur more daring innovation strides as Tesla has proven. Ford‘s more cautious hedge leaves costlier dual ICE and BEV platform development lingering.
"GM‘s vertical integration with proprietary Ultium batteries also promises manufacturing cost and reliability control that Ford will struggle to match relying wholly on suppliers like SK Innovation," explains longtime manufacturing analyst Brian Cortezi. "And consistency around parts reuse from Hummer to Equinox to Silverado builds deeper knowhow. Ford splits focus catering still to petrol F-150 buyers."
So in the coming decade‘s scramble towards sustainable mobility, GM today shows greater conviction in leading an electric revolution rather than merely reacting to changing regulatory winds. Combined with admirable early efforts like the EV1 and Volt, such corporate commitment pays dividends over time.
My Verdict as an Enthusiast: Advantage GM…For Now!
Weighing all factors amongst industry tea leaf reading, intrepid General Motors impresses me most when assessing these iconic automakers‘ unfolding electric transformation sagas. Stumbling early with EV1 cancellation missteps keeps me circumspect. But the about-face towards an inspiring zero emissions vision, combined with today‘s category-busting Ultium-powered lineup, suggests they‘ve embraced the right lessons to push technological boundaries most ambitiously into the 2030s.
Where does that leave beloved Ford? Far from doomed, some teething troubles around Mach-E quality notwithstanding. F-150 loyalty spans generations with merit. And Ford‘s dollars still dominate critical fleet and commercial channels key to funding further R&D efforts. But if I were guessing which showrooms will boast the most jaw-dropping and truly segment-redefining BEVs 10 years down the road? I‘d prepare to be wowed in a GM dealership!
Of course I‘m duty-bound to end with the classic analyst disclaimer – predictions will likely prove wrong! Perhaps Ford has secret weapon Saber light-duty EV truck prototypes hidden behind camouflage at testing grounds that leave GM gulping dust? Or maybe Asian juggernauts like Hyundai usurp Detroit‘s electric truck supremacy entirely. Monitoring quarterly charges in this hyper-dynamic arena never fails to electrify!
Hopefully reviewing these automotive icons‘ unfolding electric quests through a historical lens helps contextualize today‘s glossy Hummer and Lightning hype machines behind the wheel. Let me know if you have any other questions around choosing the right EV pickups, SUVs or sedans as we collectively transition from combustion ages into cleaner, twistier open roads ahead!
