While all animals are created equal, some are more equal than others. George Orwell’s quote is especially true with regard to pickup trucks, which vary wildly after the introduction of all-electric powertrains. To show just how different they can be, TFL subjected three of them to a real-world weight test, the new Hummer EV, a Ford F-150 Lightning in basic “Pro” trim, and an HD Cummins Ram.
Everybody truck fan knows that the Hummer EV is a ridiculous thing, launched with 1000 horsepower, a removable roof, and all-wheel steering. To “fuel” such a behemoth, the battery pack has to be enormous, weighing 2,923 pounds by itself according to GM, about as much as a Corolla or Honda Civic.
In case you forgot, the 2022 GMC Hummer EV tips the scales at 9,063 pounds and has a gross weight rating of 10,660 pounds. However, TFL’s real-world test numbers are slightly different. They got 9,440 pounds on a CAT Scale without the driver or passenger in the vehicle.
That difference of 377 pounds is difficult to explain. Half of it must be that spare tire in the back, which is not standard. But otherwise, these launch edition models should all be fully equipped, so options aren’t the factor. Trying to get to the bottom of this made me Google “do charged batteries weigh more?” which felt quite dumb considering electrons don’t weigh anything. Yes, the weight goes up slightly, but it’s measured in fractions of a gram, which wouldn’t be detectable here.
Being so heavy means the Hummer EV is on the list of cars that can’t cross the Brooklyn Bridge, which also includes the Tesla Model X and basically every HD truck with a diesel engine. So don’t feel too bad.
One is lighter, one is heavier
Another interesting fact about the Hummer EV is that it has great weight distribution. The battery pack is right in the middle of the vehicle, and when placed on the scales, the front axle showed 4,560 lbs and the rear 4,880 lbs. Without that spare tire, it would probably be a near-perfect 50/50.
By comparison, the Ram truck has 4,800 of 7,980 pounds over the front, so it’s a 60/40 split due to the heavy Cummins lump of metal. Where it would shine is real-world trucking use, such as towing. We’ve seen how this negatively impacts the range of electric trucks. People have seen under 100 miles per charge while pulling an RV or boat. So wherever you’re going it better be just an hour away.
The range is often the biggest criticism of the new Ford F-150 Lightning. TFL has tested multiple versions of this revolutionary truck, and this time they’re working with a Pro version, which is a basic spec. That means it’s got less power and a smaller battery, but that’s actually good for the weight test.
The total tested weight of the Lightning Pro was 6,120 pounds without the driver, and that’s right on the money considering Ford advertises these things at 6,171 pounds. In theory, you’re supposed to buy these things for $40,000 but markups are insane. With 452 horsepower on dual motors and a 98 kWh battery, it’s a tempting offer, even though the payload and towing capacity are below those of a normal F-150.
Note: Funny how Andre does a “reweigh” for the second and third trucks even though they are first weighings. That’s a cheap scape trick right there, but CAT probably hates this.
