Is an electric pickup right for the hunter, angler? Here’s what to consider from the ‘Big Three’

Anyone reading online chat rooms regarding the feasibility of using electric pickup trucks for hunting, fishing or trapping might wonder if the day could ever come where an electric rig could replace a good ol’ internal combustion engine breathing and burning a mixture of atmosphere and gasoline (or diesel) for reliable torque in sticky situations.

The day of seriously considering an electric truck may be creeping closer for sportsmen who do nearly all of their recreating closer to home during warmer weather and from mostly paved roads or good gravel roads while towing nothing heavier than a boat or an ATV/UTV on a trailer considering estimated travel ranges can decline once an electric truck is under load.

Fishing locally on a lake 10 to 60 miles from home? No problem. But how about hauling a Ranger 620FS Pro 20-footer with 300 hp Mercury Verado to Lake Erie or North Dakota’s Lake Sakakawea for that annual fishing trip? The boat/outboard probably weighs around 3,100 pounds, not including gasoline, gear or boat trailer. Might take some planning and carrying along a Honda generator.

Or a hunting trip to a western state for elk or mule deer in October or November? While pulling a camper?

Power isn’t the problem. All electric truck models offered by The Big Three have plenty of horsepower and torque. The two main questions come down to range when under load during cool or cold weather and the ability to recharge when in the back country for a week or two.

One thing readers will likely notice if they visit the Chevrolet, Ram, and Ford truck websites is that sidewall height declines when moving up into the higher levels of trim. Anyone running rough country should shy away from 24-inch rims fitted with tires having skinny sidewalls. Too easy to bust a rim when hitting a rock in the backcountry – or urban curb.

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Chevrolet Silverado EV

Chevy’s 2025 Silverado EV claims a range of up to 460 to 492 miles if the truck is outfitted with Max Range while zipping from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds, thanks to up to 785 pounds foot of torque.

Those last two statistics come under what Chevrolet calls Wide Open Watts Max, so it’s probably safe to assume using that mode of travel will see a shorter range of travel.

The Silverado EV can tow up to 12,500 pounds. The truck has a dual motor four-wheel drive system that delivers nearly instantaneous torque to all four wheels simultaneously for extra traction when needed.

Chevy offers three trim levels for 2025, the Work Truck, LT, and RST. There are then three levels of “power” or range in those trim levels, standard, extended, and maximum range.

So for instance, Work Truck with standard range can run about 280 miles and the truck costs about $57,000. Buy the Work Truck with Max Range at a cost of $78,000 and travel 492 miles on one charge. The RST with Max Range runs about 460 miles and costs about $98,000.

“Truck customers tell us range is one of the main barriers to considering an EV. The 2024 Silverado EV already was the range leader, and for this new model year we’ve set the bar even higher,” said Scott Bell, Chevy vice president, in a press statement. “A second barrier is price, so we are fortifying the Silverado EV lineup by providing more choice. For 2025, we’re introducing an LT trim, offering a more affordable RST package and expanding WT offerings.”

Ram REV, Ramcharger

Ram offers the REV electric truck and new Ramcharger hybrid. The REV claims a 350-mile standard range with the standard 168-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The REV claims up to 654 hp and 620 pound feet of torque that takes the truck for 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds. The truck has a 14,000-pound towing capacity and 2,625-pound payload. It can ford water up to 24 inches deep.

The Ram 1500 Rev is built on a new 800-volt architecture and is capable of lightning-quick 350-kW charging speeds that can add up to 110 miles in 10 minutes.

The Ram 1500 Ramcharger is powered by a pair of electric motors, one on each axle, for a combined output of 663 hp and 615 pound feet of torque. It draws from a liquid-cooled 92 kWh battery pack that gives it a range of up to 141 miles on one charge.

That rating isn’t the greatest by any means, but the 28-gallon fuel tank extends that range to 690 miles thanks to a 3.6-liter V6 that drives a generator to make electricity, which goes into the battery pack to continue powering the two electric motors beyond the original 141-mile charge.

Because the V-6 isn’t connected to the wheels in any way, the 2025 Ramcharger isn’t a plug-in hybrid but an extended-range EV.

Ford Lightning

Ford has four electric truck models, the Lightning XLT starting at $62,995, the Lightning Flash, the Lightning Lariat, and the Lightning Platinum, starting at $85,000.

The trucks have a range of 240 to 320 miles, depending on the model. The Lariat can go 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds. Select models can carry up to 2,235 pounds, and tow up to 5,000 pounds (7,700 pounds with the Max Trailer Tow Package). The trucks have four-wheel drive.