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According to reliability reports, the early 1990s-issued Dakotas were insanely reliable, even when heavily abused. But the same holds true in the same reporting stats for the 1990s Hylux, so I wouldn;t go so far as toss into the fecal pile, based on actual reliability numbers. We never had these in Canada (or in the US, I believe?). They might have been slightly modified and rebranded. Where the Hylux definitely fell apart - literally - was that they were rust buckets, as Canadian importers found out when they drove them on Canada's winter-salted roads. We all have our preferences and our own personal experiences. There's a lemon in every bunch. I totally agree that what you're talking about fits 100% in that EV truck niche.

You are right! The US CAFE standards have hampered the return of the compact pickup, and those trucks were so much fun to drive. That Hilux was a great truck, and it is the right size of a compact pickup, which is what's missing!

Yeah, you're right about that. We haven't seen true compact trucks in North America since the early 2000s, and no subcompacts since the 80s. However, as I pointed out in the video, that's what are categorized as compact trucks today.

No one has said the Lightning is a subcompact, or a compact for that matter. It's a full-sized light duty pickup. Not sure where you got that from.

I couldn't agree more about the range extension and cost issues but all these new options are the worst approach to an EREV, just another attempt by legacy auto to avoid change and keep selling their ICE engines. I mean a freaking Pentastar 3.6 in the RamCharger? That's just stupid overkill and outright engineering laziness (video on that here: th-cam.com/video/iUoyG-foLiQ/w-d-xo.html ). None of them avoid the risks and costs. Not one. The simple and cost-effective solution is just put an 2nd aux. charging plug in the bed so one can charge on the fly, and allow the consumer to put in the range extender that works for them (generator, solar panels, etc). Tada! Instant series hybrid for a fraction of the cost, weight and complexity. Why aren't the Big Three doing this? No quick $$$$ for them! Anything else that adds all that complexity and maintenance is just dumb. Why buy a $100K EREV with massive complexity compared to a BEV when one can buy a $1,000 tri-fuel generator and through it in the bed and plug in when off-roading, towing, long hauling, or over-landing? I did a video on that here: th-cam.com/video/GcgURdNOroc/w-d-xo.html Thanks for bringing up this incredibly important point. I will be doing a video on why hybrid trucks -including Series Hybrid 'range extenders' - are a bad idea. Stay tuned!

@@truckedupevsThank you, very great points. I was interested in the 1500 eRev concept, by the time the program went to market , that feeling turned quickly to the “ Meh”. A missed opportunity in my book. OEMs don’t really innovate, you provided a great idea though, but an EV with an added charging port from a portable source, as long as its output can deliver enough to keep up with payload without running out of charge as the outcome, keep on trucking , pun intended 😊.

@@JoePolaris I appreciate that. Thank you. Solar wouldn't be able to fully keep up - not even close - but that's not necessary other than to extend the distance, since there are so many DC fast chargers everywhere now, or as long as one can get back home to overnight charge. Depending on the size, a portable generator somewhere above 5,500W should be more than capable of keeping up, being that it doesn't have to do any more work than an internally installed ICE would have to do in an EREV. I would just like to see these old dinosaur auto makers get their act together and start truly innovating, thinking outside the box, and putting customers ahead of pure profit/short-term shareholder focus - before they get decimated by the Asian market. No amount of tariffs or antiquated protectionist measures will stem that inevitable tsunami. They need to get with the times, and then surpass it, if they hope to survive. Always appreciate such great conversations, Joe!

There isn't one. Ford again will pump out a profit-pig hybrid version instead.

You hit the nail on the head! It's not just about profits from the sales - but the ongoing stream of work for mechanics and parts.

Bingo!

Will do! Thanks as always for your feedback!

We also have a Bolt and it's a great little car. Incredibly functional. Yes, if Ford actually carries through and delivers the Maverick EV in 2027 (not holding my breath), they'll sell like hotcakes.

The T100 was a great truck! My buddy who lives in a remote part of the Kootenays still drives his every day and hauls firewood and does trail maintenance with the darn thing. He beats the crap out of it and spray paints it every year with Tremclad! I think his also has an 8ft bed, if I recall.

No worries at all, my friend! I love my American neighbours but was surprised when the threats came. If the tariffs go ahead, it will destroy the auto sector - and ev trucks! (video forthcoming) Fingers crossed we can get back to working together shoulder-to-shoulder, and end these harmful and meaningless threats. Canadians don't respond well to being bullied or threatened. He might want to rethink that.

@@truckedupevs I've seen what you fellas did during ww2, I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of a pissed off Canadian!!

@@Bfranklyn731 Haha!! Well, we would have to drop flour bags and shoot paper clips these days, but I doubt anyone would enjoy us much after 'conquering' us! 👿

Yes i hate Trump too, bringing back free speech, putting Americans first and drainage the swamp of corruption

You're not the only one thinking that. Me included.

I'm right there with you on the Rivian disappointment, and on the 'next new truck' reservation thing.😂

You spelled 'gas' wrong.

Thanks for the feedback, Toni. The way a range extender makes sense, from my humble perspective, is as a true generator with an ev truck built with a secondary on-the-fly auxiliary port. This way, the customer can decide the need and the range requirements - and pay a LOT less than having to cart around - basically - an ICE truck along with their BEV. For example, I have a tri-fuel generator that technically I could use to charge my EV truck if I went over-landing, off-roading, or something, but I would have to do it while parked or overnight while camping rather than while driving (I did a video on this here: th-cam.com/video/GcgURdNOroc/w-d-xo.html ) In more commercial applications like with Edison Motors, a built-in range extender makes tons of sense.

Yeah, my 'Canadian-ness' shining through. My apologies to all Koreans for butchering it.

I sure hope so. It would be the best natural move forward for Ford. But with them stalling the T3 Project, postponing several ev roll-outs, slowing the EV dedicated plant down by a year or more, & pivoting back to their hybrid cash cows, I'm not so sure anymore.

Nicely done. That was the way to do it then, and it was a n excellent alternative. That's why I hoped EdisonFuture's EFT-1 would have made it out of the realm of vapourware. It was to offer a 6.5ft standard bed with an 8ft option.

Wow! Thank you so much, Peter! It's going right into the drone and GoPro piggybank!

Thank you for this VERY insightful comment! That perspective is likely yet another reason for the slow roll-out. Yes, I was aware of both of those trucks but those were quite a number of years back and, correct me if I'm wrong, but neither used any sort of dense enough battery like lithium iron battery storage but instead lead acid? I remember a network doing a special on a guy restoring the Ranger. Was that you?

@@truckedupevs You are correct. The Ranger and S-10 EVs were limited by the battery technology at the time. The first generation used lead acid, and later models used NiMH. Neither could reliably offer more than 100 miles of driving range on a full charge. I have featured some of my restoration on my channel, yes, but I'm far from the only one restoring Ranger EVs. I did an interview with Trajectory EV, which is a shop that specialized in the restoration of Ranger EVs. My current build plan now is to restore one of the Rangers using LFP cells that should achieve up to 300 miles of range on a charge, but as I said, it's been slow going. Fulltime jobs and adulting can get in the way of fun.

www.caranddriver.com/rankings/best-pickup-trucks/hybrid

Yes, I saw the same report. With all of Ford's postponements with the T3 project and it still being quoted by Ford as 'targeted for 2027', I think they're testing the feedback, sort of like what RAM did with their long-range REV 1500. I sure hope they do, but every OEM keeps pivoting back to their hybrid cash cows. Now we've got tariff threats that could sideline all of it literally overnight, who knows? Fingers crossed.

I know. The range argument drives me nuts, but that's what Legacy Auto and the Oil Lobby was so successful in scaring the crap out of consumers with, and it stuck - and slowed the whole adoption curve. It still gets cited as the #1 reason people avoid BEVs. As far as the Colorado goes, it's a leap from the Equinox/Blazer to a truck, especially regarding what current Colorado owners expect from the current one. I think the most likely move will be Hyundai's Santa Cruz and the Ford Maverick since both are unibody with much lighter load/towing #s already, and easier to still eek out a profit. I guess we'll see what the next couple of years bring - and that's if these ridiculous tariffs don;t annihilate the auto sector overnight because then everything is off the table. Always look forward to your insightful comments!

That would be my hope too. Rivian has a unique position in that their buyers are already used to paying a higher price for a premium truck, so I agree with you. We'll have to see if they ever take our amazing advice! :-)

Yup. You are 100% correct. But the trade tariffs could slaughter the auto sector overnight. Not sure what the fix is, but I guess we're about to find out.

I love the Telo, but I've seen enough start-ups struggle, including Rivian & Tesla, to know that the path forward is buckets of cash - and I don't think Telo will get there. Not even close in this current market environment. I sure hope I'm wrong. Like Aptera on the car side, it's what the world needs from vehicles. Always enjoy your comments and insight!

Yep.

Exactly. It was such an efficient and versatile little truck.

I wanted one of those little EV S10s so bad, after I got a ride in the EV1 in college. I kept looking asking for it, it was very disappointing to not get it.

⁠Yepper. That S 10 was one of the best little trucks I ever owned. How’s about a Ford Ranger EV ?

LMAO! It's perfect!

I actually was talking about that in a Tesla Show room yesterday. That or make a Model Y with a truck bed like the Tuscan and Santa Fe.

@ you just described my dream car. I’ve been seeing concepts lately, of crossovers that kinda convert into pickup trucks. The roof slides open revealing a bed for hauling stuff.

@@lyfebehyndbars9729 Pull a utility trailer with my ID.4. Model Y works too. Not the same as a pickup, but fills the need just fine.

@ yup! I got a hitch receiver installed on my model 3 a year ago for bike racks, and more recently installed a plug and play trailer light wiring harness for pulling trailers. Gonna try to find a cheap used trailer to pull my dirt bikes around this summer. I figure I don’t really need a truck if I can pull a small trailer now and then.

I too am a long time EV owner and agree. The BYD Shark EREV midsized truck is also an interesting one.

Take a look at the BYD's recent teardown on Munro Live. Not looking too good overall, but BYD is definitely a force to reckon with now and in the future.

Yeah, not a fan of EREVs in their current form. Why not make an auxiliary port for a fraction of the cost, weight, and complexity, and let the consumer decide their EREV? I own a tri-fuel generator that would dramatically extend the range of my Lightning, allowing me to do more off-road and overlanding - or remote trips with trailers. But I have to stop for hours to recharge. If aftermarket generators, solar panels, etc could be used to charge on the fly, THAT is what a true range extender should be. The current approach is almost as complex as a hybrid with all the same temperature strains and gasket and seal wear problems as typical hybrids (of course, without the drive train components, but still). It just keep the OEMs cozy from dramatic change by allowing them to keep making their engines a little longer. That's my view, wrong or otherwise, but I thing Legacy Autp can do better.

@@truckedupevs Agree. I’d like to think they can do better, but they haven’t proven it yet.

Yep. It's the truth for many compact truck buyers. Fingers crossed the Asian auto sector forces the change on the Big Three.

Me too! We had a C-Max before the Bolt and the Lightning - and I'm just thrilled I don;t have to do all the service visits anymore! I'm leaning toward a hybrid truck video soon. There seems to be a lot of confusion about them so that might be a good feature. Thanks for the feedback as always!

100% ! That is the #1 comment I hear, and I totally agree. Not likely though. Legacy Auto must know the consumer sentiment, and yet they're still not building them.

Yes, two propulsion systems in one vehicle is not sustainable or practical

Coming you way!

@@michaelmackey754 And yet, Toyota's Prius is now in it's third decade of production and still going strong as one of the most reliable vehicles on the planet. Go figure.

@ yes, I agree with you about the Toyota more what I’m referring to is say the F150 with a gas engine and a battery most people do not charge hybrid vehicles and when the battery runs out, they just keep driving them

@@jshireley That's not a truck. It's a compact car. It's like comparing a Chevy S10 to a F350 dually. Also, based on Prius driving habits, they historically average lower mileage per annum than the national average, so they don't undergo the same internal demands. There are tons of other hybrids that have failed miserably for reliability, which I'll cover, so the Prius is more a testament to Toyota proactively addressing the weaknesses in hybrids on the engine that others did not (watch Engineering Explained TH-cam video on why hybrid engines suffer more). Where they have been heavily tested - such as for taxi service - the earlier Prius's stood up far better than more recent models, indicating that more recently, Toyota seems to be 'streamlining' quality control in favour of profits.

Thanks for this Robert! Here's a re-post of my comment above: "I love the Telo, but I've seen enough start-ups struggle, including Rivian & Tesla, to know that the path forward is buckets of cash - and I don't think Telo will ever get there. Not even close in this current market environment. I sure hope I'm wrong. Like Aptera on the car side, it's what the world needs from vehicles." Currently, it's vapourware, without even a full working prototype. Time will tell.

@ Here’s to hoping they make it into production! Thank you for your content. The work you do has significance. There’s only so many people fighting the good fight. The majority of voices say that EV’s are bad and yours is one of few voices that say EV’s are good. We need both viewpoints in order to make educated decisions and without your voice less people would be able to do so. Critical thought is how advancements are made and when you only have one viewpoint you’re essential being told how to think. Appreciate you.

Done! Thanks for the feedback!

@@hugowells3052 This guy understands hybrids and why they are not the best solution. th-cam.com/video/3eC5FFoCq4s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zYef2h6UZkxBmQTI

Yeah, n 2027, and that's if they don;t pivot yet again because of the tariff threat to their supply chain. We'll have to see if that release ever occurs. This is the same company that just hit the brakes on 2 ev roll-outs, shelved an ev line entirely, and postponed the T3 Project, all while pivoting back 180 degrees to its hybrid truck cash cow. I sure hope the report proves true, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

@@truckedupevs I believe I was telling you before that I was looking to purchase the Silverado EV LT. Since the threat of tariffs and likely how much it would have increased the vehicle, I have decided instead to buy the 2025 WT max range. My dealer is trying now to find a dealer in QC that is willing to make a trade with a more expensive Silverado EV on their lot. Wish me luck.

The 1970s gave us so many cool compact truck experiments! Almost none of them made any money for the OEMs but consumers loved them!

@@truckedupevs Yup my favorite truck I had was a Chevy Luv (Isuzu) Man I used that thing like a F250 and it still ran when I sold it for a couple hundred dollars.

Yeah, I'm worried about what VW seems to be leaning toward, and that the lion's share of orders are for the hybrid version. I would be surprised if VW doesn't shelf the BEV option, at least up front.

China will be the driving force that impels Legacy Auto to eventually make one, no doubt. Coudl be too late to catch up by then

I think they will. But that will depend on this whole tariff mess, the change in sentiment by governments away from BEVs, and the speed at which battery density and costs improve. Fingers crossed!