Pickup trucks are the most popular models in North America, and they tend to rank 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in monthly sales. But in the era of electrification, the realization of pickup trucks is one of the last car segments, and even Tesla Cyberruck is not ready.
Because the positioning and technical requirements of pickup trucks are different from those of passenger cars. But it can be seen that North American automakers are in a hurry, and four new cars have been released on the market, namely the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, Tesla Cyberruck and Hummer EV Pickup.
Take the popular pure electric version of the Ford F-150 Lightning as an example. Dual motor design with output of 563 hp and 1050 Nm of torque. With an extended battery pack, the acceleration time from 0-96 km / h is around 4 seconds. The XLT and Laliat editions, equipped with an extended battery pack and Max towing kit, have a maximum towing capacity of 4.5 tons, comparable to the fuel version.
However, at this stage, performance cannot take care of the battery life, so the F-150 Lightning has two options: the standard battery pack with a range of 370 km under the EPA standard and the extended battery pack with a range of 480 km under the EPA standard. If fully loaded, the F-150 Lightning mileage will be discounted.
Pickup truck technical requirements are very different from ordinary SUVs, or it is more inclined to commercial vehicles. For example, the chassis of the fuel version of the F-150, the rear axle of the pickup truck is designed to be very simple, originally this piece should be considered to be able to bear the weight of dragging, and strong and durable.
Looking closely at the chassis of the electric version of the F-150 Lightning, you will find that its electric drive is not much different from ordinary passenger cars, and the design is very complicated in order to fix the back of the motor. So the first new cars may have all kinds of imperfections.
Therefore, if the pickup truck is to be electrified, it cannot simply be directly followed by the power system of the passenger car. Recently, parts supplier Magna released a set of EtelligentForce powertrains designed specifically for pickup trucks.
Magna EtelligentReach is an intelligent all-electric four-wheel drive general term, which has to deal with passenger cars and commercial vehicles respectively. For example, at IAA 2021, Magna showcased the Etelligent Force all-electric all-wheel drive system with eBeam technology, one of the first developments of Magna's joint venture with LG Electronics.
But back to the pickup version of the EtelligentForce system, its core component is the eBeam electric axle, suitable for pickup trucks and light commercial vehicles. For example, it can cope with the performance of pickup trucks and light trucks with loads of 0.75 tons and 1 tons.
Conventional fuel pickup
Etelligent Force all-electric four-wheel drive eBeam
If you look at the rear axle of a conventional fuel pickup truck, you'll see that the Magna eBeam electric bridge looks like a traditional axle. The Magna eBeam is an axle assembly that integrates an electric motor within its housing that can be a simple replacement for current and traditional axles and differentials, eliminating the need for a specially designed subframe for the electric motor.
The use of eBeam electric axles replaces traditional axles and is compatible with the suspension and braking systems of existing fuel version pickups. This is important because the chassis structure of traditional pickup trucks has evolved over decades and is designed with the needs of the site and the city in mind, which is very different from the urban SUV.
The Ford F-150 Lightning has a maximum towing capacity of 4.5 tons
Pickup trucks have different power output requirements from ordinary passenger cars, and they need to be able to output high power and torque on a leather basis. At present, the total peak power of Magna's dedicated eBeam electric axle is 250 kW to 430 kW, and the peak power of the front axle electric drive is 180 kW.
Magna EtelligentForce
That's why this pickup truck, the EtelligentForce 4WD, is designed for high-duty vehicles and can tow up to 14,500 pounds (equivalent to 6.6 tons). The current Ford F-150 Lightning has a maximum towing capacity of 4.5 tons.
Maintaining vehicle performance without compromising the payload or towing capacity of pickup trucks and light commercial vehicles without the need to redesign existing truck platforms makes it easier for OEMs to transition to electrification. In addition, there are fewer moving parts in the powertrain, so less repair and maintenance is required.
However, with the expansion of the electric pickup market, the electric drive system specially developed for pickup trucks is certainly not only Magna. The new generation of models of several major pickup truck OEMs use the products of the parts supplier, and it is estimated that they are still in a state of secrecy.
But even Magna's EtelligentForce system will not be fully available until 2025.
Magna is currently building a new electric vehicle center at its U.S. headquarters in Troy, Michigan, to develop the next generation of North American electric pickup trucks.