EV Trucks in 2026: The Buyer's Guide After Ford's Lightning Exit

Ford’s December 15, 2025 announcement ended production of the current F-150 Lightning and described an extended-range successor. Remaining dealer stock and future products are separate questions. This guide is specification-based buying analysis, not a Motorlinks road test.

So what does a buyer actually have to work with in 2026? Four trucks, four very different personalities.

Rivian R1T — The Adventure Truck

The R1T is an adventure-oriented choice to consider, but its motors, batteries and wheels need separate comparison.

In the 2026 EPA records, Dual Standard on 22-inch wheels is rated at 270 miles, Dual Max on 22-inch wheels at 420 miles, and Quad Max on 22-inch wheels at 374 miles. The table identifies exact records rather than assigning a maximum to every R1T.

Software support, service reach and charging options are practical buying criteria.

Chevrolet Silverado EV — The Range King

The 2026 Silverado EV Max Range WT with the 19-kW AC-charger configuration is EPA-rated at 493 miles. That supported figure is retained; it is not the rating of the least-expensive truck or a towing-range guarantee.

Entry prices, maximum range and peak output usually belong to different versions, so match them to one configuration. Compare the exact trim’s payload, trailer limits, battery, equipment and delivered price, rather than treating “Silverado EV” as one configuration.

For a fleet, range is only one consideration: charging access at the depot, usable payload and service downtime can decide whether the configuration works.

GMC Sierra EV — Denali Luxury

The Sierra EV offers a different trim and cabin emphasis from the Silverado EV, but equipment and range remain configuration-specific. Nor were the quoted trim prices and currency conversions established as comparable local MSRPs.

Check battery designation and wheels before comparing it with a Silverado WT maximum. Cabin preference is an editorial judgment, not a proven difference in road-test performance.

Tesla Cybertruck — The Divisive Standout

The Cybertruck’s angular design distinguishes it; check the EPA rating for the exact configuration you are considering. The selected 2026 AWD record is rated at 325 miles; a separately named Long Range record on 20-inch Cyber wheels is 335 miles. These are not interchangeable with Cyberbeast.

Recall applicability must be checked by VIN rather than inferred from a generic reference to 2024–2025 vehicles.

For a buyer, check charging access, dimensions, service support, payload and towing for the vehicle offered. A Supercharger connection doesn’t confirm a universal comparative reliability ranking.

How They Stack Up

What’s Coming Next

Rivian’s February 2026 delivery guidance was company-wide, not an R1T-only forecast. Its March R2 release placed lower-priced Standard variants in 2027. R2 is an SUV, not a pickup.

Ford has described an extended-range F-150 successor without a launch date or a price below the Lightning in the source used here. The 2027 timing on Ford’s separate Universal EV midsize-truck plan belongs to that truck, not to the F-150 successor.

The selected Silverado WT has the highest range in this table. Range is one job. Check towing, price and the configuration you can order before treating a headline maximum as the truck to buy.

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Sources and scope

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• Source 4

Sierra configuration records, current prices, complete towing/payload limits and VIN-specific recalls remain open. This is not a road test.