10 Ways A Toyota Stout EV Could Beat The F

The Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado may be the kings of pickup trucks, but the electrified versions are about to face some stiff competition.

Pickup trucks have been the best-selling type of vehicle in the U.S. for more than 40 years now, and the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado have been on top of the sales charts for as long as anyone can remember. As the electrification of the automotive market continues, Ford and Chevy will look to continue this trend with the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV, but Toyota is resurrecting an old model that could put a spanner in the works.

Starting at around $60,000, the Ford F-150 Lightning is the quintessential electric truck complete with lots of power, ample towing capacity, and a battery big enough to power your house if needed. The base model produces 452 horsepower while higher trims take this up to 580. The battery capacity can be as high as 131 kWh, allowing the F-150 Lightning to deliver a maximum range of 320 miles on a single charge. Priced similarly, the Silverado EV is more powerful than its most fierce rival, producing up to 754 horsepower and delivering a range of up to 450 miles on a charge thanks to a battery pack that can be as big as 200 kWh. However, both of these established players could be beaten by the upcoming Toyota Stout EV if the Japanese automaker manages to play its cards right.

Related: Toyota Stout Compact Pickup Truck: Everything We Know So Far

The original Toyota Stout was replaced by the Toyota Hilux in the late 1960s, but it may be about to make a comeback. First introduced in the 1960s, the Toyota Stout was known for being a versatile truck, and the upcoming Stout EV could carry the tradition forward. It is part of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) program and is set to be based on the TNGA-K platform known for its versatility and robustness. This platform is shared by various other vehicles including the Toyota Camry, RAV4, Highlander, and even the Lexus RX. The TNGA-K platform combines a lightweight body with new engines and transmission systems in a bid to maximize handling, safety, and efficiency, and the upcoming Stout EV is set to embody all of that.

Toyota has remained tight-lipped on the technical specifications of the upcoming Stout EV so far and speculations are running wild. One of the most intriguing aspects is, of course, the number of electric motors that Toyota will fit inside it, and rumors suggest that it could come with a triple-motor setup not found in either the F-150 Lightning or Silverado EV. The F-150 Lightning comes standard with two electric motors and all-wheel drive and the Silverado EV, despite offering more power, opts for a similar setup, with dual motors and AWD standard in all trims. Since the final specs of the Stout EV are anyone's guess right now, the prospect of a tri-motor setup is definitely an exciting one.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Chevy Silverado EV

Powertrain

Dual Motor, AWD

Dual Motor, AWD

Power

452–580 horsepower

510–754 horsepower

Torque

775 pound-feet

785 pound-feet

Battery

98-131 kWh

Up to 200 kWh

Range

230-320 miles

450 miles

0-60 mph

4 seconds

4.5 seconds

Related: 10 Features We Want To See On The Rumored Toyota Stout Compact Pickup

Both the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EVs are efficient trucks in their own right, but the sheer size is a big limiting factor. The Stout EV is set to be a much more compact truck, meaning its powertrain will be able to operate much more efficiently as well. The Ford F-150 Lightning is currently offered in two different battery capacities: a 98.0-kWh battery pack that delivers 230 miles of range on one charge and a larger 131.0-kWh battery pack that boosts the range to 320 miles. The Silverado EV, on the other hand, offers a battery capacity of up to 200 kWh thanks to GM's Ultium platform, and this giant battery pack can deliver a range of up to 450 miles on one charge. Both trucks get excellent efficiency ratings but expect the Stout EV to trump both of them when it comes out.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Chevrolet Silverado EV

City

78 MPGe

67 MPGe

Highway

67 MPGe

59 MPGe

Toyota has been making big leaps in the domain of solid-state batteries lately, and it recently revealed new tech that could lead to batteries that deliver 900 miles of range on a single charge. Toyota has stated that these batteries could make it to production vehicles by 2027, which means that the upcoming Stout EV could be one of them. If that does happen, the Stout EV could blow the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV out of the water in terms of driving range, potentially delivering up to three times more than the larger trucks. The tech is still very new and will undergo vigorous testing before you see it deployed on the road, but the potential is undeniably enormous, and Toyota seems to be at the forefront of it.

Related: Best Electric Pickup Trucks For Work

Hydrogen fuel cells are being touted as the next big development in automotive technology, and Toyota has already revealed that it is working on a hydrogen-powered pickup truck. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are powered by electric motors using electricity generated from hydrogen and water in a fuel cell. This allows them to offer long driving ranges, quick refueling times and makes them more environment-friendly since the only by-product is water. While details on it are still scarce, the timing of the upcoming Stout EV means that it could be one of the first Toyota vehicles that take advantage of this groundbreaking new tech, giving it an edge over existing electric trucks such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Silverado EV.

Everybody knows Toyota makes some of the most resilient and reliable vehicles on the market, and the upcoming Stout EV could be quite the workhorse. Even though the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV are much bigger and will probably have higher maximum payload and towing capacities, the size of the Stout EV could put it at an advantage since it will be more nimble and have a higher power-to-weight ratio. Factor in the reliability typical of Toyota vehicles and a separate off-road-focused model, and the Stout EV could very well turn out to be the most practical and robust electric truck on the market.

Related: Best Electric Trucks Of 2023

Toyota has recently introduced new generations of both the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks and the styling is top-notch, offering a blend of modernity, sportiness, and ruggedness matched by few other pickup trucks. If this trend is something to go by, the upcoming Stout EV could be quite the looker. Exterior styling is a subjective matter, and the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV are both good-looking trucks, but the compact form factor of the Stout EV and Toyota's recent exploits with similar vehicles give you more than enough reasons to be excited about the exterior styling of the resurrected truck. If the Toyota compact Cruiser EV concept is something to go by, we could be in for a treat.

Electric vehicles are getting more and more advanced with every passing model year, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the interior where the screens are getting progressively bigger. The upcoming Stout EV is expected to have a high-tech interior that employs an array of modern features including an infotainment system similar to other Toyota vehicles such as the RAV4 and Highlander. This includes an infotainment system with a screen larger than 10 inches and a spacious cabin that can comfortably seat five individuals without starving any of them for leg or headroom. Both the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV offer high-tech interiors as well, but it is highly probable that the upcoming Stout EV will trump both of them.

Related: Why The Rivian R1T Is The Best Electric Pickup Truck Currently

Toyota loves making dedicated off-road versions of its trucks, and it even has a special department for them. The Tacoma Hybrid, for example, is offered in two different off-road trims: the Trailhunter and TRD Pro. Both of these come with a ton of features that symbolize Toyota's dedication to making vehicles that can effortlessly be driven off the beaten track. Even though the Stout EV isn't expected to be as off-road-focused as the Tacoma, a Stout TRD Pro is a very thrilling possibility. While Chevy offers a dedicated trim in the form of the Silverado EV Trail Boss, Ford does not produce anything similar for the F-150 Lightning, and Toyota's off-road vehicle pedigree is yet another reason to look forward to the official reveal of the Stout EV.

Vehicles made by Toyota offer some of the best value on the planet thanks to the reliability and sheer amount of features they offer without trying to completely drain your bank account. While almost everything about the upcoming Stout EV still falls within the realm of speculation, it is expected to be priced aggressively. If Toyota opts for a hybrid version, it could be priced similarly to the Ford Maverick which starts at around $22,000. For comparison, the F-150 Lightning starts at more than $60,000, and the Silverado EV you can actually buy right now starts at nearly $79,000. While the upcoming Stout EV won't be cheap by any means, its smaller scale and potential list of features mean that it could offer a lot more value at a lower price point than both the F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Chevy Silverado EV

Starting Price

$59,974

$52,000 (est.)

Ghazi is an engineer who has been a car enthusiast all his life. Like every other gearhead, he loves nothing more than the growl of a loud exhaust and his first car was a Suzuki Swift GTi MK1 that drew a noise complaint from the neighbors, but he believes that EVs are the future of the automotive industry and is willing to embrace the change they are bringing.