Atlis Motor Vehicles recently unveiled a prototype of its XT electric pickup truck, reiterating claims of a range of 500 miles and a 15-minute recharge time.
The startup, which has relied heavily on crowdfunding so far, announced the XT in 2019. At the time, it said the pickup would start production as soon as 2020. It remains unclear when the XT will go into production.
The XT is based on Atlis' XP platform, which the company has indicated will underpin a range of vehicles. Atlis previously said the 500-mile version would start at $78,000 and feature a 35,000-pound towing capacity with a fifth wheel/gooseneck hitch. The company also plans to offer 300-mile and 400-mile versions.
At the prototype reveal, Atlis said the XT will be available with a 6.5-foot or 8-foot bed, and an 18.5-cubic-foot "frunk." Both the bed and frunk will get spray-in bed liner, AC outlets, and USB ports, according to Atlis. Designed with fleet use in mind, the XT will also be able to accommodate service body and flatbed upfits.
Atlis XT heavy duty electric pickup prototype
Atlis also mentioned three-passenger and six-passenger configurations, as well as a 12.9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
However, Atlis appears to have major technical challenges ahead. The company has hinted at advanced battery tech, but will need to follow through with that to achieve the promised 500-mile range. It will also need to construct a network of 1.5-megawatt DC fast-charging stations to enable the XT's claimed 15-minute recharge time.
Atlis also needs to fund manufacturing. Elio Motors previously tried a similar crowdfunding approach, but couldn't get its high-mpg 3-wheeler into production even after 12 years. It recently pivoted to the electric Elio-E.
If it does make it to production, the Atlis XT could be a rival to heavy-duty electric trucks from fellow startup Bollinger Motors, or the GMC Hummer EV and Tesla Cybertruck, which will also likely be classified as heavy-duty vehicles.