The electric pickup truck market is heating up with a new competitor. Joining the likes of GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and the radical Tesla Cybertruck is the Endurance from Ohio-based automobile startup Lordstown Motors.
Lordstown Endurance is set to be the first commercial vehicle to be powered by four in-wheel hub motors – though not the prettiest wheels you will ever see because of that. However, the in-wheel hub motors lead to fewer moving parts and consequently, lower maintenance and therefore save you money.
The 4 individual in-wheel hub motors also bring about a true 4-wheel drive system. Though it is unclear if torque vectoring is possible with this setup. Logically, it should be able to implement.
Anyways, the four motors combined to deliver 600 horses to offer the 8,000 lbs (3,629 kilograms) EV a top speed of 80 mph (128 km/h) while the 109 kWh battery provides over 250 miles (over 400 km) of range. Speaking of battery, the charging time is 10 hrs or 0.5-1.5 hours when charged with a Level 3 DC charger.
Other details include software OTA, real-time fault monitoring, off-board power for tools and accessories, seating capacity for 5, custom in-hub motor brakes, 20-inch wheels, and electrical power steering.
Apparently, production has been pushed several times due to the pandemic and other factors. The latest we heard was, the pickup will be produced in Fall 2021. However, it is unclear if pre-sale has already happened because the website has no buy option. Or did I miss something?
Images: Lordstown Motors.
