2024-2025 is undoubtably the year of electric trucks. Some die-hard EV fans will shout from the rooftops that EVs are cheaper to fuel and maintain, but wait—naysayers jump in, waving their flags about the higher price tags on many electric rides, especially when they have a gas-powered sibling in the lineup. So, who’s right?
Are these “eco-friendly” electric trucks really saving driver’s money in the long run? Well, sometimes yes, sometimes no—because, you guessed it, it’s complicated!
Here we compared the Ford 150, Rivian R1T, Chevy Silverado, and Tesla Cybertruck
Comparison Criteria:
Driven: 10,000/year
State: Texas
Year: 2025
Initial Purchase Price:
Generally, gas-powered vehicles tend to have a lower initial purchase price compared to electric vehicles. This price difference can make them more accessible to a broader range of consumers, especially those who may not have the budget for a more expensive EV.
- Cybertruck: MSRP $82,235
- 2025 Rivian R1T Adventure Dual-Motor Crew Cab AWD: MSRP $76,900
- 2025 Ford F150 King Ranch Supercrew 4WD 145-prelim: MSRP: $74,705.00
- Chevy Silverado 1500 Custom Crew Cab 2WD: $48,500
As you can see from the above vehicle list, you can purchase a top-of-the-line luxury F150 for roughly the same amount as a standard Rivian R1T. Furthermore, the tried-and-true Chevy Silverado 1500 comes in well below electric trucks at $48,500 MSRP.
Although electric vehicles (EVs) have become more popular due to their environmental advantages and reduced operating expenses, gas-powered pickup trucks still present several benefits that make them a viable option for many consumers, particularly in terms of the initial purchase price.
Maintenance
With a long history of use, gas-powered vehicles benefit from a well-established service and repair network. Parts are widely available, and mechanics are generally more familiar with internal combustion engines, which can lead to easier and potentially less expensive repairs than those needed on EVs.
To crunch the numbers on maintenance costs, we enlisted the help of AAA’s Your Driving Costs Calculator—your trusty sidekick for figuring out per-mile expenses for your ride! This nifty gadget breaks down the bills into categories like sedans, SUVs, pickups, and of course electric vehicles, covering everything from tire troubles to brake fixes and oil changes over a five-year span.
Unfortunately, Cybertruck is a bit of an odd duck. AAA’s tool did not have all the information we were looking for, but we found other sources across the internet to find the answers, including research from iseecars and motortrend.
Resale Value
EVs tend to lose their value faster than balloons at a porcupine party in their first five years! While we anticipate these predictions to unfold, here are some statistics to consider:
A brand-new Tesla Cybertruck loses 59.5 percent of its value after five years, leading to a resale value of $40,492 (that’s only half of the purchase price!). In contrast, other vehicles within the pickup category typically experience a depreciation of 37.7 percent over the same five-year period.
The Rivian R1T boasts the highest resale value among all Rivian models, maintaining 47.2% of its value after the first five years. According to the omni car depreciation calculator, after 5 years, this model will be worth $30,560.06 (oof, remember the initial purchase price?).
Let’s compare that to our Chevy Silverado:
The 2024 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab will experience a depreciation of $29,052, resulting in a residual value of $30,143. Not bad, considering its average purchase price is $48,500.
Another key point to consider about the resale market is its diversity in gas-powered vehicles, offering a broad array of models, styles, and features to cater to different preferences and requirements. This extensive variety can attract consumers seeking specific traits that may not yet be found in the developing electric vehicle market.
Towing capacity:
This is an article about trucks- of course we’re going to talk about towing ability! Let’s compare:
- Cybertruck Maximum towing capacity: 11,000 pounds
- Rivian R1T Maximum towing capacity: 11,000 pounds
- Ford F50 King Ranch Maximum towing capacity: 14,000 pounds
- Chevy Silverado 1500 Maximum towing capacity: 13,300 pounds
No surprise here, the gas-powered trucks outperform the electric ones!
Other Costs For Electric Trucks:
Wiper blades
The 22-inch windshield wiper blades for the Ford F-150 come in at a budget-friendly $24.48 each, so you’ll fork over $48.96 for a dynamic duo! Meanwhile, the futuristic Cybertruck struts its stuff with one mega wiper blade that will set you back a cool $75 from Tesla. Who knew windshield wipers could spark such price drama?
Tires
We also know that one of the biggest maintenance costs for an EV is tires. Those snazzy 285/65R20 Goodyear tires on your Tesla Cybertruck are $470 apiece! Woah!
Sensors and Electronics
To amp up its agility, the Tesla Cybertruck uses an advanced “steer-by-wire” system. This means it uses sensors and electronics to take charge of the front wheels, ditching the old-school mechanical link between the steering wheel and the wheels. So, there is NO MECHANICAL CONNECTION between the steering wheel and the wheels AT ALL! This is mind-boggling for 2 reasons:
- If the sensor fails, there is nothing else a driver can do to control the vehicle while flying down the highway at 80mph. Scary!
- Oh boy, that would be an urgent and expensive problem to have!
Based on the information at hand, repairing a steering failure on a Cybertruck, which mainly entails replacing the “front steering actuator” (essentially the steering rack), may cost approximately $3,300. You wouldn’t have this problem with a standard gas-powered truck. Because of the intricate design of the Cybertruck’s steering system, repair labor costs may also be higher compared to those of a conventional gas truck.
Overall, electric trucks tend to be pricier in terms of parts and labor. Whether it’s a few dollars or several thousand, repairing an EV truck will likely cost more than other pickup trucks. Drivers won’t make much profit reselling their electric trucks either, compared to what they purchased it for.
In conclusion, while electric vehicles have their own set of advantages, gas-powered vehicles continue to offer practicality, convenience, and performance that can be appealing to many drivers. As technology advances and economies of scale kick in, it’s expected that the cost of electric vehicles will decrease, making them more accessible to the average consumer. Until then however, Enginetech has your back for all your combustion engine needs!
Sources:
- EV vs. gas: Which cars are cheaper to own? (2022, October 28). caranddriver.com. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://www.caranddriver.com/shopping-advice/a32494027/ev-vs-gas-cheaper-to-own/
- AAA estimate vehicle ownership costs. (n.d.). https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/drivingcosts
- Banner, J. (2023, December 15). Will the Tesla Cybertruck cost more to repair? Compare it to a Ford Lightning. MotorTrend. https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-repair-costs-analysis/#google_vignette
- Tesla Cybertruck resale value and depreciation – iSeeCars.com. (n.d.). iSeeCars.com. https://www.iseecars.com/car/tesla-cybertruck/resale-value
- Rivian Resale value for 2025 – iSeeCars.com. (n.d.). iSeeCars.com. https://www.iseecars.com/resale-value-brands/rivian#:~:text=The%20Rivian%20R1T%20has%20the,year%20depreciation%20from%20its%20MSRP.
- Maria Merano, T. (2024, October 17). Rivian R1T’s brutal depreciation a potential opportunity for budget conscious EV buyers. rivianist. https://www.rivianist.com/blogs/news/rivian-depreciation-pre-owned-opportunity
- Jedynak, T., & Szyk, B. (2024, January 18). Car depreciation calculator. Omni Calculator. https://www.omnicalculator.com/finance/car-depreciation
- Ford F-150 depreciation. (n.d.). https://caredge.com/ford/f-150/depreciation
- Harwood, A., & Harwood, A. (2025, February 3). Maximum towing capacity for every truck. Kelley Blue Book. https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/maximum-truck-towing-capacity/
