Throughout the ages, there have been some amazing trucks on the market. Even though today they are called classic trucks for the most part, they are still some of the coolest to date. However, the world is shifting away from internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks and leaning more towards hybrids and fully electrical versions. That means that those great classic pickup trucks that have always been part of the traffic on the street may be lost in history and forgotten about, except for those few true truck lovers that know good when they drive it.
That is why truckmakers worldwide need to consider a few things once they have converted all the way over to electric drivetrains. They need to look back at some of their most outstanding designs, such as the Ford Highboy and the Dodge Lil Red Express, and figure out a way to carry those designs over to the new generation of trucks, even if they are only hybrids that rely on fuel fed engines, as well as electrically charged and driven motors. Let's take a little deeper look into some of the best classic trucks to ever grace the world and wish for the best. Hopefully, the companies that make them take notice and design some awesome new electric trucks that take after their older, classic relatives.
10 1917-1928 Ford Model TT
One of the most iconic classic cars ever created was the Model T, which is the one that started it all. Henry Ford was also aware that people needed to haul larger objects with the internal engine vehicle, so in 1917, the Ford Model TT was produced. It was the truck form of the Model T, designed to offer everything a person in the early 20th century could ever want. It would be a great car to bring back to life as an electric truck, with a few modifications to make it up to the task that modern consumers need. Even if Ford had just made a few prototypes to display to the public, they would eventually be able to be bought and driven.
9 1992-2006 AM Hummer H1
Hummer fans from all over the nation are very familiar with the original Hummer H1. It was a genuine military vehicle designed to take on any terrain in any weather. The H1 was converted over to civilian use with a few simple changes, but all-in-all, it was still the original military version, making it the only one of the Hummer model lines to be so. The electric Hummer Pickup and Hummer SUV are great vehicles, no doubt about it. However, there is still nothing better than the original H1. Since GM has already designed and produced an electric version of the Hummer, it would not be much of an effort to go back in time to the original military-grade vehicle and turn it into an electric monster.
8 1939-1947 Hudson
Any true pickup truck lover is also familiar with the Hudson. It was built between 1939 and 1947, with the ‘40s introducing some of the best versions that the independent car and truckmaker produced. Unlike the other trucks of the time, the Hudson did not use solid axles. This pickup used modern technology, allowing them to have an independent suspension in the front, making it unique and tougher than any of its rivals. Bringing this truck back to life as an electric may be a little challenging because Hudson is no longer around. In 1954 Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to become AMC (American Motors Corporation) and then integrated into Jeep-Eagle, which became a subsidiary of Chrysler in 1990. That leaves Chrysler with the chance to revive the Hudson as an all-electric or hybrid to appease all the classic truck lovers looking for a different modern truck.
7 1966-1977 Ford F-250 Highboy
To this day, one of the best classic trucks to take offroad, or to turn into a dune truck or mudbogging beast, is the Ford F-250 Highboy. The pickup is already designed to be a master of any terrain, and its eye appeal of them is like no other in the world (at least to those of us that love old Fords.) The concept truck floating around that Ford put out used an old-school Ford F-100 and slid an electric motor under the hood. The truck was called the Ford Eluminator but was never produced or offered for sale to the public. The truck received a great round of applause, so it only makes sense that Ford should create a classic truck converted to modern tech and made available for consumers to customize and purchase.
6 1978-1979 Dodge ‘Lil Red Express
The Dodge Lil Red Express was one of the meanest pickups on the road in the late '70s. The truck was one of the only muscle car style offerings in the latter part of the decade because emissions regulations required all cars to have a catalytic converter installed, which lowers power and torque. The Dodge truck, however, found a way around this by being able to haul up to 6,000 pounds, which allowed it to be exempt from the new laws. Therefore, Dodge went all out and made a muscle truck out of its basic D-series pickup, paving the way for the company to use its innovative technology to create one of the fastest electric trucks on the market, or at least it is hoped that they will.
5 1945-1968 Dodge Power Wagon
The Dodge Power Wagon was another military-grade pickup that was converted over to civilian life. It had some of the most innovative components for the time period, becoming the first mass-produced 4x4 pickup for public use. The first generation after they were built for the public is the most eye-catching one of the entire line of trucks, but that is a personal choice. What is important is that Dodge should bring back the old-school military-style truck, slide some electric components and computer chips under the hood, and let the old blend with the new.
4 1947-1955 Chevrolet 3100
Since Ford has had the best-selling truck for 45 years in a row, it may be hard to picture any other pickup being on top. Back in the middle of the last century, 1947 to 1955 to be exact, the Chevrolet 3100 was the best-selling truck in the nation. It was a unique vehicle dubbed the Advance Design truck, offering a Chevy pickup that could put in a full day of work and keep on ticking. As with some of the other early classic models listed here, the pickup on the top of the pile for 8 years deserves to be brought back as an electric truck or even a hybrid with a supercharged 6-cylinder because these trucks make great muscle trucks.
3 1963-1971 Jeep Gladiator
Nothing is like a Jeep in the great outdoors. Since the beginning of the line back in 1945, when the first Civilian Jeep (CJ) was offered for sale, they have been on the top of the pile when it comes to 4-wheel drive vehicles. Of course, the Jeep that is famous is the SUV style with the removable top, but some trucks were just as good, if not better. The Jeep Gladiator is an ICE truck that deserves to be brought back and offered alongside the first open-air SUV, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. Once again, since Jeep already has the technology to do so, it would not take much to bring back a legend with modern technology to propel it down the road.
2 1991-1992 GMC Syclone
The GMC Syclone was a truck produced for two years, offering all the GM fans a cool truck designed to destroy the average muscle car on and off the sanctioned track. The Syclone was a pickup based on the basic GMC Sonoma, shipped to Production Automotive Services (PAS), and built into the beast everyone knows today. The powerplant under the hood in this pickup is a modified V-6 with a turbocharger from Mitsubishi attached. It would be simple to use the knowledge that GMC used to build the electric Denali and create a hybrid Syclone that would simply destroy the competition.
1 1986-1997 Nissan Hardbody
The Nissan Hardbody Pickup was a small truck designed to offer one of the toughest trucks in its class while allowing the owner the luxury of using it as a daily driver or even an offroad beast. The Hardbody was built with a double wall bed, making it strong enough to endure some hardcore abuse. Of course, that is not why the Hardbody Nissan needs to be returned from retirement, but it doesn’t hurt. Nissan is already on the road to converting all their vehicles to electric, but the truck they make today is just not the same as the tough truck from the past.