EdisonFuture is developing a Cybertruck-like solar pickup with up to 450 miles of range

Infant EV brand EdisonFuture debuted two truck concepts at the LA Auto Show this year, aiming to bring both models to market in 2025. One concept in particular, the EF1-T, is quite interesting looking (and long). While the company may not be trying to compete with Tesla per se, the EF1-T pickup could certainly attract some Cybertruck fans as an alternative option, should it make it to production.

EdisonFuture is a new passenger EV brand created by Phoenix Motor Inc. in Ontario, Canada. EdisonFuture now joins Phoenix Motorcars as a dual brand strategy under the same larger EV umbrella. Furthermore, Phoenix Motorcars exists as a wholly owned subsidiary of SPI Energy ($SPI), which focuses on renewable energy, particularly solar – a key feature on the EdisonFuture vehicles.

Last April, we reported that SPI Energy had entered into a partnership with Icona Design Group to develop and design a range of fully electric vehicles for both passenger and commercial markets.

At the time, the company stated that these EVs would be sold under the EdisonFuture and/or Phoenix Motorcars brands. As part of its presence at this year’s LA Auto Show, EdisonFuture has unveiled its first two electric truck concepts… and they’re massive.

EdisonFuture unveils EF1-V and EF1-T electric trucks

According to the EdisonFuture team, it was getting a lot of feedback from its commercial fleet customers through Phoenix Motorcars about inquiries into consumer versions of their EV technology. This is a very early iteration of passenger EV development that still looks to gain its footing in an (embracingly) saturated market.

That being said, the EdisonFuture team is the first to admit that these are still concepts, and the production versions will certainly vary based on consumer feedback, which it welcomes and embraces as it seeks future prototyping and production.

While this new consumer EV brand remains in its infancy, EdisonFuture is bringing its entire team and technology from Phoenix Motorcars to aid in the effort, many who have been developing proprietary EV technologies for over a decade.

This puts EdisonFuture at an advantage in terms of design and production infrastructure, but it will still need to make a splash with the new brand and achieve actual production to truly have a fighting chance.

That could begin with the EF1-T, which caused a lot of passersby to stop in their tracks and get a closer look in the West Hall of the LA Convention Center this week.

The EF1-T Pickup

Of the two EVs that debuted in LA, the EF1-T stood out because of its similarities to the Cybertruck, but even more so for its sheer size alone. At a time where we are just beginning to see fully electric pickups, many automakers have been shifting to smaller, crossover style SUVs.

The EF1-T looks like it could eat a Nissan Leaf and spit the license plate out, especially when you see how long it is up close. With its new line of EV trucks, EdisonFuture is focused on pushing EV adoption rather than competing against specific automakers already in the space. Chief Marketing Officer Jose Paul Plackal explained it to Electrek best:

EdisonFuture is here to provide innovative, bold, and sustainable options for consumers. There are other manufacturers in the truck segment, and we applaud those efforts. The EV space is growing at such a rapid pace, so there is opportunity for numerous OEMs to address the demand. Because our main goal is electric vehicle adoption, we simply provide additional choices that are unique, stylish, and complete with features and spec that create a unique value proposition for drivers.

One of those options could soon be the EF1-T. This electric pickup is designed up be up to 243 inches long – that’s over 20 feet. For comparison, the Cybertruck was listed as 231.7 inches in length before Tesla removed its specs, and the upcoming Ford F-150 Lightning is expected to be up to 232.7 inches long.

The cabin is quite roomy and was designed with a basketball-like orange interior that truly stands out. Sort of like Rivian, the EF1-T was designed with utility in mind, offering features like a toolbox on its rear passenger door.

What stood out the most, however, was the solar panels integrated into the roof of the EdisonFuture EVs, particularly the solar equipped armadillo shell over the bed of the EF1-T.

The team at EdisonFuture anticipates these solar panels to provide 25-35 additional miles of range each day under sunny conditions. For perspective, Fisker’s upcoming Ocean EV is estimated to deliver four miles a day under sunny conditions, 5.5 miles under ideal conditions.

If true, that could be a huge selling point for the EF1-T and EF1-V going forward. Here are the full specs of the EF1-T pickup:

In speaking with EdisonFuture, the team is planning to bring both the EF1-T and EF1-V concepts to market in 2025.

When we asked if they would prioritize one model over the other, we were told the plan was originally to launch both EVs together. However, the EF team shared that they have noticed a significantly larger interest in the EF1-T pickup during the Auto Show.

During the unveiling of the EF1-T, EdisonFuture also shared plans for a third EV, a solar SUV to follow the first two models.

Electrek’s Take

There is no shortage of new EV automakers trying to make their mark on the industry. There were even several relatively unknown companies at the LA Auto Show. Often, seeing a new company that simply has concept EVs is grounds to move on and focus on more tangible products.

That being said, I believe EdisonFuture, concepts aside, is worth taking note of because of its correlation with Phoenix Motorcars, an established commercial EV manufacturer developing and implementing a lot of its own technology.

I believe the branding could use a little tweaking personally. Edison was a rival to Tesla, Nikola was Tesla’s first name, Faraday Future comes to mind as well. It all feels all a little derivative and analogous, but perhaps that’s just me.

At this point, these are just concepts and it’s going to take a lot of effort and more importantly money, to get this beasts to scale. It’s going to be tough, but one this appears evident, the technology is present – particularly the solar panels.

I’m looking forward to tracking this company’s progress as it works toward its 2025 goal.

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