The Ford F-150 Lightning has something the GMC Hummer EV pickup doesn't
Ford's electric truck had to have a full-size spare tire
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The GMC Hummer EV may have beat the Ford F-150 Lightning to market as the first electric full-size pickup, but the Ford could leave it in the dust one day.
Or offer the GMC's passengers a lift.
Despite its off-road intentions, the Hummer EV wasn't designed with a built-in spare tire carrier and standard trucks don't even come with a donut spare.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There is a rack available that fits in the bed and can carry two sets of wheels and tires, but you'll have to hope for the best and rely on a flat-fixing kit if the worst happens without it.
The GMC Hummer EV is available with an optional spare tire rack. (GMC)
The F-150 Lighting was designed as a more mainstream truck with both commercial and recreational uses in mind, however, and chief engineer Linda Zhang said making sure there was a full-size spare mounted underneath was a priority, despite the packaging challenges posed by the pickup's fully-independent rear suspension, which the Hummer EV also has.
The Ford F-150 Lightning comes with a standard full-size spare. (Ford)
"At one point the team came forward and said we were going to have to sacrifice that spare, but with nearly a century of knowhow with truck customers and the customer insight, we knew that wasn't going to work," Zhang told Fox News Autos.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The F-150 Lightning's spare fits behind the rear bumper. (Fox News Autos)
"Our customers are going to go off-road. AAA doesn't follow them off-road. Our customers, especially from a commercial perspective, where time is money, don't have time to sit on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck."
The F-150 Lightning's longer bed and rear overhang certainly helped, but Ford has been more than happy to call it out as a significant selling point over its cross-town competition.
The Rivian R1T has a trunk in the bed for its spare tire. (Rivian)
It's not the only electric pickup with a spare, however. The smaller Rivian R1T that went on sale before both the GMC and Ford actually has a trunk under the bed floor that fits one along with a tire changing kit.
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General Motors hasn't yet confirmed if the upcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV will have spares, but it does have an electric truck on the way with one.
The GMC Hummer EV SUV will feature a tailgate-mounted spare tire. (GMC)
The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV will have a spare, attached to the tailgate like it is on the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.
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