Atlis XT is a new electric pickup truck that has been shown before, but never with this body. Its makers, Atlis Motor Vehicles based in Mesa, Arizona, say they wanted to mimic the capability of a three-quarter-ton diesel truck, but with a fully-electric powertrain and they are also touting the vehicle as being very customizable, with two cab options and length variants.
The XT is built on the company’s XP platform, and according to Mark Hanchett, ATLIS founder and CEO, they have
Focused on the design features our target market cares most about - maximizing functionality, storage, capability, and passenger comfort to create the best possible ownership experience.
The Atlis XT is powered by four independent permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), one for each wheel, it has fully independent suspension on all four corners, four-wheel steering, even if you opt to have dual rear wheels.
When it comes to the battery pack, the company has yet to spill all the beans, but what it has mentioned is the maximum capacity available will be up to 250 kWh and the battery chemistry is not Lithium ion, but Nickel Magnesium Cobalt (NMC) with an energy density above 559 Wh/L. They plan to have three battery pack sizes, which will give the vehicle around 300, 400 or 500 miles (482, 643 or 804 km) of range.
Charging will be super quick, according to Atlis, using their proprietary 1.5 MW chargers, but the vehicle will also have J1772 and CCS 2.0 ports too. Power will be in excess of 600 horsepower, while torque is expected to be as high as 12,000 foot-pounds - this will be enough to sprint to sixty in 5 seconds and reach a top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h). Its targeted towing capacity will be up to 35,000 pounds if a gooseneck or fifth wheel is used.
Gallery: Atlis XT Electric Pickup Prototype
The XT will also feature air suspension, built-in step integrated into the chassis, the possibility to power tools or accessories (via four 120V outlets and one 240V outlet, as well as USB and USB-C ports), the largest frunk of any electric pickup (18.5 cubic-feet / 523 liters), cameras instead of traditional side rear-view mirrors and door handles designed with no moving mechanism that will be durable and easy to use with gloves on.
When it comes to the design of the XT, we wouldn’t say it looks like the Tesla Cybertruck, because it really doesn’t. However, it has the same retro cubist vibe as the Tesla, albeit in a different (more conventional) design interpretation. Inside, it can seat up to 6 people, it has a 12.8-inch central infotainment display and a 10.1-inch driver’s display, customizable buttons with assignable functions, heated and cooled seats and locking storage.
The vehicle you see in the gallery here is a camouflaged prototype, but its makers say they want to start making it fairly soon. Mark Hanchett is quoted in the official press release as stating
This is the fourth iteration of the XT prototype, and we plan to start production in late 2022. The team continues to refine the interior and exterior design based on extensive customer and investor feedback. We have the engineering and design expertise, flexibility and vision to create something completely different to provide customers with an entire ecosystem needed to get their jobs done.
More electric pickups
Atlis has been documenting the development process for the XT pickup on its official YouTube channel. For more information and additional context, it's worth checking out.