Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Gas, Diesel, Hybrid, or Electric 1/2 ton pickup?

Do what you like but here 90-odd% go diesel.

Here is my take.

1) Electric, Tesla is coming out with their 500 mile range pickup truck in 2022. Made in Texas. If you are worried about charging, Tesla has others beat hands down. Their charging stations, nationwide following the interstate system can charge you in 45 minutes. A test between an electric Model S Tesla, a Ford Mustang Electric, and a gasoline Audi. 1,000 miles, all using the same route. The Audi made it in 18.5 hours. The Tesla in 20 hours, and the Electric Ford Mustang, in 28 hours. Ford had a problem charging and had to stop overnight to charge. Tesla took two 45 minute charges, thus the hour and a half behind Audi. All had to go the speed limit. Tesla also comes with 3 ways to charge. 110 volts in 8 hours, 220 volts in 3 hours, or their charging stations in 45 minutes. I think their charging stations use 440 volts.

2) Hybrid. This would get you better gas mileage, and the batteries usually last 8-10 years.

3) Gasoline. Gas is right now cheaper than diesel, but prices are rising fast. Just saw American Crude at $80 a barrel.

4) Diesel, more expensive than a gas user. Diesel is higher priced now with "clean diesel". Both gas and diesel will be over $5 a gallon before Joe is out of office.

I would either buy an electric Tesla when they come out with the extended range batteries or buy a Ford Hybrid. Both will be about the same price. Tesla's have to be ordered on the internet, and a small deposit made. You may have to wait about 2 years to get one. Also, Tesla is now the world's largest vehicle corporation by value. You also don't get a tax credit anymore because they exceed 100,000 vehicles being mad a year. The first 100,000 electric vehicles made get a tax credit no mater who makes them. At least it used to be 100,000 vehicles.

Interesting statistic. That sort of overwhelming buy in doesnt happen by accident. Are all other factors equal between Diesel and Gas (Petrol) is there an explanation for this 90% buy in for diesel in Australia? Taxes? Fuel prices?

Reliability and fuel availability, every block has diesel. That said petrol vehicles are getting better...there is no doubt about that.

Were I in a city or large town without the need to go bush I would only purchase a petrol vehicle as they really are getting better, certainly cheaper as well.

But for bush...diesel.

if you're even considering a Diesel, get a RAM / Cummins 6.7. Best in the market, ever.

the only problem is emissions. if it's deleted then at some point you're gonna be screwed. the feds are going to make it undriveable. SO, if you want a good diesel without the emissions hassle, get one of these:

1. the IH 7.3 in the 2000-2002.5 F250 (I just bought one this year for that very reason) I found the 2000 F-250 with 31k miles on it. Yes 31k original.
2. A pre-emissions Cummins 5.9, they're out there and they will last you until you're in the ground.

I’m not operating a cattle ranch - I need a city slicker truck.
I want a large vehicle with lots of passenger & cargo room for multi day trips that has a comfortable ride. The utility of a 1/2 ton light duty truck beats out an SUV for my purposes, but I don’t need lots of power or towing capacity.

I priced these in May of 2020 and the hybrid was less than $1,000 more than a gas burner. IIRC, more like $500 premium. I was leaning that route but we decided the 3rd row was too small and went with another brand all together.

For leisure, you want an electric. That way you'll have lots of free time to drink coffee, gas with friends, etc. while it's charging.

If you're willing to be painfully honest about it ( which all of the Greenies are totally unwilling to do), the EV makes the least environmental sense of all of them. If we just burned the natural gas that we have an obscene abundance of directly in the vehicle rather than using it to generate electricity we could burn 40% less for the same number of miles driven.