Dongfeng Warrior M18 suiting up for electric pickup truck battle

The market for all-electric full-size pickup trucks was emphasized when the GMC Hummer EV was unveiled last year. Dongfeng Motor Corporation is one of the car brands that is gearing to join the rising electric pickup truck battle as it will introduce the Warrior M18 in China by 2023.

Dongfeng Warrior M50

Based on the Warrior M50, the upcoming Dongfeng Warrior M18 is an all-electric version of the former. One can say that the Chinese marque is taking advantage of the demand for both electric vehicles (EVs) and massive trucks, hence the development of the Warrior M18.

As per the report of Car News China, the Dongfeng Warrior M18 will replace the M50’s 4.0-liter Cummins turbodiesel with an electric powertrain consisting of a single 800 kW electric motor. It is paired to a 140 kW battery, offering EV capabilities including a 501 km or range and 27-minute fast charging.

In comparison to the GMC Hummer EV, the single electric motor setup of the Warrior M18 makes more at 1,070 horsepower, as opposed to the American truck’s 1,000 horsepower via its three electric motors. However, the Hummer EV can go from zero to 100 km/h faster and offers more range at 563 km.

An all-electric truck entry from Dongfeng will be out by 2023

With those numbers in mind, the Dongfeng Warrior M18 should come into the competition strong. Although the new model won’t reportedly get direct competitors except for the Hummer EV in China, the Warrior M18 will join the all-electric pickup truck market which is home to the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning, Tesla Cybertruck, and Rivian R1T.

Dongfeng announced late last year that the Warrior M18 would be priced from 600,000 yuan to 700,000 yuan (or around Php 4.85 million to Php 5.66 million). Moreover, the Chinese marque will reportedly introduce three versions of the Warrior M18, namely the M18-1, M18-2, and M18-3, which include a 6-seater SUV.

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