1854 Motors Picks Up The Electric Pickup Torch Dropped By Tesla

The article discusses 1854 Motors, a Massachusetts-based EV startup aiming to fill the electric pickup truck market gap left by Tesla’s Cybertruck, which failed to meet expectations for ethics-oriented consumers. Unlike Tesla, 1854 Motors focuses on ethical consumerism and environmental justice by utilizing sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery technology instead of the conventional lithium-ion batteries. Sodium-ion batteries offer several advantages, including enhanced safety, elimination of cobalt and lithium extraction (thereby avoiding associated human rights abuses), better cold-weather performance, longer battery lifespan (over 10,000 cycles), and lower production costs, potentially increasing vehicle gross profit by around $10,800 compared to lithium-ion competitors. 1854 Motors targets a niche of “Cultural Architects” who prioritize authenticity and ethical supply chains over corporate marketing hype, appealing to consumers disillusioned with Tesla’s ethical concerns. Their upcoming electric pickup, the “Pierce,” is intended as a proof-of-concept vehicle to validate sodium-ion battery technology at scale,