Hybrid Trucks: Pros and Cons for 2025

Quick Facts About Hybrid Trucks

• Hybrid trucks recharge themselves.
• They cost thousands less than fully electric trucks.
• There is little difference in the capability of a hybrid truck versus a gas-only truck.
• A full-hybrid truck produces roughly 50% of the tailpipe emissions of a gas-only truck.

If you haven’t already, you will need to face the reality of buying a vehicle with some degree of electrification, probably sooner rather than later. There are electrified opportunities aplenty for those looking for a car or SUV. However, electrified options for pickup truck shoppers are uniquely limited. That’s not overly surprising because pickup truck owners are notoriously averse to change. Furthermore, for those who use their truck for real work, fully electric (EV) trucks don’t measure up to the capabilities and convenience of gas-powered pickups. In addition, EV trucks cost thousands more than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. For example, the entry-level EV, crew cab Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, has a base price of $65,090. This is roughly $26,000 more than the base F-150 XL Regular Cab packing an ICE.

All things considered, the argument for a hybrid truck over an EV truck is persuasive. However, the case for buying a hybrid truck over one with an ICE isn’t nearly as convincing. Let’s take a closer look and see if a hybrid pickup is worth it for you.

• What Is a Hybrid Truck?
• List of 2024 Hybrid Trucks
• What About EV Trucks?
• What About Gas Trucks?
• Pros and Cons of Hybrid Trucks
• Are Hybrid Trucks Worth It?
• Do Hybrid Trucks Get Better Gas Mileage?
• How Much Does a Hybrid Truck Cost?

What Is a Hybrid Truck?

A hybrid truck uses some combination of an ICE and an electric motor fed by a battery to create propulsion. There are basically three kinds of hybrid systems: HEV (regular hybrid), PHEV (plug-in hybrid), and MHEV (mild hybrid).

HEV

HEV is the acronym for a traditional full hybrid gas and electric system like that in a Toyota Prius. Unlike full-blown electric trucks, hybrid trucks can stretch a truck’s mileage and improve performance without a bloated price tag, range concerns, or the inconvenience and time suck of plug-in EV charging.

Parallel HEV

Typically, with a parallel HEV system, its ICE and electric motor share the work to rotate the drive wheels. However, both the ICE and the motor can power the wheels independently. When accelerating from a stop, the electric motor can often propel the vehicle for short distances at speeds below 15 mpg or so. At higher speeds, the ICE kicks in. When needing an extra burst of speed while already cruising, the motor and internal combustion engine work together to create the energy boost. The hybrid battery is charged primarily by energy captured from the vehicle’s brake system (regenerative braking). Plus, some engine energy is siphoned off to the battery when the vehicle is cruising. A parallel system’s advantages over a series HEV are a smaller battery and a lower price.

Series HEV

Where a parallel HEV system has an electric motor and ICE that can operate independently or in concert with one another to provide propulsion, a series hybrid uses an electric motor alone to power the wheels. The ICE supplies the electric power to fuel the generator or charge the battery, which feeds the electric motor. Regenerative braking also helps feed the battery. Think of the Chevy Volt.

MHEV

We’ll touch on mild hybrid systems because, although fairly common in cars and SUVs, they only sporadically appeared in trucks. However, nearly every new Ram 1500 truck sold today has a mild hybrid powertrain. They use a very small battery to help the ICE out by taking over the operation of some electrical components, particularly when engines with automatic stop-start cut engine power. The mild hybrid then assumes the task of maintaining power to systems like air conditioning. When considered as a part of the entire fuel-saving scheme, MHEV systems help increase fuel economy by up to 15%.

PHEV

Currently, you need not concern yourself with plug-in hybrids when truck shopping. There are no PHEV pickup trucks, or at least not yet. Ford has a PHEV Ranger in the pipeline, but we probably won’t see it until 2025, if at all. A PHEV offers a larger battery than an HEV and can travel 25 miles or more at any speed on battery power alone. Charging the battery pack requires plugging into an outside electric source, which can be a 110-volt household outlet or a 240-volt outlet like your electric range uses via a Level 2 charger.

RELATED: Hybrid Cars Explained: What You Need to Know

List of 2025 Hybrid Trucks

The pickings are relatively slim for hybrid trucks in 2025. We’ve put together the shortlist to fast-track your search. You can expect more hybrid trucks to populate this selection with time.

• 2025 Toyota Tundra i-Force Max – An HEV, it produces a whopping 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. It can tow up to 11,450 pounds and carry a payload of more than 1,680 pounds. Its estimated combined mileage with rear-wheel drive (RWD) is 22 mpg. Base price: $59,950.
• 2025 Ford F-150 PowerBoost – A traditional HEV, the F-150 with the 3.5-liter PowerBoost full-hybrid V6 delivers a combined 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque. The towing capacity estimates are around 10,800 pounds, with a payload limit estimated at more than 1,700 pounds. Its estimated combined mileage with 4-wheel drive (4WD) is 23 mpg. Base price (XLT SuperCrew): $58,100.
• 2025 Ram 1500 – Nearly every Ram model comes with Ram’s eTorque MHEV technology. The V6 and smaller V8 are MHEV powertrains. The V6 eTorque produces 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. It can tow 8,110 pounds with a maximum payload of 2,370 pounds. Its government-estimated combined fuel economy is 23 mpg. Base price: $42,270.
• 2025 Ford Maverick – Every Maverick model, save the Lobo and Tremor trims, offers a 2.5-liter hybrid option. Because it’s a compact truck, the hybrid towing, payload, and price are far below full-size hybrids. It generates 191 hp. Ford doesn’t give a total torque figure, but the engine makes 155 lb-ft of torque, and the electric motor develops 173 lb-ft. However, it’s not as straightforward as adding the two figures together. When equipped with a tow package, it can pull up to 4,000 pounds, and it has a top-end payload capability of 1,500 pounds. The government estimated combined mileage is 37 mpg. Base price: $27,990.

What About EV Trucks?

In the great scheme of transforming our national vehicle fleet from ICE-powered to fully electric vehicles (EVs), the transitioning of trucks is a less-than-inspiring success. Generally, any arguments against EVs are tremendously magnified when the discussion turns from cars and SUVs to trucks. That’s not to say there aren’t examples of EV trucks; there certainly are. The Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, and the unusually angular Tesla Cybertruck immediately spring to mind. Such EV trucks perform adequately enough when functioning as mere transportation. In other words, as with EV cars, they mostly perform as advertised when simply ferrying around a driver and a passenger or two.

However, have one pull an 8,000-pound trailer or haul around 1,000 pounds of payload in the bed, and the range drops like a rock. That is, the estimated range doesn’t hold up to real-world experience when an EV pickup is employed doing, well, actual work. You know, like trucks are supposed to do.

You don’t need to take my word for it. In June 2023, AAA released its findings on the effects of hauling 1,400 pounds of cargo in the bed of an F-150 Lightning. The result: The range dropped more than 24% from 278 miles to 210 miles. Ford says the Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds. What impact would that have on the estimated range?

PRO TIP: Given today’s battery technology, I am willing to stick out my neck and say there is a better alternative to an EV truck that manages to conserve fossil fuels, lower emissions, increase performance, and work as hard — or harder — than an ICE truck. Yep, you guessed it: a hybrid truck.  

Advantages of Hybrid Trucks Over EV Trucks

Although hybrids are typically more expensive than their ICE counterparts within a brand, currently, only one real price comparison can be made between a brand’s comparable EV and hybrid. It is the Ford F-150 Lightning and the F-150 Hybrid. The entry-level Lightning trim is the XLT. When comparing the 2025 prices of the F-150 Lightning XLT against the F-150 XLT Hybrid SuperCrew, the hybrid is roughly $7,000 less. Although the price difference will vary, hybrid versus electric plays out in comparison after comparison, whether it’s with cars, SUVs, or our Ford F-150 truck example.

As for towing, the Lightning XLT with the Standard Range battery, reflected in our price comparison above, can tug 5,000 pounds (7,700 with $1,100 Max Tow package added). Going up the Lightning’s trim ladder to get the Extended Range battery will reach the advertised 5-ton mark with the help of the Max Tow package. The F-150 Lightning’s maximum payload capacity of 2,235 pounds stacks up well against the hybrid’s 1,775-pound limit. However, the F-150 Hybrid bests the Lightning’s maximum towing capacity by 800 pounds without the extra package.

What About Gas Trucks?

Trucks with internal combustion engines remain stubbornly popular, whether comparing them to EV trucks or HEV trucks. Let’s go back to the ICE Ford F-150. You can score an entry-level 2025 F-150 XL Regular Cab with an 8-foot bed, rear-wheel drive (RWD/4×2), and the standard 2.7-liter V6 EcoBoost for $39,345. It can tow up to 7,400 pounds and carry a payload capacity of up to 1,775 pounds. Its government-estimated combined fuel economy is 21 mpg. But what if we examine an ICE configuration that is more in line with the F-150 Hybrid?

To start, the entry-level F-150 Hybrid arrives as an XLT SuperCrew with a 5.5-foot bed, 4-wheel-drive (4WD/4×4), and powered by a 3.5-liter PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 ($58,100). A similarly equipped F-150 XLT with a non-hybrid 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 prices out at $57,055. Its government-estimated combined fuel economy is 19 mpg compared to the hybrid’s 23 mpg. Both versions can tow around 11,000 pounds and haul about 2,000 pounds of payload. The lack of sunshine between the prices of the ICE F-150 XLT SuperCrew and the F-150 XLT SuperCrew Hybrid is rare. Typically, a hybrid will cost somewhere between a few to several thousand dollars more than a comparable ICE vehicle.

If you demand your pickup’s muscle be naturally aspirated over a turbocharged/hybrid V6, you can get a basic XL Regular Cab model with standard 5.0-liter V8, rear-wheel drive, and a 6.5-foot bed for $40,705 to start. Putting that Coyote small-block engine into a truck similar to those outfitted above will cost you $55,470 for the XLT SuperCrew 4×4 with a 5.5-foot bed. That configuration can yield a max towing capacity of 9,300 pounds and a payload that’s a little more than 2,000 pounds. Its government-estimated combined fuel economy is also 19 mpg.

RELATED: Should I Buy a Hybrid Car?

Pros and Cons of Hybrid Trucks

Whether the comparison is between an EV truck or an ICE truck, it’s plain to see with the limited examples we have that the hybrid comes out pretty well. However, the more startling discrepancy is between a hybrid truck and an EV truck. Consequently, we’ll compare those first.

Pros of a Hybrid Truck vs. an EV Truck

• Price – Where we can directly compare an EV with an HEV, the HEV will always be more affordable by thousands of dollars.
• Range – Range isn’t a real factor with a hybrid because there is an ICE backing up the battery-fed electric motor. However, in the case of the hybrid F-150, the range is roughly 700 miles between fuel stops. The estimated range for the F-150 Lightning example I’ve used here is up to 230 miles. Moreover, that’s without a load. Loading an HEV truck or attaching a trailer will also reduce its range, but that reduction won’t have near the impact it does with an EV.
• No charging – Unlike an EV, which must be charged via an electric source, an HEV is self-charging. In other words, it doesn’t require the hours required to secure an available charger and replenish the battery.
• Capability– In our one direct example, the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid has capabilities similar to those of the ICE F-150 but far better than those of the F-150 Lightning.

Cons of Hybrid Trucks vs. EV Trucks

• Power delivery – No matter what the torque numbers are, a hybrid requires more time to deliver its maximum torque than an EV, in which the maximum torque is immediately available. Moreover, EVs tend to offer higher horsepower and torque than comparable hybrids.
• Higher fuel costs – Driving the same amount of miles per year, it costs more to operate a  hybrid than an EV. Comparing the F-150 Lightning and the F-150 Hybrid 4×4, the average cost difference is about $1,000 per year, according to the EPA.
• Higher emissions – According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a hybrid produces roughly 50% of the emissions of an ICE vehicle, and an EV emits zero tailpipe emissions.
• Maintenance costs – Because EVs don’t have as many mechanical moving parts, their routine maintenance costs are lower.

Pros of Hybrid Trucks vs. Internal Combustion Trucks

• Fewer emissions – As stated above, a hybrid produces roughly 50% fewer tailpipe emissions than an ICE vehicle.
• Lower fuel costs – When comparable, a hybrid gets a bit better fuel economy than an ICE vehicle, with an EPA annual estimated savings of $400 per year based on our examples.

Cons of Hybrid Trucks vs. Internal Combustion Trucks

• Price – In the case of the F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid and the ICE F-150, there’s little cost difference. However, typically, hybrids cost noticeably more than comparable ICE vehicles.

Are Hybrid Trucks Worth It?

When compared to EV trucks, hybrid trucks are well worth it. They basically do the same level of work as an ICE truck while producing half the tailpipe emissions, yet cost thousands less than a less capable EV truck. Typically, hybrids cost more than comparable ICE vehicles. However, where trucks are concerned, entry-level hybrids are more expensive configurations and trims than entry-level ICE trucks. Consequently, you can find a lower-trim ICE truck that costs thousands less than the current hybrid offerings and can handle similar towing and payload limits.

My advice is to consider a hybrid if your heart is set on an electrified truck. The HEV truck is certainly worth it in that scenario. The decision becomes tougher when picking between an HEV truck and an ICE truck. In the case of the Maverick Hybrid, the fuel savings over the ICE version are substantial. It’s not so clear-cut when talk turns to the F-150 PowerBoost or Tundra i-Force Max.

Do Hybrid Trucks Get Better Gas Mileage

Hybrid trucks do get better gas mileage than those with internal combustion engines. In the case of the Toyota Tundra i-Force Max HEV, the difference is 2 mpg in the F-150’s favor. Looking at the Ford Maverick Hybrid, its advantage over the ICE version is 11 mpg.

How Much Does a Hybrid Truck Cost

Currently, the four hybrid truck models available as of this writing range in starting price from about $28,000 (Ford Maverick) to more than $58,000 (Ford F-150 PowerBoost hybrid).

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its initial publication.