Why the big surprise, folks? Robert Bollinger warned us. When Charged interviewed the founder of Bollinger Motors for a feature in our May/June 2018 issue, we asked him if he was designing to a price point. “We’re doing it the opposite way,” he replied. “What would be the coolest truck? What are all the things we want in here? Dual motors, 120 kWh pack to give us at least a 200-mile range, and four-wheel gear hubs for the ground clearance, it’s going to add up. So we’re definitely doing it for the features, not the cost.”

Now Bollinger has revealed pricing for its rugged electric trucks, announcing on Twitter that the B1 Sport Utility Truck and B2 Pickup Truck will each be priced at $125,000. Production will begin in the US next year, and deliveries are to start in 2021. The company is now taking reservations with $1,000 refundable deposits.

These trucks are no fashion statements. With 5,000 pounds of capacity, a hydraulic winch and up to 20 inches of ground clearance, they’re designed for work and for off-road adventures. Tesla may have made electric sexy, but Bollinger set out to “make electric strong.” Also unlike the California trend-setters, Bollinger has no plans to target the mass market. Bollinger told us he envisions a low-volume operation that delivers vehicles directly to customers.

Despite the clear indications that this was going to be a pricey product, many were surprised at the company’s announcement. Electrek’s Fred Lambert called the price “shockingly high.” The masses on Twitter responded with the usual assortment of childish memes, colorfully proclaiming that they won’t be buyers.

As should have been obvious, this is not the mass-market electric pickup truck that everyone is waiting for, and that the EV market sorely needs. Hopefully that torch will be taken up by Tesla, Rivian or Ford.

However, we’re confident that Bollinger’s boutique EV will find a market. It’s a unique, almost hand-built vehicle that will absolutely delight certain buyers. The auto industry produces all kinds of low-volume, astronomically-priced oddities, and as an auto exec once said, “you can sell a thousand of anything in this business.”

Source: Bollinger Motors, Electrek