{"id":236801,"date":"2022-12-30T11:22:27","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T16:22:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?post_type=reviews&p=236801"},"modified":"2023-01-01T14:17:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-01T19:17:00","slug":"first-impression-2023-lordstown-endurance","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/reviews\/first-impression-2023-lordstown-endurance\/","title":{"rendered":"First Impression: 2023 Lordstown Endurance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cracking into the U.S. automotive market is no easy feat. Since the end of World War II there\u2019ve been dozens that have tried, including names like Tucker, Bricklin, Kaiser and DeLorean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2023
While not as eclectic looking as Tesla’s Cybertruck, the Lordstown Endurance offers a unique look.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s only with the advent of the battery-electric vehicle that there\u2019ve been any real success stories \u2014 primarily in the form of Tesla. There are a handful of strong contenders, such as Lucid and Rivian, as well as a long list of failures. Where Lordstown winds up remains to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, it seemed like the Ohio-based EV wannabe was doomed to crash and burn. It\u2019s management team baldly inflated advance sales numbers and Lordstown was forced to sell its assembly plant \u2014 an old GM facility in, appropriately, Lordstown, Ohio to Taiwanese mega-manufacturer Foxconn. Somewhere in Vegas the bookmakers were clearly giving long odds against the startup ever making it into production. It\u2019s a bet I wish I had taken, though it\u2019s still far from certain that Lordstown Motors will be a long-term survivor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s first offering, the Lordstown Endurance is finally rolling off the line at the now Foxconn-owned plant. Plans have shifted, however, and the company is now focused on the commercial market, rather than aiming at retail customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truck itself hasn\u2019t changed. It\u2019s a full-size package riding atop a unique, skateboard-like platform. What\u2019s unusual about the truck is that it relies on four individual \u201chub\u201d motors, meaning they\u2019re mounted within Endurance\u2019s wheels. Lordstown officials claim the approach requires fewer moving parts which should translate into lower maintenance costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took a while to line up an Endurance for a test drive, and I was limited to a long afternoon behind the wheel, putting it through its paces along my favorite route through Hell, Michigan and beyond. Here\u2019s a first review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2023
It\u2019s a midsize package riding atop a unique, skateboard-like platform and is powered by four wheel-hub motors.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Styling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clearly not as radical as Tesla\u2019s long-delayed Cybertruck, the Lordstown Endurance boasts a fairly conventional pickup shape, with a four-door cab and a 67-inch cargo bed. The automaker plucked its engineering team from Detroit and they brought with them some useful details, including steps built into the bumper to make it easy to reach into the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming at the truck from the rear or sides you might not notice anything unusual. But the nose is the most distinctive detail on Endurance, with a broad panel replacing what would be a conventional grille, and slit-style lighting just below the hood. There\u2019s a reasonably large frunk, or front trunk, under the hood, something that should appeal to buyers who don\u2019t like leaving valuables inside the cabin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside, Lordstown has adopted the screen-centric approach taken with virtually all new battery-electric vehicles. There\u2019s a single display stretching from nearly the left A-pillar through the top of the center stack. It\u2019s actually two screens: a big, easy-to-read digital gauge cluster, and the requisite infotainment unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the touchscreen handles a broad array of vehicle functions, I actually prefer Lordstown\u2019s approach compared to that of the Rivian R1T. Endurance features a number of conventional knobs and buttons, notably for its climate control system \u2014 its buttons, notably, being large enough to easily adjust the temperature and other settings while wearing thick gloves \u2014 work gloves, perhaps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2023
Inside, Lordstown has adopted the screen-centric approach taken with virtually all new battery-electric vehicles. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the cabin is rather basic when compared to the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning or Rivian R1T, but it\u2019s nicely finished and detailed, with an attractive two-tone scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At least for now, Lordstown offers but a single powertrain package for the Endurance. The use of hub motors is an interesting choice. Among other things, that allows for a tighter turning radius than comparable pickups, at about 47 feet. But it does add a bit more unsprung mass to the wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four motors combine to produce 440 horsepower. In the quirky world of measuring output with an EV, the company has floated a figure of 4,800 pounds of torque. The bottom line is it punches out enough electrical grunt to hit 60 in 6.3 seconds and tow up to 8,000 pounds. (Cargo capacity has not yet been revealed.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those aren\u2019t especially impressive numbers among the rapidly expanding list of all-electric pickups. But it isn\u2019t out of line if your alternative were something like a Honda Ridgeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Range is a so-so 200 miles from a 109 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The carmaker claims you\u2019ll need anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to bring a drained pack from a 20% to 80% state-of-charge. The wide range appears to depend on factors including the amount of power a quick charger delivers, as well as things like weather. Cold temps require you to plug in longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2023
While the touchscreen handles a broad array of vehicle functions, but also uses conventional knobs for the HVAC controls.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Endurance plays things simple. No adaptive suspension like the R1T, for example, just conventional leaf springs. But I found the ride more compliant and comfortable than I\u2019d expected, especially with the heavy hub motors. And while it\u2019s no sports car, I could flog Endurance around reasonably well driving along the Hell route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The truck I drove was an early edition and wasn\u2019t yet equipped with simple things like moving guidelines on its backup camera. And there were some other absences in the vehicle, notably when it comes to infotainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that Endurance has the ability to use smartphone-style over-the-air-updates. The camera display is one of several updates Lordstown promises are in the offing. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are among other features to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are easy-to-access USB plugs. And the twin screens, while relatively simple in their layout, provide plenty of information. It\u2019s just easier to find things on those than on some other new battery-electric vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initial Impressions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the whole, Lordstown has done a reasonably good job pulling together the new Endurance. It appears to have reasonable cargo and towing capacity and a surprisingly roomy interior. But there\u2019s a growing list of alternatives, such as the Lightning and R1T, that offer more features and functions, as well as increased power and range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At $65,060, the Lordstown Endurance isn\u2019t cheap. It\u2019s still more expensive than the bigger Ford Lightning which, even after a $16,000 increase, starts at just $55,974. And the better-equipped Lightning XLT comes in at $63,474.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, Lordstown might yet find a market for the new Endurance among those that want a basic but functional all-electric work truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 Lordstown Endurance \u00ad\u2014 Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\n

Who makes the Lordstown Endurance?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The truck was developed by an Ohio-based EV startup, Lordstown Motors. But that company sold its factory to help raise money needed to put the pickup into production. The assembly line is now operated by Foxconn, the Taiwanese firm that builds iPhones.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Is the Lordstown Endurance worth buying?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n\n

From our first drive the pickup appears to be well made and offers the sort of features you\u2019d expect in a classic work truck \u2014 but here drawing power from a battery. And that means reduced energy and maintenance costs. But the $65,060 price tag isn\u2019t cheap and there are some EV truck alternatives.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

What sort of range does the Lordstown Endurance offer?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s 109 kWh lithium-ion pack can deliver about 200 miles per charge. That\u2019s on the low side among the new crop of all-electric pickups.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once thought to be a certain neverwas in the transition to EVs, Lordstown Motors continues to keep its nose to the grindstone. It’s now producing its Endurance commercial truck and TheDetroitBureau.com takes it for a drive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":236803,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[9207,2079,9208,954,2346],"category_reviews":[2900,29],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews\/236801"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reviews"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236801"},{"taxonomy":"category_reviews","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_reviews?post=236801"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=236801"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=236801"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=236801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}