A new electric truck from China is turning heads—and it's not just because of the price. The Pickup 01 from Guangzhou Automobile Group debuted in Shanghai with some jaw-dropping features, including a steer-by-wire system, an adaptive suspension,and a steering wheel that slides from one side of the dash to the other.
At just $41,000, it's already being compared to Tesla's TSLA Cybertruck—but with more features and a much smaller price tag.
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Shanghai Showstopper Ups The Stakes
Content creator Joyevs Studio filmed the Pickup 01 during media day at Auto Shanghai on May 1, sharing a walk-around video that promptly hit seven digits in view count.
According to Technode, the concept truck delivers 12,000 Newton-meter of wheel torque, uses an intelligent chassis system that scans the road 1,000 times per second and relies on steer-by-wire so the wheel can glide from right- to left-hand drive in seconds.
Lifestyle outlet Supercar Blondie indicated that the adaptive chassis flexes or stiffens on demand, letting the truck hop from gravel to tarmac while passengers barely notice. A sliding steering wheel is more than a gimmick; it eliminates a heavy column, frees cabin space, and slashes tooling for export markets with opposite-side traffic.
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Steer-by-wire is edging toward the mainstream. Unlike traditional systems with a physical steering column, steer-by-wire means the Pickup 01 doesn’t need a physical steering column. Instead, it digitally transmits steering input, simplifying the mechanical architecture and freeing up cabin space. The system eliminates bulky parts like shafts and joints, making interior layouts more flexible and cutting production complexity.
Numbers matter too. The Pickup 01's torque tops the roughly 1,400 Nm listed for the tri-motor Cybertruck on the EV Database spec sheet. Tesla prices its entry-level Cybertruck at $62,490 on the official order page, giving GAC's sticker a 33% discount.
Tesla began Cybertruck deliveries in late 2023, but a February steering-rack recall briefly drew scrutiny, giving rivals room to strut.
GAC executives at the show said production of the Pickup 01 is scheduled for 2027, with pilot fleets bound for Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Latin America, highlighting its "all-domain" versatility, GAC Adaptive Intelligent Architecture intelligent platform, and focus on export-driven growth under the company's One GAC 2.0 globalization strategy.
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