Electric SUVs are especially dense. The Mercedes-Benz EQS-Class, the BMW iX, and the Audi e-tron tip the scales at over two and a half tons. Trucks haven’t escaped the trend, either. GMC’s Hummer EV clocks in at a staggering 9,063 pounds. This is significantly more than a one-ton truck. There’s a good chance that not every lift in a shop can pick the Hummer up safely—maybe no lift at all, depending on the shop. Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric pickup weighs a claimed 8,250 pounds. Would you ever expect a stock truck wearing an F-150 badge to weigh more than an F-350?
This trend also means it’s more important than ever to keep up with your regular lift maintenance. The lift’s weight rating should be clearly posted, and technicians should be fully aware of its limits. If you have a variety of lifts and weight ratings in your shop, your foreman or service manager can help to keep your techs safe by ensuring that heavier vehicles go to bays with the strongest lifts. Don’t forget to check the weight ratings on your floor jacks and jack stands, too. Jacks can be especially deceiving, with some manufacturers advertising the tonnage that both jacks would support together instead of the rating for each jack individually.
Don’t let a vehicle’s looks or size deceive you. EVs, hybrids, and even standard cars and trucks can hide a lot of bulk. And you’ll want to know about it before working underneath.