Roadstown Motors has unveiled a motor-in-wheels for the Endurance electric pickup truck.

Several automakers, from Ford to Tesla, are planning to release electric pickup trucks, but startup Roadstown Motors will equip its Endurance pickup with an in-wheel electric motor that will set it apart from the rest. A new video shows one of the in-wheel motors in action.

Installing motors inside the wheel hubs provides more space and potentially more precise control over the torque sent to the wheels. Torque can be added or reduced by adjusting the amount of current flowing through the motor, rather than using clutch packs, differentials, or braking systems typically used to adjust torque distribution.

Several vendors, including Elaphe, Protean, and Nidec, have developed in-wheel motors, but the technology has not generated much interest from vehicle manufacturers. One obstacle is the increased unsprung mass of intra-wheel motors, which makes it difficult to tune ride and handling characteristics. In addition, in-wheel motors must be robust as they are subjected to significant impacts on uneven road surfaces.

Road Town has not released specifications for the Endurance, but the truck is essentially a rebadged version of the Workhorse W-15 with two engines totaling 460 hp. Previously, Workhorse claimed a maximum payload capacity of 2,200 pounds and a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

Workhorse had planned to equip the W-15 with a gasoline-powered range extender, but Road Town appears to have abandoned this idea. The new company still made no mention of a range extender.

Road Town was created by Workhorse CEO Steve Burns to purchase the idle General Motors plant in Road Town, Ohio, where the Chevrolet Cruze was last produced. Road Town was to take over all existing W-15 orders.

According to Road Town, the Endurance has a base price of $52,500. The company accepts a refundable deposit of $1,000. By comparison, Tesla's Cybertruck is priced at $39,900.

Neither vehicle has made it to mass production. However, Road Town may begin production before Tesla does. The Cybertruck is not scheduled to begin production until 2021, but Road Town has announced that deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2020. Additionally, Roadtown is aimed at commercial fleets, while the Cybertruck is aimed at individual retail customers.

Two new companies, Rivian R1T and Bollinger B2, are expected to launch electric pickup trucks next year or the year after. Among the better-known automakers, Ford is planning an electric F-150, and General Motors has announced the GMC Hummer EV electric pickup truck.