One of the standout surprises at the LA Auto Show last month was the debut of the Rivian R1T, an all-electric pickup truck with 754 horsepower and an impressive range of over 400 miles to rival the upcoming Tesla pickup. Rivian successfully stole the spotlight from Tesla, as we still haven't seen a working prototype of the Tesla pickup since it was teased last year during the debut of the new Roadster and Semi truck.

Musk first teased the idea of a Tesla pickup on Twitter back in April 2017, but this was before the Model 3 entered production hell and priorities had to be shifted. Pickups are big business in America, so it isn't surprising that Tesla wants to tackle this segment and compete against the gasoline-powered titans that dominate the pickup truck market.

In response to a user on Twitter, Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla may finally be ready to show off a prototype of its long-rumoured electric pickup in 2019. "I'm dying to make a pickup truck so bad … we might have a prototype to unveil next year," he said. It seems to be a passion project for Musk, as he has said the pickup is the model he is most excited about. As for when it will go into production, Musk has previously said the Tesla pickup will launch after the Model Y goes into production in 2020.

The Tesla pickup is expected to be a large a six-seater truck with an option for 400 to 500 miles of range. It will also feature a dual motor-all wheel drive setup with "crazy torque" and a suspension that dynamically adjusts for loads. Musk has also said it will have a "really futuristic-like cyberpunk Blade Runner" design. We are certainly still excited to see Tesla's truck, but perhaps Rivian has stolen some of Tesla's thunder.