Is Mack Really Making A Pickup Truck?

By News Update On Dec 23, 2024

Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock

Mack is one of the most popular semi-truck brands in America. With models like the Mack Anthem and Mack Granite, the company has helped define trucking life in the States since the early 1900s. Despite a focus on tradition, Mack has started looking to the future with newer electric models. But what about those rumors you may have seen online about the company also looking to branch out into pickup trucks? For now, there is no such 2025 truck in the works, though the rumor mill has been fueled by untrue AI-generated content.

It’s easy to see why hopefuls don’t think it’s too far-fetched. Mack did actually sell pickup trucks of a sort in the past, turning out around 2,600 Model ED trucks between 1928 and 1944, as well as the Mack Jr. The ED was designed to be tougher than other light trucks of its day, with the produced models being used for long-distance hauling and in military service. Mack Trucks Historical Museum curator Don Schumaker told Cars.com in 2018 that his Mack ED could carry up to 7,000 pounds, but its 67 horsepower didn’t allow for more than 50 miles per hour.

Mack eventually shifted its focus entirely to its heavy duty big trucks, and it looks like 2025 will be more of the same. The images you’ve seen online of a shiny new Mack pickup are the works of AI — nothing more.

The 2025 Mack pickup truck images are not real

There have been images and videos floating around online showing what a 2025 Mack pickup might look like, but these are not official renderings and are instead created with AI. AI-generated images have been getting more and more convincing, making it all the more common for questionable future vehicle designs to keep popping up. Luckily, most AI images of vehicles have similar tells that can give away if they’re real or not.

First, always check the letters, if there are any. In the image above, you can see that the words are all backwards. This isn’t always the case, however, as the featured image above has done a convincing job with the lettering style in an attempt to copy Mack’s logo. The second giveaway is the details. A closer look at the above image shows a lot of out-of-place items and peculiar design choices. A lack of detail in the background is another dead giveaway, with the truck appearing to be in some ominous, empty showroom. The third big AI faux paus is overly shiny vehicles. The AI image above has extremely glossy and reflective surfaces and a rounded appearance for the truck itself.

If you’re still unsure, expand the details below the YouTube video, and there’s often a section that explains how the content was made. If it’s AI, you’ll see terms like “synthetic,” “significantly altered,” and “digitally generated.” For now, the 2025 Mack pickup is another fantasy truck, just like that rumored Mustang pickup.