What Exactly Is a ‘Frunk’ In Electric Cars & The Finest Models Offering It

Key Takeaways

• Electric vehicles (EVs) have a front trunk called a “frunk” because they no longer need the space for an engine, providing extra storage for EV owners.
• The Ford F-150 Lightning has an impressive frunk with 14 cubic feet of storage, AC outlets, USB charging ports, and various features.
• Other EV models like the Tesla Model X, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Rivian R1T and R1S, Lucid Air, Chevy Silverado EV, and RAM 1500 REV also offer spacious and useful frunks for additional storage and features.

You’ve probably heard the term “frunk” a bit over the last few years, and you might wonder what it means. Or, maybe you haven’t, but you have noticed someone throwing groceries under the hood of their Tesla where, normally, a car engine would be. What’s the deal?

What Is a Frunk?

The first time you see somebody loading cargo, however big or small, into what should be the engine compartment of their vehicle, it’s a little bit disconcerting. But by ditching the enormous internal combustion engine (ICE) for electric motors and battery packs, Electric Vehicles (EVs) no need to take up that space with the engine and can repurpose it.

As a result, many EVs have both a traditional trunk (or truck bed) and a “frunk”—a front trunk that uses the now empty engine compartment space. Manufacturers like Ford, Tesla, and others are taking advantage of it to give buyers more storage space, along with several notable features you’ll absolutely love. So, here are some electric vehicles with the best frunks.

Ford F-150 Lightning Has An Amazing Frunk

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Ford

While the trunk is usually quite boring on regular vehicles and simply used as a storage area for suitcases, gym bags, or other junk, modern electric cars take things to the next level. The best example is the Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck, which has an amazing powered frunk with additional uses.

Truck engines are beefy and the removal of the large V8 engine frees up a lot of space. The front trunk of the Ford F-150 Lightning delivers over 14 cubic feet of additional storage. To put that in perspective, most traditional sedans only have around 10-12 feet of cubic storage in their trunks. You don’t have to throw luggage in the backseat or the truck bed to get rained on, as it can all go in the frunk. It’s big enough to fit golf clubs, coolers, groceries, tools, roadside emergency gear, etc.

More importantly, the Ford Lightning’s frunk has four 120V AC outlets, like the wall plugs at your house, and two USB charging ports. You can use the massive battery that powers the truck to run power tools, electric coolers, string lights for camping, TVs while tailgating at a football game, and so much more. The “Mega Powered Frunk” is lined with an all-weather floor mat, a drain hole, built-in grocery hooks, strap tie-down points, and LED lighting. This is one of the many excellent features of the Ford F-150 Lightning .

Tesla Model X

Tesla

While every Tesla has a front trunk, when the Model X arrived after the Model S, it delivered a bigger and better frunk. It’s still not as big as some of the newer EVs, coming in at only 6.6 cubic feet, and the weight limit is a little over 100 lbs. Tesla and accessory makers offer various covers, dividers, and other accessories to improve frunk usage.

The vehicle must be stopped and in Park to access the frunk on any EV. Additionally, for those unaware, Tesla has a manual frunk release in case the battery completely dies. This way, you can still access the storage compartment when needed.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Ford

Ford’s first mainstream modern EV, the Mustang Mach-E, also has a capable front trunk for those looking to do more with their car. And while it only offers 4.7 cubic feet of storage, that’s more than enough for a suitcase or duffle bag. Like the F-150, it has an all-weather mat and drain plug.

Ford even mentions that the 4.7 cubic feet of space is equivalent to a 36-gallon cooler and that the Mach-E can easily store plenty of drinks and ice for a picnic or tailgating on game day. However, you’re probably better off serving drinks or storing bags in the frunk and not a Shrimp Cocktail, as Ford did in the image above.

You can do a lot with a frunk, but we recommend against doing anything that might end with you having to utter the awkward sentence, “Sorry I food poisoned you with my frunk buffet.”

Rivian R1T and R1S

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

The Rivian R1T and R1S are another excellent example of automakers taking full advantage of electrification. Not only is Rivian producing capable electric trucks and SUVs, but they’re doing so with thoughtful features. We loved the Rivian R1T in our full review , and it, along with the R1S, offers 11.1 cubic feet of storage up front.

That’s not quite as much as the F-150 Lightning and the grill doesn’t move, so you’ll have to lift things a bit higher to put stuff inside. That said, it’s still more space than most frunks and as big as a traditional sedan trunk. Inside, you’ll find an off-road recovery kit on select models, LED illumination, a 12V outlet, hook points, and one or two magnets connecting a cover to hide whatever is inside the frunk. Most models also come with a storage net, ensuring things don’t roll around.

Lucid Air

Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air is perhaps the electric car with the biggest frunk, which rivals spacious trucks and SUVs. This luxurious vehicle is relatively expensive and gives the Tesla Model S a run for its money in more ways than one. The Lucid Air has three times more frunk space than the Model S, coming in at ten cubic feet.

At first, the frunk doesn’t look very big, but that’s because a false floor is installed to make it flat. However, you can remove the floor, which opens even more, giving you plenty of space to drop in a suitcase, coolers, and much more. It’s so big that a person could fit inside. Thankfully, it features an LED light and a frunk open latch so if you decide to test the theory, you won’t find yourself stuck.

Chevy Silverado EV

Chevrolet

The upcoming Silverado EV and RAM 1500 REV will also deliver massive front trunk storage, letting owners do more with their vehicles. For example, the Chevrolet Silverado EV has a spacious 11 cubic feet of storage, four tie-down spots, four more hooks for groceries, a drain plug, and a 120V AC plug for accessories and coolers.

When the RAM 1500 REV arrives, it’ll have 15 cubic feet of storage topping the F-150, an onboard power panel with 12V and 120V outlets, USB ports, built-in lightning, storage hooks, and more. At this point, any electric truck should offer a capable frunk.

Some Frunks Are Worse Than Others

Unfortunately, some automakers aren’t interested in redesigning certain aspects or giving users additional features. For example, the Rivian R1S has a huge frunk, while similar luxury electric SUVs from Mercedes don’t offer a front trunk at all.

Compact SUVs or smaller EVs don’t use the space creatively either, which is a bummer. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 comes to mind, and only offers two cubic feet of space up front, while the KIA EV6 has even less. You’ll open the huge hood only to find enough room for a small bag or the charging cables.

At the end of the day, automakers are embracing electric cars inside and out. So, if you’re looking to buy a new EV, consider one with a spacious and capable front trunk. All things equal, having a vehicle with nearly as much storage in the front as it has in the back is a winning proposition all around.