--- title: "Master Builder Made a BMW i3 Pickup Truck to Shame the Slate" date: "2026-10-26" modified: "2026-10-26" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/master-builder-made-a-bmw-i3-pickup-truck-to-shame-the-slate" categories: - "Builds" - "Culture" - "News" tags: - "BMW" - "compact" - "Electric Vehicle" - "Hatchback" - "i3" - "pickup" --- # Master Builder Made a BMW i3 Pickup Truck to Shame the Slate ![Screenshot of a video of Michael Pick's BMW i3 pickup truck project]() *\Michael Pick via YouTube\* The BMW i3 ([the tiny hatch one](), to be clear, not [the upcoming sedan]()) wasn't a blockbuster success, especially not in North America, where cars the size of bathtubs aren't very popular. But it was a very nifty vehicle, with a monocoque made of carbon fiber—totally unheard of for a normal car back in 2014 when it was new, and still rare even today. Then again, maybe it would've been more of a hit if it had a pickup bed. Lockheed engineer-turned-[YouTuber Michael Pick]() wanted a cheap electric truck for himself, so rather than wait for the Slate's eventual launch, he picked up a ratty i3 from auction, sight unseen, and got to work hacking off the rear end and replacing it with open-air cargo space. Unsurprisingly, this proved to be a very complex project. A steel frame marries the new bed with the rest of the car. The bed itself is made of plywood, sealed with epoxy and then finished off with bedliner. Because this is an i3 REX—the model with a gas engine for a range extender located under where the rear seats would normally be but no longer are—the bed had to be removable, so the engine could be serviced. A generous helping of waterproofing sealant is applied to every seam, while the parts of the original monocoque cut away also needed to be covered in epoxy, because unfinished carbon fiber is vulnerable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYdyyEAe8UA Despite the highly unique nature of this project, a lot of the original i3 was preserved, mostly because [BMW's]() electronics required it, and trying to hack the car's firmware to not freak out over missing locks, taillights, and data connections was going to be more annoying and tedious than simply making space for all of those things. For all of the custom fabrication involved, Michael's little pickup looks clean and durable. Plus, it was cheap—the builder set a goal of doing this entire project for under $10,000, and he passed with flying colors, comfortably a couple grand under the cap. It's even more impressive when you consider that many of the items he spent good money on ended up being relatively minor things, like a new head unit with a bigger display and a fresh windshield, to replace the cracked one the car came with. ![]() ![]() ![]() Is this i3 truck perfect or refined enough for most people? Probably not, but I promise you it has more standard equipment [than the Slate will ever have](), despite costing almost half the price. And hey, that counts for a lot. *Got a news tip or feedback? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [This Nissan Leaf-Powered 1987 Nissan Sunny Truck Is an EV Swap Done Right]() - [2014 BMW i3 Owner Has Driven Over 172,000 Miles on Original Set of Brakes]() - [BMW Halts U.S. i3 Sales Because One New Hampshire Woman May Hurt Her Neck]() - [This BMW i3 Hauling a Christmas Tree Thinks It’s a Pickup]() - [LAPD’s BMW i3s Are Either Being Misused or Not Used at All]() - [Apparently People Really Want Retired BMW i3 Cop Cars]() - [Watch a BMW i3 Drift Around a Rally Stage]() - [2019 BMW i3 Boasts Bigger Battery, More Range]()