Demand for electrified commercial vehicles is picking up, as Isuzu becomes the latest of many to announce electrified workhorses for next year.

There are only a few cars available for so little, let alone anything truck-shaped that can be converted to SUV-shaped or electric or all three. As the Re:Build Manufacturing founders noted, the wage earner has largely been ignored by the auto industry and essentially relegated to the used-car market.

With the average cost of a new car now edging closer to $50,000, the dream of affordable transportation is slipping away for many Americans. Basic, reliable vehicles—the kind that get you from point A to