It sounds like you use a pickup truck where it's actually appropriate.
I'm beyond joy that my use-case meets your approval.
People like you are a small fraction of pickup truck users.
That may be. I haven't checked. I know my neighbors all have bigger trucks than I do and they use the heck out of them (regularly hauling trailers loaded with hay bales and livestock really requires more than an F150). I still find it hard to believe that zahc-approved users only make up around 1% of the pickup trucks on the road. Sure, I know there are plenty of people whose truck never sees anything but smooth asphalt and who have never come close to filling the bed, but there are also a lot of people who have even more need of a truck than I do.
I guess if I lived long enough in an urban or tightly-packed suburban area and was disconnected from many of the legitimate uses and users of a truck I might look down on truck owners because it didn't match up with what I personally need on a day-to-day basis. My job is also in an urban area, so I'm sure there are zahc-like people who see my truck in the lot and get steamed about those stupid people who only own trucks to buy groceries and commute ... even though zahc himself has approved my truck ownership.
Of course, if someone
does want to use their truck exclusively for Costco runs ... so what? Why is that something to get steamed about?
Before I got a table saw, a lot of projects I probably could have gotten done with a circular saw didn't get done. Once I had it, it was easier to jump into projects that otherwise weren't getting done. I've found the same to be true of trucks - having one (like any specialty tool) reduces the friction of accomplishing tasks that such a tool makes easy.
This explains why they are developing things like electric trucks that don't seem to make sense to people who actually bought a truck to leverage ots strengths. People who actually use their truck practically don't matter.
I'm not sure this follows. There is not a single use-case for trucks. An electric truck probably doesn't fit the bill for someone who tows a trailer across country, but actually might be a great fit for someone who hauls a lot of stuff locally. Firewood delivery comes to mind. An electric car might not be the best choice for a long road trip either, but might be outstanding for someone to commute with.
Not all users are going to have the same needs, nor do I feel the need to police what vehicle someone thinks they need.