In 2018, the Highway Loss Data Institute made a list of vehicles mostly targeted by thieves. Guess what? Pickup trucks took the first five places among all vehicles. And one of the most common models we use, the Ford F250, was the winner here.

This research showed how vulnerable our cargo is when we haul them in the truck beds. Instead of hustling with traditional tonneau covers, electric retractable bed covers are a better option to go for.

We are going to judge some of the popular models and find out the best electric retractable tonneau cover that is built with the highest quality material, functional, and will keep your cargo secure. Let’s get started.

Why Buy an Electric Tonneau Cover?

Among several other types of tonneau covers, an electric tonneau cover is the most convenient option to keep your belongings secure. Let’s take a quick look at why electric truck bed covers benefit you more than traditional tonneau covers.

• You don’t have to unsnap and unlock every time you unload
• Electric tonneau covers can be opened or closed with a simple push of a button in the key fob.
• Retractable covers lock in wherever you want, so you can fit any size of cargo.
• Electric tonneau covers have tougher material than regular covers, which adds safety to your cargo.

Reviews of the 7 Best Electric Retractable Tonneau Covers

• PowertraxONE XR – Best for 2015 – 2020 Ford F-150 Super Crew
• RetraxPRO MX – Best for 2019 – 2021 Chevy/GMC Silverado/Sierra
• Roll-N-Lock – Best for 2014 – 2018, 2019 Chevy/GMC Silverado/Sierra
• ONINE Electric – Best for 2015-2021 Ford F150
• PowertraxOne MX – Best for 2021 Ford F-150
• Roll-N-Lock – Best for 2017 – 2020 Ford F-250/350
• Roll N Lock A-Series – Best for 2020 Chevy/GMC Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500

These retractable bed covers are cream of the creams, and we have skimmed them from hundred other options available in the market. Our non-biased in-depth reviews will help you find the best electric bed cover much faster.

1. PowertraxOne MX 70374 Retractable Tonneau Cover: Best for 2015-2020 F150 Super Crew

RETRAX is a popular name in the truck bed cover industry. And this model does justice to its brand name by providing a very rigid construction that performs in tough conditions. This tonneau cover can be smoothly operated within a range of -50 degrees to 20 degrees.

The cover is made from a single piece of polycarbonate. As a result, there won’t be any joints or hinges for retracting the cover. So, no dust or dirt will be trapped inside those joints, and the cover will be operable in any weather conditions.

It comes with an electromagnetic braking system that can lock the cover at any place along the rail. So, you can drive the truck keeping the cover fully or partially closed depending on the cargo size.

You can open or close the cover by using the remote. Press just one button to retract the cover, and it will be stored inside a compact canister. When fully opened, the cover will stay flush with the truck bed to give an overall sleek look.

2. PowertraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover – Best for 2019 – 2021 Chevy/GMC Silverado/Sierra

Among the retractable covers of the aluminium series from this brand, RETRAX PRO electric tonneau cover is a bit smaller in length. But it has all other advanced features you can expect from a premium tonneau cover.

It is built with high-grade aluminium for better durability. Matte black aluminium slats won’t only look great but also give better safety to your cargo. You need to connect the cover with the truck battery.

And then, you can operate the cover with a remote key fob. It has ball-bearing rollers instead of springs to prevent jamming or freezing under certain weather conditions. So, you can effortlessly close or open the cover.

As the cover is built from aluminium, the weight capacity is higher than polycarbonate covers. You can carry up to 500lbs of weight on the cover if distributed evenly.

The cover can be locked in any position along the rail with the help of electromagnetic brakes. As the cover can be retracted completely, you can use the full truck bed when necessary. And there is an LED included with the canister for better visibility.

3. Roll-N-Lock Truck Bed Cover – Best for 2014 – 2018, 2019 Chevy/GMC Silverado/Sierra

Turn your truck bed into a theft-resistant cargo space with this tonneau cover. Even when you are on a rock-n-roll mood inside the truck, this all-aluminium bed cover will protect your cargo from theft, weather damage, dirt, etc.

It is built with industrial-grade aluminium slats that are power-retractable. An electric motor works to open and close the cover within a few seconds to keep your hands free. The locking system is also electric, and it has a sensor to detect objects in front of it.

You can open and close the cover with a remote that will also lock the cover in place. The lock sensor will immediately stop the cover from moving if there is an object in its way to prevent damage to the cover.

The proprietary hinge design of the Roll N Lock electric tonneau cover improves the retractability of the cover. It also increases the safety of your cargo by making the seam inaccessible to unauthorized personnel.

Its matte black finish will give your truck a rugged look it deserves. The craftsmanship on this cover is on point.

4. ONINE Electric Retractable Bed Cover – Best for 2015-2021 Ford F150

ONINE electric power-retractable tonneau cover is an underrated product. It will fit shorter beds of Ford 2015-2021 models with an overall length of 5.5 ft.

Talking about the build quality, it has high-quality aluminium slats that retract very smoothly. The width of the slats is smaller than many other tonneau covers. So, the cover can be retracted and stored in a compact position.

The cover has a waterproof rating of IP56, so a little sprinkling of rain won’t do much damage to your goods inside the cover. It has a resilient matte black finish on top that is scratch and UV-resistant.

You can choose where to lock the cover. It will lock or unlock via an electromagnetic brake system with the press of just a button on the key fob. This makes operating the cover effortlessly.

With no spring or hinge mechanism, the cover will open or close in just a few seconds, and the chance of jamming is almost zero here.

5. PowertraxOne MX Bed Cover – Best for 2021 Ford F-150

You might have already read about the RetraxONE tonneau cover. This is a larger version of that series to match your Ford F250 or F350 models. The length of the cover is way longer, and it is constructed of polycarbonate.

RETRAX makes these covers look seamless. The canister isn’t extruded like many other covers have. So, the whole thing will stay flush to the truck bed to give it a sleeker look.

Though the polycarbonate build isn’t as rugged as aluminium covers, it will hold a decent weight onto it. And the electromagnetic locking system will keep the cover locked to wherever you want. So, you can use the cover for hauling versatile cargo.

It doesn’t need any drilling to install. Moreover, sealed ball bearings will ensure the cover continues to perform even in harsh weather or environments. You can operate the cover with provided remote key fob.

The cover is backed by a 3-years warranty. In our opinion, it could be better considering the price range of this premium cover.

6. Roll-N-Lock Retractable Bed Cover – Best for 2017 – 2020 Ford F-250/350

Among motorized bed covers available in the market, this model from the E-Series has the longest bed coverage. So, it will comfortably fit the latest models of Ford F250 or F350.

The cover is made with a double layer of high-grade aluminium. So, the strength of this tonneau cover will be unmatched, and it will give much better protection to your cargo. The weight carrying capacity of the cover also increases due to the rugged build.

You can operate the cover with just a button in the remote key fob. It can be fully or partially closed depending on your cargo size. And as the width of the canister is just about 8 inches, you can use the full bed length when the cover is fully retracted.

But the canister isn’t flush to the truck bed. Rather it is a bit extruded. An electric motor takes the responsibility of locking the cover along bed rails. The perfect seal of the tonneau cover will protect your cargo from bad weather conditions and intruders.

And there will be a five-year warranty to save your back.

7. Roll-N-Lock – Best for 2020 Chevy/GMC Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500

Wanna finish those delicious reviews with a soothing dessert? This model from the E-Series will give you all the advanced options to keep your cargo secure and make your truck look a lot smarter.

Roll N Lock electric tonneau covers are well-known for their build quality. Industrial grade aluminium is used to build those slats. So, it will withstand a lot of weight without breaking or tearing.

It is operated with an electric motor, and you can control the operation with a small remote. So, the whole process is a lot more convenient than traditional tonneau covers. Your hands remain free while opening or closing the cover.

Where traditional tonneau covers lock in a few different positions, RC226E will let you lock it anywhere along the bed rail. So, you will get a versatile storage area for all of your cargo.

With the proprietary hinge design, opening and closing the cover will be smoother than ever. If you are after an automatic bed cover that looks great, performs effectively, and is a scratch or UV resistant, this will be your go-to option.

Things to Consider While Buying Electric Retractable Tonneau Covers

Amid all the lucrative features of modern electric tonneau covers, it gets pretty hard to choose the right option according to your needs. To make the selection process easier, we thought you could consider these factors. This buying guide will help you narrow the choices down. Let’s see what you should emphasize more.

Material and Build Quality

When talking about tonneau covers, the material is the first thing you need to consider. Most of the electric tonneau covers in the market are made of either polycarbonate or aluminium.

Polycarbonate truck bed covers are cheaper. As there will be no chance of rust in this material, tonneau covers made of polycarbonate will remain operational for a long period.

But aluminium covers are way more durable than polycarbonate covers. Though you might need to pay extra bucks to get an aluminium cover, it will ensure maximum protection of your cargo.

If you are buying an aluminium cover, make sure it has a protective coating on top to prevent scratches or UV radiation. It would be best if the cover could protect your cargo from rain.

Mechanism of operation

Springs or hinges are commonly used in retractable tonneau covers. But the problem with these is, they can be jammed in adverse conditions, and the tonneau cover itself becomes a hassle midway.

The latest electric tonneau covers use sealed ball bearing rollers to open or close the cover. In this method, no dirt can penetrate the mechanism. As a result, these covers remain operational under bad weather or environmental conditions. These covers can work in extreme temperatures too.

So, always go for something that has a ball-bearing mechanism for retraction to get rid of unwanted hassles.

Locking System

Locking the tonneau cover manually with keys or latches is an old idea. The automatic locking or unlocking system is one of the main benefits of electric truck bed covers.

Nowadays, two types of locking systems are commonly used in truck bed covers. One is an electromagnetic locking system, and the other is an electric locking system. In both systems, the cover can be locked anywhere along the bed rail.

Traditional tonneau covers can only be locked in a few positions. And those positions might not always match the requirement of your cargo. Electric retractable covers allow you to set the exact locking position that matches your needs. So, your cargo will be more secure with these covers.

Remote Operation

All the electric retractable tonneau covers come with a remote key fob that has a few buttons to operate the cover. But not every cover has the same opening or closing time.

It may vary from brand to brand or model to model. But having an electric cover that takes an eternity to open or close is not a convenient option at all. So, look for something that has a faster opening or closing time.

If an electric truck bed cover takes less than 30 seconds to open or close fully, it can be considered a good option. Also, the remote key fob should be simple and effective for better functionality.

Frequently Ask Questions

You might have a lot of queries piled up in your mind. We will try to answer a few frequently asked questions here to meet your cravings.

Can I go through a car wash with a tonneau cover on?

It depends on the type of tonneau cover you have. In the cases of electric retractable tonneau covers, there shouldn’t be any problem going through a car wash.

Do electric truck bed covers improve the mileage of your truck?

Tonneau covers, in general, help reduce the drag co-efficient and make your truck more aerodynamic. As a result, the mileage of your truck may improve by a small margin.

Are electric tonneau covers noisy?

If you are opening or closing an electric truck bed cover in a quiet space, you may hear some noise. But if you are outside where there is a lot of ambient noise along with the engine sound of your truck, you might not hear that much of a noise.

Which is better between electromagnetic and electric locks?

This depends on the preference of the user. Both the locking system allows you to lock the cover in your convenient position. Still, electric locks can have some sensors to detect objects in front of it for added safety.

Are electric tonneau covers secure?

Yes, of course. Electric tonneau covers are built with durable material, so it’s very tough to intrude inside. 

Final Thoughts

Hopping onto the truck bed for snapping the tonneau cover in place or folding it back takes a lot of effort and time. Electric retractable tonneau covers come with high-grade material that can withstand more weight and allow you to effortlessly operate them with the press of just one button.

This is what makes electric tonneau covers so popular among truck owners who love to drive in style and comfort. Hope you have found the best electric retractable tonneau cover for your truck that will be the barrier between your cargo and any intruders.

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