Pickup trucks are big in the US, literally and figuratively. Every year, these sell like hotcakes either as work or lifestyle vehicles. When Rivian and Ford launched their respective electrified trucks, Chevrolet naturally didn’t want to be left behind. And so, it launched its electric truck fighter. Welcome, the first-ever Silverado EV.
Unlike most vehicles that were initially developed to be powered by an internal-combustion engine, the Silverado EV was designed as an electric truck from the get-go. Set to ride on GM’s Ultium platform, this will have a fully independent suspension on all corners. Initially, it will be available in two versions, the fleet-oriented WT and a prettified RST variant.
The former will have a no-nonsense look, complete with steel rims, a front bull bar, black front and rear bumpers, and fender overriders. But don’t be fooled as this variant will have a Tow/Haul mode with trailer hitch provisions, a trailer brake controller, and Hitch Guidance built in.
The latter has everything that the fleet version has, plus niceties. Like huge 24-inch wheels and an Automatic Adaptive Air Suspension that allows the truck to be raised or lowered by up to two inches. It has four-wheel steering for improved maneuverability and Chevrolet’s Advance Trailering System to help keep the trailer in check. Finally, its ingenious Multi-Flex Midgate allows you to load stuff over 9ft when it is open.
The truck’s front and rear motors produce up to 510hp and 834Nm, which can hit 100km/h from rest in just 4.5 ticks. This allows it to have a 545kg payload and 3,629kg of towing capacity. But if that’s not enough, an upcoming fleet model will have an estimated towing capacity of 9,072kg with its max tow package. Powering the electric motors is a 24-module battery pack that has up to 643km driving range—the most in any of the available electric pickups in the market today.
This EV is loaded with tech, too. A lighting animation greets you when approaching the truck with the key fob. Inside, there’s a gigantic 17-inch infotainment screen, an 11-inch fully configurable instrument cluster, and a 14-inch multicolor heads-up display. Here, Chevy’s Linux-based software Ultifi is used, allowing for faster installation of software updates.
This new EV will be built in GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center and will be available by the spring of 2023 (or March, for those of us who do not live in a country with four seasons). Prices start at $39,900 (P2,050,000), and it can be specced up depending on the needs of its buyers. The fully loaded RST First Edition tops out at $105,000 (P5,395,000). One can reserve a unit now by visiting Chevrolet’s website.
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