General Motors brand Chevrolet is the latest to enter the electric pick-up market, with a 644km, 495kW version of its Silverado – but it’s not yet known if it will come to Australia.
US car giant Chevrolet has revealed its challenger to a growing line-up of electric pick-ups from Ford, Tesla, Rivian and more: the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado EV (Electric Vehicle).
While the new electric Chevrolet pick-up might share its name with the petrol-powered Chevrolet Silverado on sale in the US and Australia, the Silverado EV instead rides on parent General Motors’ dedicated Ultium electric vehicle platform, shared with the reborn GMC Hummer EV revealed in 2020.
The electric Silverado’s reveal comes months after longtime rival Ford unveiled an electric version of its best-selling F-150 pick-up, followed by competitor Ram announcing an electric 1500 pick-up for launch in 2024.
The ‘Big Three’ US manufacturers’ electric pick-ups will take on electric vehicle leader Tesla and its repeatedly delayed Cybertruck, as well as new start-ups including Rivian.
For Ford, Chevrolet and Ram, the electric pick-ups will be sold alongside their petrol and diesel-powered equivalents, whereas Tesla and Rivian only offer electric models.
Set to go on sale in the US mid-2023 – with Australian availability yet to be determined by General Motors Specialty Vehicles – the Silverado EV will launch with a choice of two variants, the fleet-focused WT (or ‘Work Truck’), and the more expensive (and more luxurious) RST – both offering close to 650km of claimed range, and almost 500kW.
Prices will start from $US39,900 ($AU55,000) – on par with its primary rival, the
$US39,974 electric Ford F-150 Lightning – and will top out at $US105,000 ($AU145,000). In the US, a combustion-engined Chevrolet Silverado is priced from approximately $US30,000 to $US70,000.Powering the entry-level WT is a pair of electric motors developing a combined 380kW and 834Nm, mated with a 24-module battery pack capable of a claimed 644km (400 miles) of driving range – nearly twice that of the most affordable F-150 Lightning, which offers 370km.
Chevrolet claims the Silverado EV WT can tow up to 3629kg (8000lb), and can carry up to 544kg (1200lb) in its tray – with a “fleet model” with a Max Tow Package to be offered after launch, with up to 9072kg of towing capacity.
The range-topping RST gains upgraded dual electric motors developing 495kW and “more than” 1058Nm, capable of a 0-60mph (97km/h) sprint time of less than 4.5 seconds in ‘Wide Open Watts’ (WOW) launch control mode.
The RST offers the same estimated 644km range as the WT, a 590kg maximum payload, and 4536kg of towing capacity.
Both variants – and the other model grades that follow, including an off-road-oriented Trail Boss – are capable of DC fast charging at up to 350kW, allowing for an estimated 161km (100 miles) of range to be added in 10 minutes of charging.
As with its Ford rival (and other new electric vehicles), the electric Silverado will be capable of charging external electrical devices with its battery, providing a total of 10.2kW of continuous power through up to 10 outlets.
Under the skin, the Silverado EV’s underpinnings are more akin to a passenger car than a traditional full-size pick-up, with independent front and rear suspension and a large battery pack integrated as a key structural component of the chassis.
Other highlights include rear-wheel steering, available 24-inch alloy wheels (the largest ever fitted to a production car), and adaptive air suspension that can be raised or lowered by up to 50mm. A Tow/Haul mode is on offer for easy towing, with an integrated trailer brake controller.
Available on the Silverado EV is the ‘midgate’, a system allowing the divider between the passenger compartment and tray to be removed to carry larger items – with Chevrolet claiming up to 3.3 metres of load length with the ‘Multi-Flex’ rear tailgate deployed and rear seats lowered, nearly double the standard 1.8-metre tray.
Practicality highlights include an expansive front storage area (where an engine would usually sit) capable of storing a large suitcase, functional interior storage areas and centre console compartments, and a 40:60 split-folding back seat.
Inside the cabin, Silverado EV RST models come equipped with a 17-inch infotainment system running GM’s latest ‘Ultifi’ software, connected within a curved panel with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster. The base WT features smaller screens, though specific sizes are yet to confirmed.
The RST’s twin-screen dashboard is joined by a 14-inch head-up display in front of the driver. Hands-free start is standard in this model – which starts the vehicle automatically when the driver enters “with an enabled device” – as is a fixed panoramic glass roof.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV will benefit from GM’s latest Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving technology, allowing for hands-free (but eyes-on) driving on over 320,000km of highways in the US and Canada.
The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV will launch in the US in mid-2023 in base WT form as a Model Year 2024 vehicle –
priced $US39,900 ($AU55,000) – with a flagship RST First Edition model to follow in late 2023, priced from $US105,000 ($AU145,000).Further variants priced between $US50,000 ($AU69,000) and $US80,000 ($AU110,000) will follow at a later date, including a standard, non-limited RST, and an off-road-ready Trail Boss (above).
Australian availability is yet to be determined – Drive has contacted General Motors Specialty Vehicles locally for comment.
The post 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV electric pick-up revealed in the US appeared first on Drive.
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