Here comes the newest challenger to Ford F-150 Lightning: the Chevrolet Silverado EV. After months of teasing, the American carmaker has now given us our first real look at its all-electric truck.
Chevy appears to have taken a similar approach to the design as Ford—it gave the standard Silverado more futuristic styling, with fewer air intakes, a much smaller grille, and a massive light bar up front. A few tweaks can be found here and there, but for the most part, the truck retains its Silverado-like look.
Initially, two Silverado EV trim levels will be available: the RST and the more utilitarian WT (Work Truck). Chevy says the Trail Boss (the white model pictured above), as well as other new variants, will be unveiled after production ramps up at General Motors’ Factory Zero plant.
The flagship RST First Edition boasts advanced features like four-wheel steering, automatic adaptive air suspension, an advanced Multi-Flex tailgate with power release, and trailering-capable Super Cruise with hands-free driving on compatible roads. It also gets a 17-inch infotainment system with an 11-inch reconfigurable instrument display and a multi-color driver head-up display. No power outputs for the RST variant have been provided yet as of this writing.
Figures for the fleet-oriented WT, however, are now available. Chevy says this workhorse variant will have 510hp and 833Nm of torque, 3,600kg towing capacity, and 540kg payload capacity. A fleet model with up to 9,000kg max trailering will be introduced in the future.
Similar to GM’s other trucks, like the all-new Hummer EV, the Silverado rides on the company’s new Ultium Platform. It features a new body architecture with the 24-module Ultium battery pack that enables a maximum range of nearly 650km. DC fast charging (up to 350kW) enables top-ups of about 160km in just 10 minutes. With an accessory charger cord, the Silverado EV can charge another EV.
“The Ultium Platform enabled our design and engineering teams to start from a clean slate and create a pickup with impressive performance and capability,” said Silverado EV chief engineer Nichole Kraatz. “The result is a truly impressive testament to the creativity and innovation our teams can bring to market with speed and at scale.”
The Silverado WT will debut in the first half of 2023, while the RST trim will be available in the latter quarters of the year. Pricing for the former is pegged at just $39,900 (P2 million) and the latter at $105,000 (P5.4 million). Expect Chevrolet to release more details as we come closer to these launches.
These are exciting times ahead for truck owners. Your thoughts on what Chevy has shown us so far? Like what you see?
