Chevrolet Silverado EV WT to Launch With 450-Mile Range
Chevrolet has announced that the all-electric Silverado will boast a much-higher maximum range than anyone had anticipated. Rory Harvey, General Motors' incoming president for North America, has stated that the Silverado EV Work Truck (WT) will have an EPA-estimated 450 miles of range 450 miles on a full charge. That’s far better than what its rivals are currently offering and exceeds earlier assumptions made by those watching the industry.
General Motors had previously hinted that it was targeting a maximum exceeding 400 miles. But nobody really expected the outer limits to be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.
At present, Rivian will sell the R1T with 328 miles of range and Ford will offer up the Lightning with 320 miles — both of which require you to option trims with the largest battery pack. While that may likewise be the case with the electric Silverado, the final figures are no-less enviable.
"We think that is a real winning proposition," Harvey told the media on Thursday. "We previously announced that it was going to be a 400-mile target, so the team did just an exceptional job in terms of being able to extend that up to 450 miles."
That version of the pickup is also supposed to be the one that’s first available to consumers, with Chevrolet offering a 350-mile variant of the Silverado EV WT “soon after launch.” Based on the data we have, that’s still supposed to take place this spring.
First edition models are expected to be all-wheel drive and offer 510 horsepower with 615 lb-ft of torque. Payload capacity is assumed to be 1,200 pounds with 8,000 pounds of towing. That is not terribly impressive for a full-size pickup. However, the manufacturer claims that the towing Max Towing Package will upgrade the capacity to up to 20,000 pounds in 2025.
Though the real question is how towing will impact the truck’s maximum range. We’ve seen a lot of testing showcasing just how much energy EVs tend to run through the second they’re hauling even moderate loads. GM’s longer range will undoubtedly help with this. But it may not make it a desirable alternative to liquid-fueled pickups — as it sounds like the Silverado will need about 10 minutes to recoup 100 miles of range on a DC fast charger.
"With respect to the work truck, which is predominantly a fleet vehicle, we believe that that'll give us a competitive advantage in terms of those fleet customers," Harvey said. "It's one of those that is optionality based upon customer need. And I think the key there is that we will be able to provide customer choice moving forward.”
Though pricing remains a big concern. All-electric pickups remain expensive, even with government incentives, and the long-range versions always cost more. The glitzy, fully loaded RST First Edition, scheduled to launch this fall, comes with a GM-estimated 400 miles of range and a price tag of roughly $107,000. But GM has promised to offer the WT at prices comparable to the non-electric Silverado (which admittedly ranges pretty broadly depending on how it’s optioned).
[Images: General Motors]
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A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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"Rory Harvey, General Motors' incoming president for North America, has stated that the Silverado EV Work Truck (WT) will have an EPA-estimated 450 miles of range 450 miles on a full charge."
This is a bigger lie than the under $40k fake lightning or the $35k Model 3. This will never happen. Real world won't be over 400 miles.
Electric motors are fantastic for hauling. Just look at trains and ships. The problem is the current draw. A PU with a smaller battery and an optimized on-board diesel charger would be the right engineering answer. Even more applicable would be that design for 18 wheelers. The engineers know this, but their decisions are guided by management, who are trying to appeal to customers who think that anything with fossil fuels is baaaadddd.