The Ford Motor Company is the king of electric pickup trucks in America, besting the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV in 2022. The F-150 Lighting sold 15,617 units last year, and the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is expected to increase annual production capacity to 150,000 trucks by the end of 2023. Given these circumstances, General Motors had to respond with new promo material for the Chevrolet Silverado EV.
First things first, the Work Truck bare-bones specification is currently rolling off the assembly line at Factory ZERO. The social media post below also promises the kind of towing power that truck owners expect, as in 8,000 pounds (3,629 kilograms) according to the biggest automaker of the Big Three in Detroit. The Work Truck’s payload is rated at 1,200 pounds (544 kilograms). Later on, the Silverado EV will be capable of up to 10,000 and 1,300 pounds (4,536 and 590 kilograms).
How does it stack up to its direct competitor? I’m afraid the answer may upset the Chevrolet crowd, but hey, don’t shoot the messenger. The 2023 model year F-150 Lightning is listed with up to 10,000 pounds for max towing and 2,235 pounds (1,014 kilograms) for maximum payload.
Turning our attention back to the Silverado EV, the marketing department is trying to hype up Work Truck reservation holders with a video of a pre-production vehicle towing a recreational vehicle. Nichole Kraatz, the vehicle chief engineer, sadly failed to mention what kind of driving range can prospective customers expect from the Work Truck while towing a 7,700-pound (3,493-kilogram) twin-axle Keystone Cougar.
Available in fall 2023 for the 2024 model year, the Silverado EV can travel more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) on a full charge according to GM’s own estimates. The fully-loaded RST First Edition delivers that kind of range as well, along with up to 754 horsepower and more than 785 pound-feet (1,064 Nm) of torque in Wide Open Watts mode. Engaging Wide Open Watts mode results in blistering acceleration from the RST, with General Motors estimating less than 4.5 seconds to 60 mph (97 kph).
The Silverado EV is estimated to start at $39,900 plus an estimated $1,695 for the destination charge, making the Work Truck much better value than the F-150 Lightning Pro. The Blue Oval’s truck kicks off at $55,974.
For some reason or another, the reservation page lists the Silverado EV with summer 2024 initial availability. For the 2025 model year, the Work Truck will receive a towing-oriented option that will improve the aforementioned 8,000-pound rating to 20,000 pounds (9,072 kilograms). Once again, GM doesn’t mention anything about range while towing.
Future variations of the Silverado EV will be priced from around $50,000 to more than $80,000 depending on battery capacity and available features such as the Multi-Flex Midgate. Highlight extras further include four-wheel steering and a panoramic fixed-glass roof. The fully-loaded RST First Edition is estimated at approximately $105,000 sans destination.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News