Chevy Finally Ready to Launch Retail Versions of the Silverado EV

Plagued by issues with supplier snags, battery production problems and glitchy software, General Motors has been slow to get its promised wave of new EVs to market. But it’s finally getting ready to roll the retail version of its Chevrolet Silverado EV into showrooms – at a steep price. The initial, limited-edition version of the battery pickup will start around $95,000 plus delivery fees.

Chevrolet officially pulled the covers off the Silverado EV First-Edition RST on Wednesday. It’s the first version of the electric pickup that will be offered to retail customers. Until now, Chevy has limited production to a work truck Silverado EV targeting fleet buyers.

The initial version of the retail model will be loaded with goodies, including the able to power up a home, camp or jobsite, a four-corner adaptive suspension, GM’s hands-free SuperCruise system and a 754-horsepower electric drivetrain.

Chevy also hopes to ease potential range anxiety, the 2024 Silverado EV First-Edition RST set to offer an EPA-estimated range of 440 miles. That’s 40 miles more than what the automaker originally predicted when it first showed off the electric pickup at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2022.

A critical enabler

“Chevrolet has constantly revolutionized the Silverado franchise to make it the powerhouse it is today,” said Steve Hill, vice president of Chevrolet, when the Silverado EV was first revealed. The all-electric model will be a “critical enabler,” he added, in GM’s goal of becoming the U.S. sales leader in the emerging EV market.

Silverado EV will be one of three all-electric pickups that GM has so far confirmed. It first came to market two years ago with the GMC Hummer EV. And the “professional grade” brand will follow with a second model, an all-electric version of the GMC Sierra, late this year or early in 2025.

Timing is uncertain, as the entire General Motors EV program has struggled to gain momentum due to various problems, including supplier delays, software issues and snags at GM’s first Ultium battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

New design

At first glance, casual viewers might not see much of a difference between the Silverado EV and conventional versions of the truck. But a closer inspection reveals that they share not a single body panel. The battery model spent plenty of time in the wind tunnel, aerodynamics critical to an EV’s range and performance.

The Silverado EV has a shorter nose and more streamlined features. The conventional grille is gone, though smaller air intakes feed air for cooling the low-mounted battery pack and motors. Seeing the EV come up in your rearview mirror you might note the distinctive headlamps connected by a lighted crossbar and backlit Chevy bowtie emblem.

Plenty of storage space

Like the Hummer EV, the electric Silverado rides atop a skateboard-like “Ultium” platform placing motors, batteries and other drivetrain components below the load floor. The design lowers a vehicle’s center of gravity to make it more stable, especially at high speeds. It also means space normally taken up by an engine compartment can be repurposed for passengers and cargo.

That includes a huge “frunk” where the traditional engine compartment would be located. It’s big enough to hold a week’s groceries for a large family – or the custom tool box that Chevy offers work truck buyers.

One of the unique features of the Silverado EV is a “Multi-Flex Midgate,” a folddown bulkhead between the passenger compartment and cargo bed. When open, said Chevy in a statement, “it improves storage capacity from 5 feet, 11 inches to 10 feet, 10 inches.”

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Powertrain

“In the future, the automaker said in a statement, “Chevrolet will roll out a suite of Silverado EV trims for retail customers, offered with a variety of range options.”

At launch, the 2024 Silverado EV First-Edition RST will be powered by a twin-motor drivetrain making 754 horsepower and 785 lb.-ft. of torque – using what GM calls Wide Open Watts, or WOW, Mode. That’s actually almost 20% more than the automaker initially promised at launch. At the time, Chevy estimated the RST First Edition package would launch from 0 to 60 in less than 4.5 seconds. It’s unclear if that now will be even faster.

To put things into perspective, the gas-powered version of the Silverado tops out with a 6.2-liter V-8 making 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque.

Charging

Among the truck’s features the Silverado EV RST can be fitted with as many as 10 power outlets – including three in the frunk. That includes both 120- and 240-volt sockets with a maximum output of 10.2 kilowatts for use at a work or campsite or even to provide backup power at home in the event of a blackout.

Initially, the RST First Edition will offer only a 200 kilowatt-hour battery pack, yielding up to an estimated 440 miles per charge – though that will slide depending upon on trailer and cargo loads, as well as under inclement weather conditions.

Using one of the latest public quick chargers, Chevy said the Silverado EV will be able to add 100 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes, though getting up to 80% — the normal max on a fast charger – will take more like an hour. The automaker hasn’t released charging times using the Level 2 240-volt chargers found at most homes and workplaces. But expect it to take the better part of a day with a completely drained battery.

Tech features

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV First-Edition RST will feature an 11-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster, a 17-inch infotainment screen and a 14-inch Head-UP display.

It will come with the latest version of GM’s SuperCruise which will allow hands-free operation and as much as 700,000 miles of U.S. and Canadian roads once the current update is completed. The system also will be useable when towing a trailer.

The truck will come with a four-corner air suspension. And it will feature 4-wheel-steering which can reduce the steering radius in-town and improve handling on highways.

Pricing

The Silverado EV First-Edition RST package will start at $94,500, GM announced Wednesday. Add $1,995 in delivery fees.

The first retail version of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV will go on sale “mid-year,” a spokesman said. Expect to see lower-priced versions start to be introduced later in 2024.