Chevrolet has surprised the industry with the announcement that its all-electric Silverado will have a maximum range of 450 miles on a full charge, according to Rory Harvey, General Motors’ incoming president for North America. This exceeds earlier assumptions and is far better than what its rivals are currently offering. Rivian’s R1T offers 328 miles of range, while Ford’s Lightning offers 320 miles, both of which require you to option trims with the largest battery pack. The electric Silverado will be available in a 350-mile variant soon after launch, with the 450-mile version being the first available to consumers.
The first edition models will 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. However, the manufacturer claims that the towing Max Towing Package will upgrade the capacity to up to 20,000 pounds in 2025. The real question is how towing will impact the truck’s maximum range. EVs tend to run through a lot of energy when 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.
“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.” However, pricing remains a big concern. All-electric pickups remain expensive, even with government incentives, and the long-range versions always cost more. The 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.
The electric Silverado’s longer range will undoubtedly help with towing, but it remains to be seen how it will impact the truck’s maximum range. The all-electric pickup market is still in its infancy, and pricing remains a big concern. However, GM’s promise to offer the WT at prices comparable to the non-electric Silverado is a step in the right direction. The electric Silverado’s longer range is a real winning proposition and will give GM a competitive advantage in terms of those fleet customers. It remains to be seen how the electric Silverado will fare against its liquid-fueled counterparts, but it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for the all-electric pickup market.
