The pace is picking up in the field of electric pickups. Rivian’s R1T is an exciting first look by the start-up manufacturer and Ford’s F-150 Lightning is a strong attempt to attract people to the idea of a conventional full-size truck powered by electricity. General Motors, on the other hand, went for a full send with its extravagant GMC Hummer EV SUT, which is the basis of the latest model on the market and is 2024’s Chevrolet Silverado EV. Even though the bow-tie brand has allowed us to test a specific 4WT model for fleets to date, this modest work truck can serve as a preview of what to expect when the first models from customers will be available later in the year.
With the look and feel of an awe-inspiring Chevy Avalanche, This Silverado EV is a clean-sheet design that has virtually nothing in common with other internal combustion Silverados. Imagine it as an improved version of the raunchy Hummer with the streamlined 4WT model designed with the approximately 350 fleet customers who’ve put their hands to purchase highly efficient long-range electric trucks that to integrate into their work sites. For Chevrolet its customers, the advantages of this strategy are a single build configuration, as well as useful feedback on how its new machine handles the rig’s rigorous workloads according to the way it goes.
2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT Changes
The 4WT is a simple option to Silverado EV RST First Edition which Chevy will make available to the public in the fall of. Its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive engine will generate up to 754 horsepower, and at most 785 pound-feet torque, and it’ll come with regular air springs, rear-wheel steering, a mid-gate that can be removed bed extender in the rear of the passenger compartment, as well as luxurious interior furniture that will more accurately reflect the $106,895 base price. The dual-motor 4WT has a stripped-down interior and rides on coil springs and operates without the mid-gate or rear-steering equipment. Output is lower than 510 horses and 615 pounds-feet.
But, both the first Silverado EV models have the identical Ultium battery pack — a 24-module, 2923-pound beast that is shared by Hummer. Hummer the EV-powered pickup. Based on Chevy’s claim that it has slightly improved upon the estimated 205.0 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity in the GMC’s pack, we estimate the 4WT’s battery at 215.0 kilowatt-hours–enough to earn it a 450-mile range figure from the EPA (the RST is rated for 400 miles, and a 3WT with a lesser pack and a 350-mile range launches later).
The battery is also sufficient to provide the 7 power points, which include a variety of hookups within the bed. They offer up to 7.2 Kilowatts of power to operate a range of appliances and tools–even your home for short periods. Inverters for accessories can boost the number of outlets to 10 and 10.2 Kilowatts. In contrast to GMC with its Hummer, Chevy will print the Silverado’s less than stellar MPGe figures (63 combined, 67 cities/59 highway) on its window decal despite its weight being well above the threshold of 8500 pounds for GVW where the manufacturer doesn’t need to.
The Silverado EV employs a 400-volt structure, but it has a clever technique that lets the two layers of their battery packs shift between the series to parallel connection to speed up charging that allows the battery to be charged at up to 800 Volts and consume electrons 350 Kilowatts. Chevy states that it can provide 100 miles of range is added in just 10 minutes. The integrated charging network of GM currently covers more than 130,000 locations. The number will increase shortly as the company’s EVs are upgraded to work with Tesla’s 12,000-unit network comprised of U.S. fast chargers, with the ultimate goal being that GM’s entire fleet is converted over to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug. This is especially important to those who work in remote regions the Silverado EV can also be used for offloading the power for other EVs.
The Silverado EV 4WT’s reach as well as an estimated 60-mph speed of 5.4 seconds, seems impressive considering that the truck weighs 8500 pounds, which is about half a tonne less than the previous Hummer EV pickup that we tested but still enough to slam our weights as well as everything that comes in its path. However, Chevy has made great use of the Silverado’s EV’s core that the 4WT is capable of towing at least 10,000 pounds (up from the initial estimate of 8000 pounds) and can carry up to 1440 pounds (up from 1200 pounds) in its cargo bed of five feet and 11 inches. It can also hold numerous carry-on bags within its 11-cubic-foot wide frunk. As a rough guideline, Ford’s considerably smaller F-150 Lightning (by more than 1600 pounds) is rated at 325 miles of range as its hauling and towing maximums are set at 22,35 and 10,000 pounds in both cases.
Dimensions
For a full-size pickup, the 4WT EV’s dimensions are only slightly larger than a half-ton conventional short-bed crew-cab Silverado. With 81.6 inches in width, it’s 5.1 inches shorter than the Hummer’s EV pickup but its 233.1-inch length extends 16.3 inches more. The RST First Edition will sit on a dazzling set of 24 inches of wheels however, the 4WT trucks we tested had 18 inches paired with the LT265/70R-18 Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02 all-season tires. The futuristic design of the EV is a contributing factor to its slippy drag coefficient which is 0.33 which makes it one of the very aerodynamic GM trucks in existence, but there’s no way to misunderstand this model as anything other than an actual Silverado.
Features
The 4WT is a great vehicle to get into featuring its low doorsills and flat floors that are covered with rubber. you’ll be greeted by an array of gritty, dark plastic that’s quite depressing when you consider the starting price of $79,800 (excluding the tax credit of $7500). credit). However, toughness and cleanliness are the main goals since no truck is a model that has an opulent appearance.
An easy-to-read 8.0-inch electronic instrument panel is standard and so is an 11.0-inch center-mounted touchscreen that integrates headlight controls as well as the settings for the truck’s Regenerative brakes, which vary from minimal to one-pedal operation. There’s a row of basic climate control buttons and dials are below it. The column-mounted shifter makes space within the center console for ample storage compartments, which include a seven-gallon main storage compartment.
It’s the rear part of the cabin in the Silverado Electric Vehicle which benefits the most from the truck’s cab-forward style and Chevy’s subsequent decision to move in the forward position of its front seat. The back stretch-out area is reminiscent of a limousine and the EV has an inch more legroom than the standard Silverado crew cabin’s. The seatbacks in the rear fold down to make room for additional storage. If it were a more luxurious model equipped with a mid-gate the rear bench can be folded into the floor, effectively extending the cargo hold by just over 9 feet.
2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT Expected
The current GM truck owners can quickly get used to the electric Silverado. The 4WT runs with the sluggish refinement you’d expect of an EV. It also has the sound of a synthesized hum coming over its speaker system when it is in a high-speed acceleration. It’s as quick as every Silverado we’ve driven and offers the responsiveness to make short passes on rural roads. Even when it’s hooked up to the 9000-pound construction trailer it can handle the additional weight like an diesel-powered pickup. The Tow/Haul feature is activated to change the powertrain of the EV to ensure maximum performance, while the force of its regenerative-braking system ensured that we did not need to utilize the friction brakes to bring the truck that was almost full to a stop on level ground.
Supported by two independent rear and front suspensions and a low center of gravity when compared to an internal combustion Silverado The 4WT’s driving experience is characterized by its unpredictability. It’s time to say goodbye to the normal Silverado’s rattling wheel noise due to an unreliable rear axle, and the general handling is excellent even without rear-wheel steering. Although its supple suspension tuning and significant body roll when turning keep the driver aware of its dimensions and weight Its steering is quite accurate for a massive truck, and the brake pedal is firm and steady. In addition, the ease of the electric motor and we frequently were traveling at greater speeds than we had planned.
Of course, this Silverado EV does have a couple of limitations if you work it hard, it will significantly reduce its range, and fully recharging such an enormous battery will require long stops at chargers that have fast charging. In terms of charging at Level 2, The Silverado can handle the same 19.2 Kilowatts offered by the Hummer, meaning that a full charge can take about 12 hours. Additionally, Joe’s consumer can’t buy one at this time. The 4WT model, however, is a mighty workhorse suitable for fleet owners willing to pay for early adoption.
It’s also an intriguing preview of the future. Alongside the RST model, more Silverado EV variants will join the lineup in the next 18 months, which include an off-road-focused Trail Boss trim with a raised suspension and a range of smaller-range models with more reasonable prices. The electric pickup 1500REV from Ram will be available within the next 18 months when the market is ready for its first-ever real-time evaluation.