A New ChEVy: The All-Electric Silverado

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Chevrolet

Chevrolet revealed the new all-electric Silverado pick-up earlier this year.

Jorge Rodriguez, Entertainment Editor

What if “What If?” was no longer a question?

Starting off the new year with an electrified entrance, Chevrolet reveals their first-ever all-electric Silverado pick-up truck. With high power ratings and a sleek design, Chevy’s newest Silverado is the perfect fit to the electric vehicle market. Though it is a bit late to the electric pick-up market, the electric Silverado’s plethora of features may have made it worth the wait.

 

Let’s talk power.

Chevy claims that the Silverado EV represents “a seismic shift” in the automotive market that was built to change the world. Under the truck is General Motors’ all-new battery platform, Ultium, which has an estimated range of 400 miles on a full charge. This battery platform pushes a startling 660+ horsepower out to all four tires and has a torque rating of over 780 pound-feet. Chevy says the Silverado EV is capable of towing capacity up to 10,000 pounds.

General Motors’ newest Ultium Battery platform

The Silverado EV shares similar underside characteristics as GMC’s Hummer EV. This means that like the Hummer, the Silverado has independent front and rear suspension which gives drivers a smoother ride on and off the road. The Silverado also features front and rear electric motors, though it only has two motors where the Hummer has three. If a quick charge is needed, Chevy says that the Silverado is capable of charging at 800 volts and 350 kW which will add 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes.

The Silverado EV also has a 0-60 time of under 4.5 seconds, because Chevy knows you’ll be putting the pedal to the floor.

 

Exterior Styling

Side view of the Silverado EV

With no grille and smooth body lines to provide a more aerodynamic feel, the Silverado EV has almost no similarities to that of its gas-powered brother. Besides the bowtie, the Silverado EV has its own unique design, with some design choices giving cues to the old Avalanche pick-ups that were sold from 2001-2013.

The ‘frunk’ of the Silverado EV

The Silverado EV features a panoramic fixed-glass roof that Chevy says provides an “open, bright and roomy feel to the cabin while filtering the sun’s rays.” It also has a front truck, better known as a ‘frunk.’ Under the hood is some serious storage space, as the Ultium battery is a flat battery that provides more space for storage under the hood. You could put large suitcases in there, camping gear, or any tools you might need.

A 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche

In the rear, Chevy claims that items over 10 feet in length can fit in the bed with the Avalanche-esque ‘Multi-Flex Midgate’ allowing for items to extend into the cab of the truck. To do this, the rear seats fold down and the midgate folds over them, which extends the bedfloor. Like the gas-powered Silverado, the Silverado EV also features the ‘Multi-flex Tailgate’ that allows the tailgate to be open halfway to fit other items that may not require the entire tailgate to be folded down.

 

 

Interior Styling

Interior view of the Silverado EV

Like its exterior, the Silverado EV has a sleek and innovative interior. The newest and best technology is found inside the Silverado EV, with available Super Cruise driver assistance technology to give you the freedom of hands-free driving. To improve comfort and keep the driver’s hands close to the wheel, Chevy placed a 17-inch infotainment screen angled directly toward the driver. In place of the gear shifter, there’s more space. With a larger, deeper center console, there’s more room for personal belongings.

With Super Cruise, Chevy says drivers can enjoy hands-free driving and trailering across “200,000 miles of compatible roads” across the United States and Canada. Though Super Cruise is available, Chevy suggests that drivers refrain from using handheld devices. To assist with the hands-free technology, Chevy has implemented Google into the infotainment software. This means that only a “Hey Google…” command is needed for you to get directions, play music, or ask general questions in your Silverado EV.

 

Overall

Available in two trim levels to start, the RST and WT, the Silverado EV sure has made an electrifying entrance into the EV market. Reservations for the Silverado EV are open now, but production doesn’t begin until the second quarter of 2023.