2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST First Drive: Has EV Range Been Solved?

MotorTrend

Chevy's new Silverado EV electric pickup packs tons of technology and a massive battery rated for 440 miles. We take the Silverado EV for a first drive to see if it's good enough to put range concerns to rest.

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:03 Is this the electric truck that finally puts everyone's range

00:21 concerns to rest?

00:22 The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST

00:26 is rated for a massive 440 miles, which is right up there

00:30 with the range for a similar gas truck.

00:33 But truth be told, there isn't a gas Silverado

00:36 that's comparable to this electric truck,

00:38 because the Silverado EV is loaded with technology

00:41 and smart packaging ideas.

00:43 And it's smooth and quick and comfortable in a way

00:46 that gas trucks usually aren't.

00:49 You've noticed by now that it doesn't look

00:51 like your typical Silverado.

00:52 This truck spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel

00:54 to hit that big range number.

00:56 And you can see that in the sloped sail

00:58 panel between the cab and the bed

01:00 and the way every edge of this truck has been rounded over.

01:04 It doesn't look like a conventional pickup,

01:06 because it isn't one.

01:07 The RST punches through the air with 750 horsepower and 785

01:15 pound feet of torque.

01:16 Those are big numbers, but because it

01:18 weighs an incredible 9,100 pounds,

01:21 this truck is quick, but not bonkers quick

01:24 like the Hummer EV.

01:25 0 to 60 should take about 4.5 seconds.

01:29 On the road, standard air springs and adaptive dampers

01:32 give the Silverado EV a comfortable ride

01:34 in the suspension's Tour mode.

01:37 Bumping it up to Sport mode brings more compromises

01:40 than benefits, though.

01:41 The ride gets stiff and brittle, and you

01:43 hear every impact traveling up through the huge 24-inch wheels

01:47 and into the cabin.

01:48 In tight spaces, four-wheel steering

01:50 makes this big truck drive smaller

01:52 than it is with a turning circle that's

01:54 just a little larger than that of a midsize SUV.

01:58 Every electric truck needs at least one party trick

02:03 to set itself apart from the competition.

02:06 In the Silverado EV, it's a midgate

02:07 that opens to connect the bed and cab for extra long loads.

02:12 Fold the bulkhead forward, and the bed

02:13 extends from 5 feet 11 inches to 9 feet.

02:17 It's not a new idea.

02:18 The Chevy Avalanche did something similar

02:20 more than a decade ago.

02:22 In the Silverado, there's a new 60/40 split function,

02:25 so you can use the rear seats and the midgate simultaneously.

02:29 And if you leave the rear window and tonneau cover in place,

02:32 it creates a weatherproof, lockable space for your gear.

02:36 There's also a 10.7 cubic foot frunk where the engine

02:39 would be in a gas truck.

02:41 Like every full-size gas truck, the cabin

02:44 is absolutely huge with a limo-like rear seat.

02:47 But to fit the battery under the truck without hurting headroom,

02:50 both the front and rear seat bottoms sit close to the floor.

02:54 And the roof is a large pane of glass with no sunshade.

02:57 That's a trend we'd like to see stop.

03:01 The 17.7-inch screen runs Google Maps, Google Assistant,

03:04 and your favorite music streaming app natively.

03:07 But it doesn't support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto,

03:10 which will be a deal breaker for some buyers.

03:13 Super Cruise, GM's hands-free driver assistance system,

03:16 comes standard and is as impressive as it's ever been.

03:20 It works with a trailer attached and can change lanes

03:23 automatically to pass slower traffic when you aren't towing.

03:26 GM says you'll be able to use it on 750,000 miles of roads

03:30 in 2025.

03:32 With the arrival of the Chevy Silverado EV,

03:34 five brands are now fighting over a small piece

03:37 of electric pickup pie.

03:39 Chevy's mid-gate and long range should help it stand out.

03:41 But at $96,395, the Silverado EV RST 1st Edition

03:47 won't do anything to silence criticism

03:50 that today's EVs are too expensive.

03:53 Stay tuned to MotorTrend.com for more coverage

03:56 of the Silverado EV, including real-world range and fast

03:59 charging tests.

04:01 (dramatic music)

04:04 you

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