Toward the end of last year, General Motors announced it was accelerating its electrification timeline, aiming for the highest EV market share in North America with 30 electric vehicles by 2025. And this past April, we finally received confirmation that the first-ever Chevy Silverado electric pickup is in the works. In a 04/06/2021 press release, GM President Mark Reuss announced that the all-new Chevy Silverado EV will be built at the Factory ZERO assembly plant in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan.
The company is still in the early stages, with the Silverado EV's earliest possible launch date being sometime in 2022 or 2023, but no official target has been announced. Still, there are a few scraps of information available. Here's a quick overview of what we know so far.
Prodigious Performance
The Silverado EV will be built on the same assembly line and share a platform with the GMC Hummer EV. So, it's highly probable that the two could share a powertrain, potentially offering one, two, or up to three electric motors, depending on the trim level. Going by known Hummer EV ratings, that could mean propulsion ratings as high as 1,000 horsepower and torque ratings push quintuple digits. We expect four-wheel drive to be standard, but no official specifications have been released.
Eliminating Range Anxiety
The Silverado EV will use GM's advanced Ultium battery technology, which is scalable to packs as large as 200-kWh. According to the April press release, Chevy claims it will offer a GM-estimated range of more than 400 miles on a single charge. Of course, real-world numbers will be variable, especially under load during tasks like towing or hauling. Still, it's an impressive number for a vehicle of its size.
Cutting-Edge Tech
The GMC Hummer EV also gives us an idea of the type of tech we might see in the Silverado EV, like a 12.3" high-resolution Driver Information Center Display and a configurable 13.4" HD touchscreen infotainment. In addition, we expect the Silverado EV to include GM's innovative Super Cruise technology, at least as an available option. Super Cruise boasts the industry's first truly hands-free semi-autonomous driving assistance technology. It uses Driver Attention System to ensure the driver's gaze isn't averted from the road for too long, but as long as the driver is looking forward, Super Cruise can drive autonomously almost indefinitely. It can even change lanes automatically by just activating the turn signal.
Unfortunately, this is all we know or can guess regarding the Silverado EV, but it's certainly enough to get us excited for what the future has in store. And we'll be certain to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Test-drive a new Chevy Silverado near Washington DC and Arlington VA
An electric version may still be a couple of years away, but you can get behind the wheel of a capable and versatile Chevy Silverado right now at Ourisman Chevrolet. Get in touch with us today for more information about available Silverado configurations and financing offers. And if you'd like to try one for yourself, we welcome you to visit us here in Marlow Heights, MD, for a test drive. We would love to give you a tour.