2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck eases transition from gas to EV

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Is Chevrolet finally ready to commit to electrifying its lineup? After taking away the Chevy EV1, Volt, and most recently the Bolt EV and EUV, the company seems to have some big plans in store, and that includes the 2024 Equinox EV and Blazer EV, as well as investing $4 billion to retool Orion Assembly to build the Silverado EV on the Ultium platform.

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All new vehicles are important — and GMC has already released the electric Hummer and Cadillac’s Lyriq is a success — but Chevrolet is a pickup truck company first, and an SUV company second. That means there’s a helluva lot riding on the Silverado EV.

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, I recently drove the Silverado EV, specifically the Work Truck (WT) trim because that’s what the brand is leading with for its U.S. debut. It’s a lower trim and will primarily be a fleet truck that starts at US$77,905, with a lower-range variant coming in at US$72,905. North of the border, we’ll be getting the RST First Edition sometime this calendar year, while the WT, as well as a Trail Boss trim, will arrive in 2024.

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You might be wondering why Chevrolet is launching with a trim that very few non-businesses will buy? It’s simple: volume, volume, volume. Chevy says currently 350 fleet customers have collectively made 185,000 reservations for the WT, meaning that’s in demand. The bigger and more interesting question is how many of those reservations will convert to actual sales?

By the numbers

The Chevrolet Silverado EV rides on the e4WD chassis. Chevrolet declined to divulge the battery size within the WT — other than saying it has a 24 module battery — but we do have a few other details, such as 510 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque. The overall weight of the truck is a little over 8,000 pounds. In comparison, the Silverado ZR2 comes in under 5,620 pounds — but it’s the battery that’s adding so much weight to this EV.

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As its name suggests, the Work Truck trim will be primarily be used for, well, work — at job sites, for towing and hauling, and in the trades industry. There’s a 5-foot-11 bed and towing capacity maxes out at 10,000 pounds, with payload sitting at 1,400 pounds — both impressive figures.

With up to 724 km (450 miles) of range, it should quell any sort of range anxiety. Plugged into a 350 kW DC fast charger, Chevy says 160 km (100 miles) should be returned in 10 minutes, so you can imagine that getting to the coveted 80 per cent charge point is fairly quick. (Note: GM will equip its EVs with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard connector beginning in 2025.) No info was given on how long a Level 2 charge will take.

There’s 10.2 kW of on-board power that is accessed through a number of power outlets on and inside the truck. Chevy says it can even power a house for a day, maybe even a few. During the first drive event, there were two food trucks being powered by the Silverado EV, one at 110V and one at 220V.

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Circling back to that battery size in the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV WT, Detective Kana has brought in the Hummer EV as an accomplice to help solve this week’s episode of:

What size is the battery?

Here’s what we know:

Given that there are many similarities between the Hummer EV’s battery and the undisclosed Silverado EV battery, and factoring in the above mentioned range, charging and weight, I’m confident Chevrolet is using the Hummer EV battery, clocking in at 246 kWh, of which 212 kWh are usable.

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How does it look?

There’s not much you can do to spice up the exterior design of a pickup truck but Chevy has added three key pieces to increase efficiency and reduce drag.

The WT trim has plenty of durable black plastic cladding because function comes first. The RST trim will have the better aesthetics, as it should.

There’s a power-assisted front-trunk and while it’s not as big as the Ford F-150 Lightning frunk, there’s still a decent amount of cargo space along with power outlets. The RST will have a fully powered frunk lid/hood opening — note that taller people may knock their noggin on the hood latch as the opening isn’t all that high.

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Interior features in the Chevy Silverado EV

Inside the WT, there are scores of black plastics on the touch points. The digital instrument cluster has a variety of views, with the ever-important range figure being on the bottom left, always in sight. An 11-inch infotainment screen has crisp graphics and is simple to navigate. There’s a massive storage bin below the dial and button-based HVAC system, and loads of space inside the centre console. There are two separate screens, as opposed to the larger one-panel setup in higher GM trims.

It has surprisingly comfortable seats, which are puzzlingly only four-way adjustable but you do get a powered tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Call me crazy, but I’d much prefer the opposite — powered seats and a manually adjustable steering wheel. With the skateboard-based battery pack laying flat, there’s cavernous space in the rear seats. Even with the front seats all the way back, there’s so much rear leg room.

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There’s no sunroof in the WT, but the RST will include a fixed panoramic sunroof and a host of higher quality materials and touch points.

The Drive

To start the Silverado EV, simply sit in the driver’s seat, press the brake pedal, and you’re set to go. There’s no weight sensor in the seat — as long as you’ve got the key fob, you can go. And to power down the truck, put it in park and get out.

The Silverado EV offers three levels of regenerative braking controlled via a tiny button at the top of the infotainment screen. There’s “regular” driving that features a slight tug when releasing the accelerator and it brings back minimal charge. Then, there are two levels of one-pedal driving: “On” and “High” — each does pretty much what you’d expect it to do.

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Acceleration is respectable; don’t expect an excessively quick burst from a standstill as it weighs over 8,000 pounds. There’s still a brisk forward motion, however, and the high torque levels mean that towing becomes much easier at slower speeds, turning included.

Speaking of towing, when you hit the tow/haul button to the left of the steering wheel, range instantly goes down. Chevy engineers said the truck has been configured to a default tow weight of 5,000 pounds — halfway to its maximum capacity — upon pushing the button. As you drive, the truck will determine the actual weight and adjust the range accordingly.

For a lower trim, the ride quality is surprisingly high, notably the minimal amount of road noise. Yes, EVs are generally quiet on the road, but this Work Truck was exceptionally quiet.

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Chevy set up three drive routes to test the EV: a tow route, a highway route, and a dirt road route. All three scenarios were easily handled by the Silverado EV WT, with a strong planted feeling around turns, thanks to that massive 24 module battery. The coil suspension system adds to a surprisingly comfortable ride at low and high speeds. The only thing I’d like added to this WT is a height adjustable driver’s seat as I couldn’t see the edge of the hood

Final thoughts

I drove a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado gasoline truck to this first-drive event and can confirm both the EV and ICE have that big truck feel on the road. It proves that Chevy isn’t simply throwing a battery in a truck; they’ve purposefully designed this EV to keep the drive feel similar to what Chevy truck owners are used to.

The company proudly says, “The 2024 Silverado EV is a pickup truck that happens to be electric.”

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV is impressive, and the Work Truck debut proves Chevy’s first electric truck has what it takes to be a success. It performs well and could indeed give the Ford F-150 Lightning something to worry about.