TRU CKS & T R AN S P O R TAT I O N | By Curt Bennink
First Look at Chevrolet SILVERADO EV PICKUP TRUCK The vehicle will utilize GM’s Ultium platform to produce an anticipated range of 400 miles on a full charge.
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he 2024 Silverado EV is taking aim at impressive performance numbers, including 10,000 lbs. of maximum trailering capacity, 1,500 lbs. of payload and the ability to provide up to 10.2 kW of off-board power. The pickup, which made its commercial vehicle trade show debut at Work
RST also includes the Advanced Trailering System.
Truck Week 2022, will provide an estimated range of 400 miles on a full charge, and be offered in variants starting with the fleetoriented Work Truck (WT) and the fully loaded RST model. The WT will launch first for fleet customers and offer 510 hp and 615 lbs.-ft. of torque, as well as 8,000 lbs. of towing and 1,200 lbs. of payload. After initial launch, Chevrolet plans to introduce a fleet model with up to 20,000 lbs. max trailering with the max tow package. The RST and WT models will come with Tow/Haul mode, trailer hitch provisions and an integrated trailer brake controller and Hitch Guidance. The
that adapt to a range of the company’s trucks and vehicles. “Standard DC fast-charging capabilities of up to 350 kW enable the Silverado EV to add approximately 100 miles of range in only 10 minutes on public DC fast chargers,” says Nichole Kraatz, chief engineer, Chevrolet Battery Electric Trucks. “Two motors provide power to the available 24-in. wheels on the RST, improving vehicle responsiveness and control. At the push of a button on the RST, Wide Open Watts mode delivers at least 664 hp and... 780 ft.-lbs. of torque at the driver’s disposal, boasting a 0- to 60-mph time of under 4.5 seconds.”
THE ULTIUM PERFORMANCE The Silverado EV harnesses the power of the fast-charging Ultium Platform. The foundation of GM’s EV strategy, this platform features modular battery and drive unit combinations
12 EQU IPMEN T TODAY | April 2022
ABOVE: Chevrolet will offer several variants of the Silverado EV, starting with the Work Truck and followed by the higher-end RST model in late 2023. LEFT: Silverado’s eTrunck is a lockable, weatherproof compartment in the front of the vehicle. It is available with a multitude of accessory options based on the unique needs of the customer. Because engineers didn’t have to work around a traditional propulsion system, a clean slate approach was taken, allowing a new body architecture to be created that efficiently leverages the available 24-module Ultium battery pack as part of the fundamental structure. “This structural design integrates the capabilities Silverado customers have come to expect from a fullsize pickup in terms of strength,
durability and performance while also providing a more comfortable, confident ride both on and off road,” Kraatz states. “Our goal as the design team was to leverage the flexibility of the Ultium platform to deliver a truck that conveys capability and athletic performance,” adds Ryan Vaughan, director of design, Chevrolet full-size truck exteriors. “The front end is sculpted to direct front air down the body
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side, significantly reducing drag and turbulence. The Silverado EV Work Truck is estimated to have one of the lowest drag coefficients of any available production full-size pickup truck, which helps enable our impressive available range.”
DESIGN FREEDOM MEANS NEW POSSIBILITIES “The Ultium platform allows us to imagine new storage and
