2024 Chevy Silverado EV

It's tempting to think of the Silverado EV as a less costly Hummer, but the reality is that the vehicles are significantly different. The Chevy sits on a longer wheelbase and is significantly narrower, and the cab sizes are different. The two models share underlying powertrain bits and Ultium battery tech, but they look and drive like distinctly different products for different buyers — because they are.

While a lesser-equipped, shorter-range model is still promised, the Silverado WT range launches in a single highline trim: 4WT. This 4WT has a base price of $79,800 (including destination). Chevy says the Silverado EV lineup will expand soon to include a cheaper WT variant with 350 miles of range for $74,800.

If you aren't interested in a WT, the only version you'll be able to get into this year will be the RST First Edition, and it's considerably more expensive. Chevrolet is taking the same approach to the Silverado EV as GMC did with the Hummer EV — roll out the fully loaded model first, then follow up with more pedestrian models later on. The loaded-up RST will have four-wheel steering, an air suspension, a fold-down midgate, a multi-function tailgate and other features that the WT lacks.

The price tag for this decked-out Chevy with an estimated 400-plus miles of range is an eye-watering $106,895. An off-road-themed Trail Boss is also pegged to arrive in 2024 as Chevy builds out its Silverado EV lineup.

Even on this WT, Chevy says that the dual-motor powertrain is rated at a healthy 510 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque — significantly more than what you can get in Ford's fleet-minded F-150 Lightning Pro pickup.

The RST First Edition promises 754 horsepower and more than 785 lb-ft of torque when using the Wide Open Watts launch control mode. That's an impressive amount of thrust — and nearly 200 hp more powerful than the Ford F-150 Lightning's most potent battery option.

GM recently announced that it will adopt Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) hardware beginning in 2025, enabling access to the Silicon Valley automaker's expansive Supercharger network. For now, however, the truck will come with a Combined Charging Standard (CCS) plug.

On the other hand, the Silverado EV's exportable power feature — the ability to use the truck's battery pack to power other things — is impressive. Like Ford's Lightning, this truck's mix of 110- and 240-volt outlets can provide up to 7.2kW of power for anything from job-site construction equipment to camping gear (say goodbye to generators!). An optional accessory Power Bar feature plugs directly into the charging port to provide a further 3 kW of power, for a total of 10.2 kW. A vehicle-to-vehicle power cable will also be available, enabling the WT to charge other EVs.

The Silverado EV WT's swift acceleration belies its continental bulk, accelerating from a standstill to 60 mph in under 6 seconds according to company representatives. Edmunds' own informal stopwatch tests at the drive event suggest the automaker's estimate is accurate. GM claims this truck weighs in at around 8,500 pounds with no options — that's around 1,600 pounds more than Edmunds long-term Ford F-150 Lightning.

At the WT's Michigan launch event, GM let us try our hand at towing a flatbed trailer loaded with a John Deere tractor. Total weight for our load was around 8,900 pounds, taking up the majority of the truck's 10,000-pound towing maximum. As soon as the trailer's wiring harness was plugged in, the total available range shown in the cluster roughly halved. GM engineers explained that this slightly conservative remaining-distance calculation can move up or down as you travel, depending on conditions and observed accelerator usage.

Either way, this Detroit-built WT tows nicely, accelerating smartly and braking confidently, even in single-pedal mode. In fact, using the latter in its high-regen setting was preferable in our testing because it made for smoother stops while also saving brake-component wear and tear on both the truck and trailer.

Outward visibility is not so great because of thick roof pillars and bulky rear headrests, although a low hood height improves your view out of the front slightly.

The Silverado EV benefits from a smartly calibrated, user-selectable one-pedal drive mode. This energy-recuperating setting is available in two strengths. We found it easy to get used to its higher setting, which offered predictable and pleasing rates of deceleration, such that touching the brake pedal is rarely necessary — even when towing. This brake-wear-saving function can also be fully turned off.

In typical work-truck fashion, there are plenty of cup- and bottle-holders on the center console and doors, but they're also a bit cheap-feeling and smaller cans and bottles will rattle around. The rear seating area is massive, with generous head- and legroom, including room for three full-size adults. Unfortunately, the rear accommodations lack a fold-down center armrest, and while there are air vents, there is no separate temperature control.

This introductory WT model features heated, manually adjustable front cloth seats clad in hard-wearing fabric, and as you'd expect, there's plenty of basic black plastic on the dash and doors.

In terms of advanced safety tech, the WT launches with a wealth of standard features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, and even 360-degree camera coverage, a boon when towing or parking in tight spots. Frankly, this is an unexpected amount of standard equipment, but GM says its early fleet customers demanded high levels of safety equipment and at least 400 miles of range — both of which go a long way toward explaining why the Silverado WT's base price is so high at launch. We expect future WT models to be available with significantly less standard equipment to enable friendlier pricing.