Of course, if you’re familiar with electric vehicles (EVs), this headline comes as no surprise. Considering that the Chevrolet Silverado EV requires a whopping 205-kWh battery to move around, it simply makes sense to see its range figures double and, in some cases, even triple that of other types of EVs on the road. But, it’s always nice to have a sense of perspective on it all. Just how larger than life is GM’s full-size electric pickup truck? Well, when it’s not even fully charged, it’ll offer you way more range than you actually need. I discovered this myself this morning when I drove the Silverado EV home for the first time.
2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV
- Model
-
Silverado EV
- Engine
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Dual Electric motors
- Transmission
-
Single Speed
- Horsepower
-
510-754 hp
- Torque
-
615-785 LB-FT
- Driveline
-
4WD
- Towing Capacity
-
up to 12,500 pounds
- 0-60 MPH
-
5.0 seconds
- Top Speed
-
114 MPH
Review
2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV Brings An Iconic American Nameplate Into A Whole New Era
The Silverado EV may be late to the game, but, on paper, it has everything to convince even the most skeptical electric truck buyer.
A 63-Percent Battery Corresponded To 264 Miles Of Cold-Weather Range
I’m happy to be back behind the wheel of the Silverado EV because I had only driven it during its launch event in Detroit last spring. Since these events are usually quick and controlled by the automaker, I always try to rebook a press unit down the line, so I can live with it for an entire week in my neck of the woods. This is more important for EVs since it gives me time to perform actual range and charging tests, especially during consistently cold winter weather like what we’ve got up here in Quebec this time of the year.
When I picked up the Silverado EV from the GM Canada press office, the outside temperature indicated 18 degrees Fahrenheit (or -8 degrees Celsius). Its onboard computer said it had a 63-percent charge, equating, as per the vehicle’s estimates, to a real-world range figure of 264 miles (425 km). Now that’s a comparable figure to what you’ll get from popular EVs charged at 100-percent; models like the Hyundai IONIQ 5 or Chevrolet Equinox EV. But in optimal conditions. In similar cold climate conditions as these, rather, those EVs will most likely display a range figure that’s along the lines of 200 miles. How do I know this? Let’s just say I’ve been cold-weather testing a wide range of different EVs for quite some time now.
Related
Why The Silverado EV’s Rear Charge Port Could Be Problematic For Charging With A Trailer
Unless you use the latest pull-through public chargers, good luck with that rear charge port.
In other words, the Silverado EV offers a heck of a lot of range out of the box. When fully charged, the EPA gives it an impressive 450 miles (724 km) figure, in optimal conditions once again. Still, that’s double what a Volkswagen ID.4 will offer. Of course, the Silverado EV needs a lot of battery and a lot of range to do truck things, like towing and payload, both of which are rated at 10,000 and 1,500 pounds, respectively. Still, that’s a hell of a lot of range from a single charge.
But There’s A Catch To That Predicted Range Figure
That all being said, the Silverado EV’s predictions didn’t exactly reflect what it did in the real world. Now, I’m well aware that we must always take an EV’s predicted range with a grain of salt. It’s really just an estimate based on a myriad of different factors, such as the battery’s state of health, ambient temperature, the accessories being used and driving behavior.
But, again, based on my experience reviewing EVs over time, I’ve noticed that some models do a better job of predicting the actual range figure you’re going to get, even in the cold. The Mercedes EQ line of EVs, models like the EQE sedan or EQB crossover, actually do a very good job at that, even if, on paper, their official range figures are somewhat disappointing.
So, while the Silverado EV said that I was good for 264 miles, once I got home, which is 93 miles (150 km) from where I picked up the truck (mostly highway driving), the onboard computer indicated that I only had 119 miles (192 km) of range left. In other words, its range predictions were off by 52 miles (84 km). I’ll obviously need to do more than that to come out of this test with a full, clear picture of what this electric rig can actually do. I plan on charging it on both my level 2 home charging unit after deep-freezing it, and on a DC fast-charger that can hit the magical 350-kW mark GM rates these things at. I’ll be back here soon with a more thorough, full-week winter EV review.
