A Chevy Silverado HD ZR2 is coming
Chevy expanded the popular off-roading ZR2 trim from the Colorado to the Silverado 1500 with the Silverado 1500 ZR2. Chevy confirmed there will be a Silverado HD ZR2. It will arrive later in the model year.
Details are scarce besides the teaser showing a similar grille and flow tie to the other models. We would expect the
off-road performance upgrades to be similar as well.
The Silverado HD receives some upgrades under the hood
The Allison 10-speed automatic transmission is now standard with the 6.6-liter gas and diesel V8 engines. The diesel receives more power [470 horsepower, up from 445 hp] and torque [970 lb-ft, up from 910 lb-ft]. Chevy also said it enhanced low-end torque on the diesel engine by 25%.
The new Silverado HD made similar exterior and interior changes to the Silverado 1500
Like the Silverado 1500, the Silverado HD receives some exterior tweaks like a new front fascia, new grille [which seems to be toned down a bit] and new LED headlamps. In a nod to off-roading, tow hooks now come standard.
And as with the Silverado 1500, Chevy is upgrading the interior on the LT trim and above with new tech [13.4-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument display, new center console with a wireless charger] and luxury [leather-wrapped surfaces, real wood accents].
The Silverado HD packs new towing tech
The Silverado HD gets GM’s new Adaptive Cruise with Trailer, which allows the adaptive cruise control to factor in the trailer while towing. Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert extends the blind zone alert to factor in the trailer. The Silverado HD also features a GCW alert that warns the driver if the truck and trailer exceed the vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight rating.
2024 Silverado HD production will begin next year
Chevy will debut the 2024 Silverado HD at the Texas State Fair on Sept. 29. Production for the new truck will begin during Q1 2023. Chevy says it will provide pricing at a later date.
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First out of the gate will be the Silverado EV Work Truck [WT], in the spring of 2023. Chevrolet says that, actually, only the version of the WT with the larger battery affording 400 miles of driving range will go on sale then. Later, a sub-400-mile Silverado EV WT that is promised to be the price leader of the lineup—ringing in at $41,595, per Chevy—will arrive.
It isn't yet clear whether the cheapest Silverado EV WT will land before or after the Silverado EV RST models arrive in by fall 2023. The RST trim is the nicer, more mainstream [read: less basic] Silverado EV variant aimed at regular consumers. It will not be available for $41,595, we can assure you. The RST First Edition, a limited-run, highly optioned Silverado EV celebrating the truck's arrival, is likely to go up against the pricier versions of Ford's F-150 Lightning EV pickup.
Finally, we've yet to hear about other potential Silverado EV variants beyond the off-road Trail Boss; we don't yet know when the Trail Boss will arrive, though based on Chevy's imagery of a seemingly production-ready Silverado EV Trail Boss running around the desert and rock crawling, it might not be far behind the WT and RST versions.
Overview
Although it shares its electric powertrain with the brash GMC Hummer EV, the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV resembles a more classic take on the electric pickup truck. An available midgate design allows users to fold down the wall between the bed and the cab for additional storage space, a feature that some may find reminiscent of the now-discontinued Avalanche pickup truck from the early 2000s. A large battery pack is said to provide up to 400 miles of range per charge and DC fast-charging tech can juice the battery with 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes. Dual electric motors provide standard all-wheel drive and up to 664-hp, and the Silverado EV will be capable of towing up to 10,000 pounds and hauling up to 1300 pounds of payload. Chevrolet hasn't released full specs and information about the pickup, but has said it will build it in Michigan at the same plant that will build Hummers. When it goes on sale, the Silverado EV will face stiff competition from the Ford F-150 Lightning as well as upstart offerings such as the Rivian R1T and the Tesla Cybertruck.
What's New for 2024?
The Silverado EV will be new to the Chevrolet lineup and is expected to debut as a 2024 model and go on sale sometime in 2023.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
WT
$42,000 [est]
LT
$50,000 [est]
LTZ
$75,000 [est]
Trail Boss
$85,000 [est]
High Country
$90,000 [est]
RST
$107,000 [est]
At launch, the Silverado EV will be offered in price-leader Work Truck [WT] guise as well as in off-road Trail Boss and loaded RST trims, but Chevy says mid-range trims will be added later to round-out the lineup. The WT model will sell for $39,900 before destination, but lacks many of the truck's coolest features. Instead, we'd aim high for the Trail Boss or RST or wait for a nicely-equipped mid-range trim to become available.
EV Motor, Power, and Performance
Unlike the Hummer EV, which comes with up to three electric motors, the Silverado EV will be powered by two. The setup should still provide robust acceleration performance and, in the top-spec RST, Chevrolet claims a horsepower rating of at least 664 hp; the base WT trim makes do with 510 hp. All-wheel drive is standard as is a four-wheel steering system. Buyers of the RST model will find that their truck comes with an adaptive air suspension; a set of huge, cool-looking 24-inch wheels is optional. The Trail Boss model will likely add locking differentials, meaty all-terrain tires, and other adventure-ready items to the Silverado EV's suspension. When we get a chance to test drive the Silverado EV, we'll update this story with driving impressions.
Towing and Payload Capacity
At launch, the Silverado EV's maximum towing capacity will be 10,000 pounds for the RST model and 8000 pounds for the WT. Chevrolet said that a model with a 20,000-poiund towing capacity will eventually join the lineup.
Range, Charging, and Battery Life
The Silverado EV will utilize General Motor's novel Ultium battery technology, which can be scaled up to create a battery pack as large as 200-kWh. Chevrolet claims this will give the Silverado EV a driving range of up to 400 miles per charge. Obviously, real-world range will vary, especially when towing, a task that the Silverado EV should be able to handle with relative ease. DC fast charging capability will be standard, and Chevrolet claims that 100 miles of range can be added to the battery in just 10 minutes at a public DC charging station.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
We were able to get a peek inside the loaded RST model and were impressed with what we saw. That truck featured a fixed glass roof, black-and-white two-tone leather upholstery with red piping, and about the same passenger space as a regular Silverado crew cab pickup truck. Rather than a console-mounted shifter, Chevrolet's designers have opted for a column mounted stalk, which creates space for a massive storage bin between the dashboard and middle armrest.
Infotainment and Connectivity
All models will come with a mostly digital dashboard, with both an 11.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and an 8.0-inch digital gauge display coming as standard. Upgrading to the top-level RST unlocks an even larger 17.0-inch infotainment screen and an 11.0-inch gauge display. Both systems are reconfigurable to the driver's preferences but, thankfully, climate controls remain simple analog knobs mounted in a slim panel on the lower part of the dashboard for easy access. Chevrolet hasn't released all the information yet for the Silverado EV's infotainment system, but we expect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to be standard, with in-dash navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an on-board Wi-Fi hotspot also being part of the package.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Chevrolet hasn't disclosed information on all of the Silverado EV's standard driver-assistance features, but we're told the brand's handsfree Super Cruise system will be offered, at least on the high end RST trim. For more information about the Silverado EV's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety [IIHS] websites. Key safety features are likely to include:
- Standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Available lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode
As more information becomes available, we'll update this story with more details about:
- Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe
- Warranty and Maintenance Coverage