2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV drives 1705km on a single charge

A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV has beaten the Guinness World Record title for the longest journey by an electric car on a single charge after it drove an incredible 1704.6km.

While it stands as an unofficial marker, it was set using a Chevrolet Silverado EV Max Range Work Truck, with GM saying the record-beating drive was carried out on public roads.

However, it wasn’t a single stint like the official Lucid Air world record that saw the luxurious battery-powered limo travel 1205km on a charge.

Instead, the drive was carried out in one-hour stints with drivers instructed to maintain a painful average speed between 20-25mph (32-40km/h). Drivers were also told to minimise hard braking and harsh acceleration and to keep the climate control system off.

The GM record is in stark contrast to the official Lucid title that drove from St Moritz in Italy to Munich in Germany over mountain passes and even using highways at far higher speeds.

The Silverado EV, which is claimed to be able to travel up to 793km on the EPA test cycle thanks to its massive 205kWh battery, was also lightly modified. Engineers removed the heavy spare wheel, optimised the wheel alignment and added a tonneau cover from the accessories options list for better aerodynamics.

Commenting on the Silverado EV covering almost 1705km on a single charge, GM’s battery, propulsion and sustainability boss Kurt Kelty said: “Getting this kind of range on a full charge doesn’t happen by accident.

“It takes deep integration across battery chemistry, drive unit efficiency, software and vehicle engineering – and that’s exactly what the team delivered. This achievement is a great example of how far our EV technology has come, and the kind of innovation we’re building on every day at GM.”

It’s believed the new record will remain unofficial.

In the past, Walkinshaw Automotive, the company behind Australian factory-backed right-hand drive swaps of the Chevrolet Silverado and RAM 1500, has said the EV version is capable of a local conversion.

However, the Silverado EV only remains under consideration by General Motors Specialty Vehicles, GM’s local outfit, with no concrete plans to bring the zero-emission full-size ute Down Under.

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