The Chevrolet Silverado electric pick-up truck will offer a 640km (400-mile) range when it launches in the coming years.
That’s the word according to GM president and former Holden boss Mark Reuss, who has revealed that the US auto giant’s rival for the Ford F-150 Electric, Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T will be built at its Factory Zero facility in Detroit.
First announced in early 2019, GM’s electric pick-up truck push begins this year with the GMC Hummer ute, but no timelines were provided by GM for the Chevrolet Silverado EV.
However, a report from the Reuters news agency insists production of the silent Silverado will commence late in 2022 at its new EV-only Detroit-Hamtramck plant, dubbed Factory Zero.
The electric vehicle factory is part of a $US2.2 billion ($A2.9bn) project to build a range of new EVs, starting with GMC Hummer models later this year, followed by the Silverado and potentially electric Cadillac SUVs as well.
The new Silverado EV is expected to be based on the same Ultium platform architecture as the GMC Hummer pick-up and the just-revealed SUV version.
No details on towing or cargo capacities for the new Silverado EV have been revealed, but the GMC Hummer EV can generate 746kW and is believed to produce around 1400Nm from its triple motor set-up.
Expect to see some very rapid 0-100km/h times from the new Chevy Silverado too, which is expected to match the four-motor Rivian R1T’s acceleration time of around three seconds.
The design of a futuristic Silverado ute was published on GM’s social media channels recently, hinting at how the high-output truck could look.
And given the Chevrolet Silverado is already sold through GMSV dealers around Australia and New Zealand, the EV version could also be on the cards.
GM CEO Mary Barra previously stated that the company will be an innovator and a leader in the electric vehicle space – which includes its pick-up truck range.
“GM has an industry-leading truck franchise and industry-leading electrification capabilities,” she said.
“I assure you we will not cede our leadership on either front. We intend to create an all-electric future that includes a complete range of EVs, including full-size pick-ups.”