DearWorkingTruck Chevrolet 2024. The Silverado EV WT 2024 with a range of 450 miles costs $78,000.

This $77,905 truck seeks to redefine the concept of a work truck.

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV is a work truck. Aside from the Ultima EV’s impressive powertrain, there is nothing special about this truck. The seats are manually adjustable, and the LCD control screen has large and small bezels. Everything from the dashboard to the seats and wheel arches are gray. There are no chrome accents or autopilot features. Everything about the Silverado Electric WT is simple except the price and range ($77,905, 450 miles on a single charge).

In other words, it’s perfect. The Chevrolet Work Truck package is designed for customers who believe that less is better.

Chevrolet has long offered the Work Truck package as an option for pickup trucks. This package is designed for people who want to get the job done without having to buy extras. Buyers say Chevrolet only requires an electric drivetrain, two or three seats and a 5-foot-11-inch bed with such a pickup. That’s what many people prefer.

Before testing the truck, the greatest concern of the experts was its towing capacity (more on that later). However, the inspectors were reassured, finding all other aspects strong and adequate. It is easy to drive, has sufficient power and reliable suspension. The interior of the truck is practical and simple.

The starting price of $77,905 with significant interior equipment may be too high for some. By comparison, a similarly equipped Chevrolet V8 mainstay starts at $49,000. In contrast, the price of Ford’s EV version starts at $59,000, but its platform and range are smaller than the Chevrolet’s.

On the move

Our experts recently drove a Silverado EV WT on a tree-lined road in lower Michigan. This vehicle is heavy. You can feel it by the body rocking and the roll in corners. The large battery pack is located under the passenger compartment. The center of gravity of the battery pack is lower than in a conventional pickup with an internal combustion engine. This improves ride and handling compared to conventional pickups, which often wobble and slide when not loaded.

The driver throws it into a curve and the truck stays relatively flat. The truck stays in place at traffic circles and highway exits. Even when the accelerator pedal is depressed, the Silverado EV doesn’t get up on its rear wheels or crouch, but stands flat. The long, wide battery distributes the truck’s weight evenly, making it more stable than a conventional pickup.

It’s worth noting that the rear suspension on the Silverado Electric is coil springs rather than leaf springs. This type of suspension usually provides excellent handling both on and off-road, which is what has been achieved on the Silverado. GM and Ford have historically used leaf springs, although leaf springs have also been used in Ram trucks and, more recently, in Toyota trucks. At least in gasoline-powered trucks.

The Silverado electric car is fast enough, but it can’t beat the Lightning or Cybertruck (not yet in production) in the towing competition; despite 615 lb-ft of torque and 510 hp, this truck won’t come off the assembly line. As for speed, the upcoming Silverado EV RST will be even better. Chevrolet has previously stated that the RST version will have 780 lb-ft of torque and 665 hp and will accelerate to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in a mode called WOW (Wide Open Watt).

Introduction to the shrinkage process

What sets this vehicle apart from its gasoline counterparts is its towing capability: the Chevrolet Silverado EV Workhorse 2024 has a towing capacity of 10,000 pounds, which is comparable to other gasoline-powered light-duty pickups.

Tests on towing a 6,000-pound trailer with this vehicle showed that the pickup has a significant advantage over light trucks with internal combustion engines. At high speeds, the pickup easily towed the trailer. However, at low speeds, such as when reversing in confined spaces, the electric motor’s instant torque made it easier to maneuver the electric vehicle. Anyone who regularly tows a trailer will be surprised at how pleasant the lightweight pickup feels when maneuvering at low speeds (more on towing later).

There is one disadvantage. When an electric vehicle is towed, the range is severely reduced. Chevrolet estimates that towing a 5,000-pound load reduces range by 50%. When the driver attaches a trailer or switches to tow mode, the battery level on the dashboard automatically decreases by 50 percent and adjusts immediately to reflect actual conditions; when towing less than 5,000 pounds, the battery may charge slower than expected.

Accurate range estimates were obtained in a short towing test. Chevrolet provided a large John Deere tractor and two-axle trailer. The truck with a load on the rear was significantly slower to start. When the pedals were depressed, the truck accelerated quickly with no problems.

During the test, it was easy to drive the truck and trailer on a two-lane farm road. The trailer moved smoothly and at about the same speed as the other passenger vans. Because of the added weight of the trailer, the truck rocked and swayed, but less than a gasoline-powered truck. The truck then suffered in the parking lot.

Towing the trailer in reverse requires careful balancing of the throttle control. If too much power is applied, the trailer will quickly go off course. Too little power and the trailer won’t budge at all. Modern pickups often rely on a turbocharger to help the engine. With turbochargers, most of the power is only available at high engine speeds, making them of little use when maneuvering the trailer at low speeds. This is not the case with electric vehicles. Electric motors can deliver significant torque instantly.

According to experts, the lightweight pickup moves the trailer the same way the Silverado EV WT does. Driving a fully loaded trailer in reverse is no problem at all. The truck moves the heavy trailer just as smoothly as a heavy pickup truck, whether it’s moving at 5 or 50 mph.

Trailers often go through a series of short maneuvers, often resulting in cold sweats and perspiration. This truck is a different story. The electric transmission makes reversing the trailer easy and effortless.

Towing may be a reason for some owners of internal combustion engine trucks to switch to electric vehicles. Some car owners who tow their campervans to remote locations may laugh at the range of electric vehicles. The range of electric vehicles has dropped from 450 miles to 225 miles. However, for stationary truck owners, such as gardeners and municipal employees, a range of 225 miles with a trailer may be more than enough.

Inside the Truck

The interior is boring and monotonous. The features are gray. The seats are gray. The carpets are gray. Everything is made of plastic. Chevrolet’s engineer puts it this way: “The designers chose materials that reflect the way the truck is used. That means they used cheap, durable materials. They get the job done and look easy to clean.”

The truck is equipped with two screens, just like the more expensive Silverado EV. The screen on the work truck has the same content, but is smaller. The driver’s display is customizable and has several modes, depending on the amount of information the driver needs. There are multimedia and navigation controls on the center screen. Fortunately, the climate control is a physical button at the bottom of the screen.

Buyers who want heated seats, a sunroof and advanced driver assistance features are advised to skip this hp trim and wait for the Silverado EV.

Since there is no gasoline engine up front, Chevrolet engineers have expanded the interior and moved the dashboard and front seats forward. For those who have tried the rear seats, the increase in space is obvious and appreciated. In passenger pickups, there has always been plenty of leg room in the back seat, but in the Silverado Electric, there is only leg room.

Seats in work truck sets are manually adjusted and have limited adjustment options. Passengers can only move the seat and recline the backrest, but not adjust the height or lumbar support. Nevertheless, the driver’s seat is a commanding seat with good visibility and headroom.

There is plenty of storage space in this truck. There is a lockable waterproof compartment in the front and the rear seat folds down for further interior storage. The cargo area is 5 feet 11 inches high. That’s 11 inches taller than the Ford Lightning and 17 inches taller than the Rivian R1T. On taller Silverado models, the panel between the bed and bulkhead can be removed to increase space (think of old Chevrolet trucks).

Power outlets are located on the truck body, with four 120-volt outlets and one 240-volt outlet. Chevrolet has not yet announced the battery size. Chevrolet engineers say the outlets, with an estimated capacity of about 200 kWh, are designed for the high-voltage requirements often found in large saws, water heaters and heaters. The battery is claimed to be capable of powering the house for 21 days.

Conclusion

The Silverado electric work truck is impressive. In many ways this truck is on par with gasoline trucks, but in some ways it is far superior. Once you drive an electric truck, you will feel that gasoline trucks are inferior to it.

High price; starting at $77,950, this is an expensive vehicle that changes the definition of a work truck. To many, a work truck is a cheap and powerful truck. The 100,000 orders for this truck show that many are happy with the price.

Silverado varieties

Later this year, the first version of the RST will be launched, priced at $105,000. This version will feature bigger tires, more power and more comfort, while the Trail Boss off-road model, which will go on sale in late 2024, will offer serious off-road capabilities on an electric platform.

Not all truck drivers can imagine driving anything other than a pickup truck. The Rivian R1T is a great pickup, but it’s too small for the demand. The Ford Lightning is very similar to a pickup, but it needs more range and a longer platform.

This pickup has much better range and practicality than its competitors, but even in a work truck configuration, it may be more expensive than many consumers can afford. The only problem is the price. The Silverado electric pickup is the only pickup worth replacing a gasoline-powered truck with.