2024 Chevy Silverado EV revealed: 664 hp — and Midgate's back

The 2024 Chevy Silverado EV is now here, and the electric pickup truck wars can truly get under way. It should be an interesting battle, since Chevy has gone a very different route than its archrival Ford did with the F-150 Lightning. Instead of heavily modifying the internal-combustion truck's platform, the Silverado EV is built on the same platform as the GMC Hummer EV, which has resulted in a vehicle that is completely different from its namesake.

Obviously the styling is the first thing that's noticeably different. While the wheelbase and overall length are similar to the four-door gas- and diesel-powered Silverados, the proportions are significantly altered. Without a powertrain up front, engineers were able to move the cowl forward and significantly increase interior space. The cab has Hummer-like rear pillars, too, so the whole middle section looks, and actually is, much bigger than the traditional truck. The changes up front don't end with the forward-shifted cab. There's of course no obvious grille because the EV doesn't need the airflow, and the resulting design is far more subtle and refined than the gas truck's. The hood has been lowered, too, both for improved forward visibility and aerodynamics.

• RELATED: 2024 Chevy Silverado EV vs. 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | How do they compare?

The new shape provides some interesting new cargo and interior benefits. Like many electric vehicles, the Silverado EV features a front trunk with an available power-opening lid. Exact dimensions haven't been given, but Chevy says it fits three suitcases. The cabin is enormous, and it features a unique design separate from the internal-combustion models. Two kinds of infotainment screen will be offered. On the RST for regular customers, it has a special 17-inch touchscreen that's shaped to fit its enclosure. On the fleet-only Work Truck (or WT for short), it's a conventional rectangular screen. The bed length is 71 inches, just a bit longer than the short bed on the quad-cab Silverado. It's the only bed length available, but if you need additional length, Chevy has revived the Midgate from the old Avalanche. It's improved, too, as not only does the rear glass and body section fold down, but the lower section behind the seats is split 60/40. That means you can retain a bit of passenger-carrying capability while also loading up long items. It's not included on the initial WT models. Furthermore, Chevy will offer the Multi-Flex tailgate with integrated step.

Underneath this fresh bod are a couple of powertrains. Chevy will offer only two variants to begin with, with more trims and powertrain combinations to come in the following 2025 model year. The Silverado EV WT will have dual electric motors and four-wheel drive. Power is 510 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque. The sole option for private customers for the 2024 model year will be the RST, which also gets two motors, but makes 664 horsepower and 780 pound-feet of torque when put into the the sport mode called Wide Open Watts (WOW). Chevy says this version should be able to reach 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds.

Both models will have the same size battery pack, offering an estimated 400 miles of range. The battery pack supports up to 350-kW DC fast charging, and Chevy has added plenty of outlets to extract that electricity. Maximum outlet power is 10.2 kW (optionally available), and a 240-volt outlet is available for high-power tools and appliances. Towing capacity is rated at 8,000 pounds and payload at 1,200 pounds on the WT, and the RST can be rated for 10,000 pounds and 1,300 pounds respectively. Chevy intends to eventually offer a model with 20,000 pounds of towing.

For comparison, the F-150 Lightning is rated at 10,000 pounds for towing and payload between 1,800 and 2,000 pounds depending on battery. But no Lightning variant can offer 400 miles of range. The Lightning's maximum fast charging is 150 kW, and maximum outlet power is 9.6 kW.

The Silverado EV will also have some other interesting mechanical features. Like the Hummer EV, it has fully independent coil-spring suspension standard, with adaptive air suspension available. The air suspension will be standard on the first-year RST, and it has 2 inches of ride height adjustment. Four-wheel steering is included on both introductory models, too. Super Cruise with automatic lane-changing and towing ability is on offer, and the Silverado EV doesn't have a start button. Simply have your phone set as your key or bring the keycard, and the truck automatically turns on and is ready to drive.

So what does the Silverado EV cost? Well, that's the complicated part. Chevy doesn't share pricing for its fleet vehicles, so there's no price on the WT for now. As for the RST, well, it's a fully-loaded trim for 2024 and the only one for the year. It comes with a similarly fully-loaded price of $105,000 not including destination. Now, before that scares you away, note that there are far more trims and powertrain options coming for 2025. Chevy says that the base private customer-spec WT will start at $39,900, not including destination. That will also come with a smaller battery pack that will become available for 2025. So, yes, the Silverado EV will be seriously pricey to start, but affordable versions are on the way, even a Trail Boss variant.

Trucks for the first model year will go into production in spring 2023. Those will be the WT fleet trucks. In fall 2023, the RST models will start production. And look for the 2025 models sometime in 2024. Reservations for the first trucks will open at 1 p.m. Eastern today.

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