At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, there was a lot of talk about Chevrolet's first electric pickup truck, the Silverado. Though it’s only coming for 2024, we can't wait to put the model to the test and see, for example, what kind of range such an EV can deliver with different loads hitched to the back.
Currently, range for the future model is announced at close to 600 km unladen, but it's clear that it will be much less with a significant weight behind.
When the all-electric Silverado 1500 debuts, it will be sold alongside the gas-powered equivalent, of course, and also the ultra-rugged HD variants. With those trucks, towing and load capacities are far superior, as is the output of the engines that make it all possible.
So what about electrification for these models? AT CES, General Motors (GM) actually slipped in a discrete announcement regarding those. The automaker aims to begin offering the first all-electric HD trucks starting in 2035, which is five years before the company's target for going 100 percent electric.
The 2035 target that gives the company time to prepare, as well as the years required to continue developing the technology required. In some cases, the towing capacity of current HD models exceeds 35,000 lb; it's going to take a very powerful electric powertrain to deliver a decent range with that much cargo attached to an EV’s rear end.
Clearly, the challenge of developing capable HD trucks running purely on electricity is a daunting one.
Here’s what GM CEO Mary Barra had to say at CES regarding the company’s HD models:
“As previously announced, our plan is for all new light vehicles to be electric by 2035. And today, I'm pleased to announce that we will introduce ultra-rugged all-electric vehicles on the same timeline.”
- GM CEO Mary Barra
The GM boss also noted that the automaker’s electric HD trucks will be geared toward hauling and towing while providing sufficient range. As mentioned, the years between now and 2035 will be needed to develop the technologies. But at the rate innovations are sprouting in the field of electric mobility, they should be enough.