Chevrolet Silverado EV teased again with four-wheel steer

Four-wheel steering and 24-inch wheels are the latest features of the new Chevrolet Silverado electrified full-size pick-up to be unveiled ahead of its launch.

As yet unconfirmed for Australia, where the V8 petrol 1500 LTZ has proven a hit since launch in 2020, the Silverado EV is expected to be on sale in America by early 2024.

In the USA it will face up to the Ford F-150 Lightning, the recently confirmed RAM 1500 EV and a slew of newcomers such as the recently delayed Tesla Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T and the GMC Hummer, with which it shares its fundamentals (see below).

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The Silverado was teased last November by General Motors during an EV video seminar hosted by Barclays Bank, when a design study was positioned behind GM’s Aussie-born Chief EV Officer Travis Hester.

The EV Silverado was confirmed by GM president Mark Reuss last April with a range up to 650km.

The Silverado will be built alongside the reborn GMC Hummer electric pick-up and SUV on a newly refurbished Detroit assembly line now known as Factory Zero.

While they will look very different, the Hummer and the Silverado will be based on GM’s new Ultium electric vehicle architecture, meaning a choice of dual- and triple-motor layouts and battery pack capacity up to 200kWh.

The Silverado’s four-wheel steer capability is also shared with the Hummer. It turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front at low speed to tighten the turning circle, as the video issued by Chev showed.

The video also gave us a good look at the new and huge optional 24-inch wheels, which would be the largest ever fitted to a pick-up. GM has hinted 26-inch wheels are coming in the future.

The video also gave us a look at sections of the side of the Silverado, albeit a digital simulation.

However, the video did not make clear whether the Silverado would also get crab walk, which turns the wheels in the same direction at low speeds to allow the vehicle to move diagonally.

It seems certain that not all Silverado EVs will get the same level of features as the Hummer, as GM has promised there will be lower cost models targeted at fleet as well as more luxury models for private buyers.

“What’s especially important is that this truck will be in a high-volume entry, and one of the most popular and competitive segments in the industry,” GM CEO Mary Barra told financial analysts in May when discussing the Silverado EV.  

‘The initial interest has been overwhelming, especially from commercial and government customers,”

“We gave a small number of them a sneak peek at the interior and exterior design. They said it exceeded their high expectations with zero emissions, long range, pickup capability, innovative storage, and strong value, along with a powerful design.”