A greater pickup than the Lightning?
Pulling as much as the beginning line, I used to be ready to launch. The person standing outdoors my window gave me permission to ground it, so I actually stood on the accelerator pedal with my butt out of the seat when he stated go. I instantly felt my abdomen drop into my toes. Inside an area of seconds, about 4.5 of them to be actual, I switched all my weight (and each ft) to the brake pedal, stopping with an abrupt squeal and a giggle effervescent up from my stomach. Driving a full-size pickup truck isn’t purported to be this a lot enjoyable, however the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST with Extensive Open Watts (WOW) mode engaged delivers as much as 754 horsepower and a heck of plenty of enjoyable.
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2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST
Chevrolet launched the all-electric Silverado EV in 2023, and the primary entry-level WT (Work Truck) variants went on sale on the finish of that 12 months. Now, as we’re midway via 2024, the top-tier RST is hitting the streets with plenty of tech and a $96K beginning value. What’s extra, this electrical pickup has extra vary than every other electrical truck at the moment in manufacturing – by at the very least 30 miles.
At 100% cost in perfect situations, you’re trying 440 miles of vary for the RST trim. Plus, with the usual 350 kW DC quick cost functionality (which is the quickest charging pace within the section), the electrical truck can add as much as 100 miles of vary in 10 minutes.
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As a truck doing truck issues, I’ll say the Silverado RST EV doesn’t have one of the best trailering or payload within the section, however it’s aggressive, with 10,000 kilos of max towing and 1,500 kilos of max payload. That is higher than the Ford F-150 Lightning, however not so good as the Tesla Cybertruck or Rivian R1T.
It additionally has an out there midgate function, which permits the second-row seats to fold flat, rising the mattress ground storage to 10 ft, 10 inches. Talking of the midgate, although it does take a number of steps to function, it’s pretty straightforward to do when you get the grasp of it–I even managed to do it one-handed whereas taking pictures video!
Outdoors of enjoying round with the WOW mode, we had the chance to drive across the Michigan countryside in addition to hit some wide-open freeway stretches throughout our transient take a look at drive. However that was loads of time to get a stable first impression of the truck.
The road drives proved the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST to be each quiet and competent. I observed that for those who hold WOW mode engaged in common driving–not simply once you’re enjoying round with loopy launches–along with preserving all 754 horsepower accessible, the suspension stays decrease. In return, the dealing with felt a little bit floaty. Nevertheless, for those who disengage WOW, the acceleration really feel diminishes, however the truck feels extra planted. So, you possibly can have your cake, however apparently you possibly can’t eat it.
What I discover actually attention-grabbing is that Chevrolet hasn’t launched (gained’t launch?) the horsepower and torque numbers with out WOW mode engaged. All of the press supplies say “as much as” 754 horsepower, however that’s with WOW. After we requested Chevrolet spokespeople and engineers immediately what the non-WOW horsepower was, they vaguely stated it varies and altered the topic.
The driving place from a petite individual’s perspective as simply OK. Visibility was acceptable, however I want the driving force’s seat might have been pumped up one other inch or so for higher sightlines over the hood. A colleague of round 5-foot, 8-inches stated his visibility was simply nice.
Whereas I usually just like the seems to be and dealing with of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, there’s one level of competition I–and doubtless plenty of iPhone customers–have: There is no such thing as a Apple CarPlay or any telephone mirroring software program. So, nope, no Android Auto both. What’s attention-grabbing is the early WT fashions launched in 2023 did have CarPlay and Auto as a result of they had been launched with an older working system, however all new EVs from Chevrolet now have the brand new OS, which nixed the favored telephone mirroring software program. As a substitute, the Google-based system makes you log into your Google account to entry options like Waze, Spotify, Audible and Google Podcasts. It will assist you to work together with apps with out touching your telephone, nevertheless, even for those who pair your telephone to the system, you can not simply entry voicemail messages or previous textual content messages. You may ask Siri to learn you your textual content messages, nevertheless it’s not the identical as having the ability to see what textual content messages are there and choosing which of them you wish to hear. You additionally can’t simply entry your Apple Music or Apple Podcasts with out choosing up your telephone–even when the audibles will play via the Bluetooth connection.
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There are definitely work arounds, however they’re simply that, work arounds. And I discovered them to usually be vexing.
That would show to be problematic for Chevrolet as there are folks on the market (and I heard from plenty of them on social media) who gained’t contemplate a automobile with out CarPlay. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see if GM digs in on this challenge or finally ends up permitting the telephone mirroring software program again into its EVs. It’s not just like the Google system can’t co-exist with Apple CarPlay – plenty of OEMs at the moment supply each.
Proper now, the Silverado EV is obtainable in three trim ranges, with a beginning value of about $75k. Present pricing, together with the $1,895 vacation spot payment, is as follows:
- 3WT: $74,800
- 4WT: $79,800
- RST First Version: $96,395
For those who’re considering that’s a giant value hole between 4WT and RST, you’re proper. Chevrolet is leaving room for future LT and TrailBoss fashions.
General, the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST is a superb EV and an awesome truck, however that $96k price ticket goes to be a tricky capsule to swallow for lots of truck guys. And the shortage of Apple CarPlay may simply be a more durable capsule to swallow for everybody else.
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2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST Gallery
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