Can futuristic styling, 440 miles of range, and trick features like a midgate and “Wide Open Watts” make the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST the truck to finally make EVs go mainstream? That’s a big question, and one GM is betting they got right.
On a warm May day in Michigan, I finally got to spend a few hours with the new Silverado 1500 EV RST. Frankly, it wasn’t enough time to understand all the different pieces of this first-of-its-kind truck.
What is the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST?
Before we get into my impressions, let’s dial this back. If you don’t follow trucks as closely as I do, you may not know what the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST is in the first place.
The 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST midgate can fold down giving you 10’10” of space. (Photo courtesy Chevrolet)
In simple terms, it is a full-size truck with a large battery pack under the floorboards. It has a ton of technology, the old Chevy Avalanche exterior looks and midgate (foldable second-row seats for a longer bed) and a hefty price of $96k for First Edition models.
And, yes, the Chevy Public Relations teams would like me to remind you this is the first of many trims with a planned LT and Trail Boss coming out later at a lower price point. Oh, and, yes, it is under the $100k price mark. Well, for now. Ok, I added that part.
So, how is it? That’s kind of a funny question, and it’s the first one everyone asks me. I’ve been doing this job for more than a decade, and I’ve never experienced a truck where people immediately ask: “How is it?” Typically, I get: “How much is it?” Or: “Did they fix X, Y or Z problem from the past?” Or even: “What engine does it have?”
Those questions all seem to go out the window with the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST. Instead, it is so new. So different. So strange. People simply don’t know where to begin.
I’ll join them. I don’t know how to begin this either. So, let’s just dive in with styling first.
Style hits and misses
First, I love the looks. Full stop. It reminds this ’90s kid of Knight Rider. I couldn’t stop looking at it.
Second, I can’t stand the fact there is no easy to do a front recovery on the RST trim, really.
It doesn’t have the front tow eye as found in the Silverado EV work truck. which is a spot to screw in a long metal to pull on.
Instead, the owner’s manual has instructions on how to do it that the chief engineer shared with me. I’ll include an image of the instructions below from page 379.
The recovery instructions for the Chevy Silverado RST. (Screenshot Chevy Owners Manual)
Third, I love the Chevy Avalanche look, but I hate how there is no reference anywhere to the iconic truck.
Fourth, the bed step. Watch the video. Seriously. Managing Editor Jill Ciminillo wears a kid’s size 1 shoe, and it fills the bed step. Ridiculous.
Fifth, the owner’s manual clearly states to not take this truck off-road. This language is found on page 187, “This vehicle may be used for light recreational driving away from paved roads. It should not be used in off-road conditions.” And continues on page 188, “Use only established trails, roads, and areas that are reserved for public off-road recreational driving.”
Sure, this has to do with the all seasons tires on it and this is some legal disclaimer for the company. However, if you do take it off-road and damage it, good luck on the warranty claim.
@pickuptrucksuvtalk Buyer beware on 2024 @Chevrolet Silverado 1500 EV RST! #trucks #truck #trucktalk #chevysilverado #chevroletsilverado #electrictruck #ev #fyp ♬ original sound – pickuptrucksuvtalk
Driving Knight Rider
For a truck that weighs more than a heavy-duty 1-ton diesel truck with dual rear wheels (by at least 1,000 pounds), it is incredibly nimble and well mannered on the road. In fact, I’d say driving this truck is more like cruising in an old-school Cadillac Deville.
Oh, and it has the WOW (Wide Open Watts) mode that launches the truck from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 4.5 seconds. Yes, launches the truck. You know for those Friday night red-light drag racing show-off events.
Is it quick? Yes and no. It will feel really quick if you haven’t driven an EV, and it will feel slow if you have a lot of experience with them. Still for a nearly 9,000 pound crew-cab truck with an impressive 10-foot 10-inch bed space (midgate down), it is something.
Towing with the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST is a piece of cake as long as you aren’t going far. (Photo by TIm Esterdahl)
Plusses & minuses of EV towing
Ah, towing. Everyone criticizes EVs for towing. Really everyone. Just read any forum, Facebook group or YouTube comment. While some of the criticisms are real with respect to range and charging, the act of towing with an EV itself is a different story.
The fact is, towing is smoother and way less stressful in the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, especially with General Motors’ highway hands-free Super Cruise system with trailering. Read that again. Super Cruise with trailering. Calling all you guys driving across Nebraska or Texas. Hook up your trailer, press a button, and it will drive itself straight and safely for hours.
Additionally, it will, in most cases, have the same range as a gas truck. However, the gas or diesel truck can fill up faster. Most trucks have a 20 to 30 gallon tank and this can take less than 10 minutes to fill up at most. For an EV, it depends on how much charge you need to add, the speed of the charger and the time it takes to get the charger working. I’ve already 60-80 miles of range around 25 minutes at times. Also, I’ve spent over an hour getting a fast charger to work and fill up the battery to how much I needed.
One of the biggest problems with towing and the Silverado EV RST: The charging port is in the back of the truck. This means, for now, you will likely have to unhook your trailer, charge and then rehook up after charging. For now. GM Energy has plans to build gasoline-station-like pull-through charging areas through a partnership with Pilot. That will make a big difference.
Also, according to the same owner’s manual, you also shouldn’t fill up the battery past 80 percent when you are towing with the Silverado 1500 EV RST. Why? You need room in the battery to hold the regenerative braking energy you’ll gain from stopping the truck and trailer. This means if the range is likely cut in half when towing things like a camper, you can knock off another 20 percent off due to not being fully charged. This would leave you about 178 miles of total towing range before you leave. Then, you have to factor in the conditions you are towing in (weather, elevation, speed, etc…) to see if you’ll even come close to getting the full 178 miles.
Speaking of energy, the truck does have bi-directional charging and with GM Energy you can install a setup to power your house. Pretty cool, right? Yeah, just make sure you are sitting down when you realize the cost of the install.
The GM Energy team told a group of us that the equipment was more than $7,000 to purchase and, looking at the equipment in person and doing some quick math based on my own home improvement projects, I’d guess the price of install was nearly $7,000 as well. That makes well over $14,000 for the bi-directional power setup.
The bottom line
The 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV RST is expensive, looks great, has some big misses, is incredible to drive, looks like the Avalanche, has the fan-favorite midgate, can tow well, can’t tow for hundreds of miles without long stops and will get cheaper with other trims. Maybe. Likely. Probably.
I can’t wait to spend a week with this truck when I get it in my driveway. I think, maybe, a week will be enough time for me to learn all its secrets. I hope.
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