Chevy Built an All-American EV Truck. Why Is Nobody Buying It?
Despite impressive range (up to 478 miles) and features like Super Cruise, the Silverado EV sold only about 14,000 units last year in the U.S. and Canada, while its gas-powered sibling sells ten times that in a quarter.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV is a full-size electric pickup with up to 478 miles of range (for the LT Max Range version), a spacious frunk, rear-wheel steering, and GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system. Yet sales have been sluggish: GM sold roughly 14,000 units last year in the U.S. and Canada, whereas the gasoline-powered Silverado sells ten times that number in a single quarter.
After driving the Silverado EV around Detroit, a TechCrunch reporter praised its car-like handling, quiet cabin, and massive interior space. The truck can power a home during an outage and travel over 400 miles on a charge. Super Cruise, though occasionally hesitant with lane changes and cutting traffic, generally provides a stress-free highway experience. The infotainment system, powered by Google, is responsive and includes a unique feature that estimates Super Cruise availability time for each route.
Why aren't buyers flocking? Some point to the price: the Silverado EV LT Extended Range lists at about $71,000, while the average full-size pickup buyer spends $66,000. Others cite the EV's 60% shorter towing range, even though 75% of truck owners tow at most once per year. GM has hinted at a new lithium-manganese-rich battery chemistry later this decade that could cut costs by $6,000 while maintaining range. The author suggests that range anxiety, charging concerns, and market inertia are holding back EV pickup adoption, despite the Silverado EV being a strong first effort.
