After a long wait, the Chevrolet Silverado EV has officially entered the electric truck wars.
I got the chance to take the First Edition RST for a short drive at a press event last week on a pre-selected route that included surface roads and highway driving.
On this first drive with the truck, two things struck me immediately: its size and handling. But first, let's go over the specs.
The version I drove starts at an eye-popping $96,395, including destination fees. For all that cash, you'll get access to the Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode, which can deliver up to 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque.
Silverado EV is also built on GM's new Ultium platform, which the company engineered to underpin their next generation of electric vehicles. The RST's roughly 200 kWh battery has an estimated range of 440 miles, which is yet to be confirmed by the EPA, while the 4WT work truck variant has EPA-estimated 450 miles of range.
When it comes to towing, Chevy took advantage of its late arrival to the segment to achieve some classic one-upmanship on the competition. Chevy says the RST can tow more than 10,000 pounds, which would outdo the F-150 Lightning Lariat's 10,000-pound maximum.
Rivian and Tesla still have Detroit beat, though. The R1T and Cybertruck both boast a maximum towing capacity of 11,000 pounds.
Ultimately, I came away with the impression that the Silverado EV is built for people who love trucks — because of course it is. Trucks have always been Detroit's crown jewel, but big trucks and SUVs are going out of style in the EV segment.
In the end, the Silverado EV was fun to drive and handled well, but it's just too beefy for my taste.