The Dynamic 2023 Chevrolet Silverado EV is Coming: Are You Ready?

What is trending in new vehicle sales? NY Chevy truck sales are climbing, but the anticipation is rising for a change to the classic pickup. The Silverado 1500 remains a regional favorite for buyers looking to capitalize on class-leading capability and become part of a family of owners that love what they drive. All eyes are on the upcoming Silverado EV release. Rumor has it this all-electric version is going to be the most powerful Silverado ever.

We don’t know much about the Silverado EV except that it’s slated to launch as a 2023 model and should have a starting price of around $50,000. Estimates put the driving range at upwards of 400 miles, which is good news for buyers with distance concerns. As far as powertrain, we expect General Motors to borrow from the newly released GMC Hummer, a performance beast that churns out up to 1,000 horsepower.

We expect Chevy to keep design changes to a minimum to pique the interest of traditional gas and diesel-powered Silverado fans, but we still believe the Silverado EV will sport its own unique curb profile. Industry trends lean toward automakers differentiating the EV versions of existing nameplates, though the pickup truck category isn’t as accepting of drastic exterior overhauls.

That leads us to the most interesting debate, which is whether Chevy can win over traditional combustion engine buyers. The electric vehicle landscape is evolving quickly. Even ultra-high-end brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini have announced plans to shift over to electric power. It’s not likely to be a passing fad. Global emissions standards continue to tighten, causing companies like General Motors to work toward an all-electric future.

With this latest plan to develop a Silverado EV for the 2023 model year, it’s clear that Chevrolet is going all-in on EV technology. The Silverado is one of Chevy’s most beloved nameplates, so making a move to electrify it is representative of how seriously General Motors is taking its pledge to launch 30 EV’s globally by the end of 2025. That’s right: 30 new EVs in just four short years.

We wondered how the company is gearing up to support an influx of millions of EVs on America’s roadways. Here’s what we learned.

Ultium Battery Technology

Ultium is the brand name of General Motors’ battery platform. A revolutionary flat design makes it scalable, so in essence, the battery cells can be stacked to generate additional power with minimal space requirements and at a lighter weight. Most manufacturers rely on cylindrical cell designs. Ultium cell packs are flat, like a gold bar. GM estimates that one of its Ultium 100 amp-hour cells produces as much power as 20 small cylindrical cells.

The Ultium’s power range runs from 50 kWh (kilowatt-hours) to more than 200 kWh, the latter of which can reach a driving range of over 400 miles. Batteries can be stacked tall to accommodate truck platforms, like the Silverado, or horizontally for high-performance vehicles. They can also be located in different places on the vehicle, allowing room for extra storage or creating a low center of gravity to achieve specific driving characteristics. GM has also figured out how to embed most of the electronic components inside the modules, allowing for a cleaner design with less intricate wiring.

General Motors’ goal for its Ultium battery technology is to build it more efficiently. As such, the company has partnered with LG Chem in a joint manufacturing effort to build a dedicated Ultium factory which, when complete, will allow for complete in-house manufacturing. The goal is simple: make electric vehicles affordable for everyone. With a dedicated manufacturing site, economies of scale will happen quickly, driving EV prices down.

Factory ZERO

Not only is General Motors hard at work developing next-generation battery technology, the company is also breaking ground on a $2.2 billion facility dedicated to producing electric vehicles. Called Factory ZERO to represent the company’s commitment to a future of zero emissions, zero crashes, and zero congestion, this new facility is expected to be the hub of GM’s EV production.

If it all sounds a little futuristic, that’s because it is. Semi-autonomous driver technology is already available in the form of driver-assist systems like blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. In addition, some vehicles in the GM fleet, like the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq, will feature Smart Cruise, a hands-free cruise control system that works on specially-connected highways.

The upcoming 2023 Silverado 1500 EV is slated for production at Factory ZERO alongside the GMC Hummer EV. By 2030, the goal is for all U.S.-based GM facilities to run on 100 percent renewable energy. Considering there will be 30 new global electric vehicles that bear a General Motors nameplate by 2025, manufacturing capability is a vital part of the strategy, and creating sustainable manufacturing facilities is in line with the company’s overall EV vision.

Charging and Infrastructure

One hesitation would-be EV buyers regularly share is the current lack of convenient charging stations. As of just a few months ago, there were roughly 25,000 public locations with charging stations – a mix of Level 2 and Fast – for Chevy EV drivers. Overall, there are approximately 40,000 charging stations in North America, and that number will grow exponentially every year, thanks to partnerships with companies like Qmerit and EVgo.

The overarching goal is to create charging stations that make power from renewable energy, like solar, for a truly zero-emissions infrastructure. Connected services, like the myChevrolet app, allow EV owners to search for nearby charging stations and even initiate payment for a quick charge-and-go experience. Also, EVs like the upcoming Silverado 1500 will have extensive onboard data centers for drivers to monitor driving ranges.

Third-party app developers are getting in on the game too. Companies like PlugShare and ChargePoint make locating charging stations easy, and users share reports on individual charging station condition, location, and usability. Overall, the process of creating an infrastructure to support an all-electric future is buoyed significantly by the shared interests of all automakers. If it isn’t easy and convenient to charge an EV, buyers won’t make the switch.

At a recent teleconference, GM CEO Mary Barra was quoted calling the new 2023 Silverado EV “just stunning.” She went on to discuss how Chevrolet is poised to dominate the full-size EV truck category, despite tough competition from other soon-to-be-released models. She believes that once consumers see how an all-electric Silverado can quickly access torque and accelerate.

While we have no concrete date yet, we expect Chevrolet to release more information about the 2023 Silverado EV in the coming weeks and months. Automotive journalists are publishing every tidbit they can find, but as of now, we can only cobble together an idea of how the new Silverado will be powered by taking cues from the all-new GMC Hummer. From what we can tell, this new generation Silverado will have the goods.

EVs Are Here To Stay

EVs aren’t just a passing trend – they’re here to stay. The pressure is on big automakers like Chevy to bridge the acceptance gap for buyers who aren’t quite convinced. The full-size pickup category is going to be a proving ground for Chevy, but given the technological leaps in battery technology that have led to a steady increase in driving range, power, and performance capabilities, we think the changeover will happen quickly.

Are you interested in being first on your block to own a 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 EV? We don’t blame you. The world is eagerly awaiting Chevrolet’s entrant into the full-size EV truck category. Overall, we think the next four years will bring big news from the General Motors team as the company gears up for an exclusively electric new vehicle fleet across all of its brands, including Chevrolet.