GM Announces 2024 Chevy Silverado EV at CES, Unveils Other Advances

In a keynote virtual speech at CES 2022 in Las Vegas today, Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors Co. in Detroit, unveiled the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV.
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Mary Barra, chair and CEO of GM, announced numerous advances at CES in Las Vegas, including the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. // Courtesy of GM
Mary Barra, chair and CEO of GM, announced numerous advances at CES in Las Vegas, including the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. // Courtesy of GM

In a keynote virtual speech at CES 2022 in Las Vegas today, Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors Co. in Detroit, unveiled the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV.

In addition, Barra and other GM executives highlighted numerous upcoming changes to the automaker.

Headlining the companies CES presentation was the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. Built on the Ultium EV platform, the vehicle is estimated to provide a 400-mile range, up to 664 horsepower, and more than 780 lb.-ft. of torque. It will be available in fall 2023.

“Chevrolet has constantly revolutionized the Silverado franchise to make it the powerhouse it is today,” says Steve Hill, vice president of Chevrolet. “The Ultium Platform is a critical enabler of next-level pickup truck performance for both fleet and retail customers, whether they are currently driving a Silverado or are considering a pickup for the first time.”

At launch, the Silverado EV will be available in two configurations, an RST First Edition and a fleet-oriented WT model. Each will offer a comprehensive suite of standard and available safety technologies.

The flagship RST First Edition includes:

  • Four-wheel steering
  • Automatic Adaptive Air Suspension
  • Multi-Flex Midgate that expands the truck’s cargo capability while maintaining seating for a rear row passenger
  • Available Multi-Flex Tailgate with power release
  • Large, 17-inch-diagonal LCD freeform infotainment screen paired with a neighboring 11-inch-diagonal reconfigurable driver instrument display and a multi-color driver head-up display with a field of view over 14 inches
  • Trailering-capable Super Cruise, a hands-free driver-assistance technology, allowing drivers to travel hands-free on more than 200,000 miles of compatible roads across the U.S. and Canada

The WT will launch first for fleet customers and offer capability to meet the needs of organizations with sustainable transportation goals, including 510 hp and 615 lb.-ft. of torque. The WT will offer 8,000 pounds of towing and 1,200 pounds of payload. After initial launch, Chevrolet will introduce a fleet model with up to 20,000 pounds max trailering with the max tow package.

“GM Fleet has long provided customers with great products and services, an exceptional customer experience and innovative solutions to meet their unique business needs,” says Ed Peper, vice president of GM Fleet. “We’re excited to launch the Silverado EV, providing customers with a true work-capable truck to help them begin the transition to an electric fleet and assist them in achieving their own sustainability goals.”

The Silverado EV will be assembled with domestically and globally-sourced parts at GM’s Factory ZERO, Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center — a facility repurposed and retooled with a $2.2-billion investment devoted to EV production.

In fall 2023, a fully loaded RST First Edition model will debut with an MSRP of $105,000 + DFC. After production ramps up, Chevrolet will unleash the full Silverado EV portfolio, including WT (with a starting at MSRP of $39,900 + DFC), RST, Trail Boss and more.

Customers will have the ability to content the truck across various price ranges, with MSRPs around $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, $80,000, and more, allowing them to choose the truck that meets their capability and pricing needs.

Also announced were the Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV and Chevrolet Equinox SUV — both built on the Ultium platform — which are expected to be available in 2023.

Barra also announced GM and Cruise are pursuing a comprehensive path to autonomous mobility with the aim to deliver the first personal autonomous vehicle from General Motors as soon as mid-decade.

She said GM’s and Cruise’s continued work together will create economies of scale that lower costs and increase quality of Cruise’s rideshare and delivery networks while bringing the positive impacts of autonomous vehicles to a larger audience.

Super Cruise remains on track to be available on 22 models across GM brands by 2023, while Ultra Cruise, which will enable door-to-door hands free driving, enters production in 2023, with the Ultium-based Cadillac CELESTIQ ultra-luxury sedan.

GM will be the first company to use Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride Platform for advanced driver assistance technology, defined by software developed in-house by GM. Co-developed by GM and Qualcomm for Ultra Cruise, the new compute architecture will have the processing capability of several hundred personal computers, but is only about the size of two laptops placed on top of one another.

Also announced was the expansion of Cadillac’s Halo Concept Portfolio with the InnerSpace and OpenSpace autonomous vehicles. These two new concepts build on the PersonalSpace vertical takeoff and landing vehicle and the SocialSpace personal autonomous vehicle introduced at CES last year and demonstrate the range of GMs Ultium EV and Ultifi software platforms.

“We are witnessing what’s possible when innovators and problem solvers embrace the opportunity to change the world, knowing they have the tools and technology to do precisely that,” says Deborah Wahl, global chief marketing officer at GM. “With that capability comes the responsibility to use it. GM’s Ultium Platform means we no longer need to imagine a zero-emissions future; we can start building it.”

In related news: The company also announced at CES that its last-mile delivery business BrightDrop is adding Walmart as a customer and is expanding its relationship with FedEx.

Walmart has signed an agreement to reserve 5,000 BrightDrop EV600 and EV410 electric delivery vans to support its growing last-mile delivery network alongside its goal of operating a zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040.

“As important as it is that we save our customers time and money through convenient delivery options, it’s just as important that we focus on creating a more sustainable last mile delivery fleet that avoids emissions,” says Tom Ward, senior vice president of last mile, Walmart U.S.

“BrightDrop’s proven ability to bring a sustainable electric van to market makes them a great partner to support our growing InHome delivery service, and we look forward to continue driving our goal of operating a 100 percent zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040.”

FedEx has already signed an agreement with BrightDrop last year. In addition, FedEx is working on a plan to add up to 20,000 more in the years to follow, subject to further negotiations and execution of a definitive purchase agreement. FedEx also unveiled plans to expand its testing of BrightDrop’s EP1 electrified container to 10 markets beginning in 2022.

In related news: General Motors Co. and its dealers announced the delivery of 2.2 million vehicles in 2021, which is down 13 percent year-over-year despite its eighth consecutive year of combined full-size and midsize pickup sales leadership, second consecutive year as the full-size pickup leader, and 21st consecutive year as the market leader in full-size SUVs.

“All year we focused on delivering as many of our high demand, capacity-constrained products as possible and the strategy worked,” says Steve Carlisle, executive vice president and president, GM North America.

“Our dealers and our engineering, supply chain, manufacturing and brand teams moved mountains to satisfy as many customers as possible in 2021, despite record low inventories caused by semiconductor supply chain issues during the third and fourth quarters.”

Cadillac Escalade deliveries rose by 65 percent year-over-year, while Buick reached its highest level of sales since 2019. GM’s commercial truck business registered gains in many areas, including Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty sales, which were up 39 percent.

“In 2022, we plan to take advantage of the strong economy and anticipated improved semiconductor supplies to grow our sales and share. We will also further strengthen our industry leadership in trucks and begin our drive to EV leadership in North America with the rollouts of the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac LYRIQ, and the reveals of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV,” says Carlisle.

Chevrolet Corvette sales were up 53 percent, for the supercar’s best annual sales since 2015 and Chevrolet Trailblazer sales were up 163 percent to more than 90,000 units. Combined sales of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV were up 20 percent to 24,828 units. Sales of the Bolt EV have been paused since September 2021 as the company focuses on repairing recalled vehicles.

GM and its dealers sold 440,745 vehicles in the fourth quarter, down 43 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2020, which was GM’s best quarter for retail sales since 2007. It entered the quarter with record low inventories, however, the company’s Q4 production and wholesale deliveries were up significantly from the third quarter as semiconductor supply conditions improved.