General Motors’ Chevrolet Silverado EV, praised for its 410-mile range and advanced features, sold just 14,000 units in North America last year—far below the gasoline Silverado’s sales—highlighting challenges in the electric pickup market.
- Silverado EV sales dropped 41% year-on-year in early 2026.
- Towing cuts the EV’s range by about 60%, limiting utility.
- High pricing positions the EV as a luxury rather than work truck.
What happened
General Motors sold roughly 14,000 units of the Chevrolet Silverado EV in the United States and Canada last year, which is dramatically lower than the petrol-powered Silverado’s sales volume—exceeding ten times that number in just one quarter. The Silverado EV’s sales continued to slide, falling 41 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2026, amid broader declines in GM’s electric vehicle demand.
GM has paused development of its next-generation full-size electric truck and SUV program and took about eight billion dollars in EV-related charges in 2025. These include writedowns linked to scrapped production plans and canceled battery contracts, reflecting significant challenges in the electric pickup segment.
Why it matters
On paper, the Silverado EV is a standout product. Its LT Extended Range trim offers an estimated 410 miles per full charge enabled by a 205 kWh battery, the largest on any production pickup. It also includes GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system and a Google-powered infotainment suite. Despite these features, it is priced around $71,000, roughly $5,000 above the average transaction price for a full-size conventional pickup truck.
However, when practical aspects like towing come into play, the Silverado EV’s appeal diminishes. Towing can reduce the truck’s range by about 60 percent, limiting a fully loaded truck to approximately 160 miles before needing to recharge. This significant drop in utility, combined with a high price—particularly for the LT Max Range version costing about $20,000 more—limits the truck’s appeal for work-oriented buyers.
What to watch next
GM plans to introduce lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells expected to reduce battery costs by at least $6,000 without sacrificing much range. However, these batteries are not projected to appear in electric trucks until 2028, leaving a window where pricing and functionality challenges persist.
The Silverado EV's difficulties mirror struggles faced by competitors like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Ram’s delayed electric pickup. The US pickup market is massive, yet electric models currently represent a minimal share as automakers await improvements in battery technology and cost reductions to better meet consumer expectations.