Earlier this week, Chevrolet released its long-awaited Silverado EV at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show. With the base Work Truck (WT) model priced at $39,900 MSRP—not to mention the $105,000 range-topping RST First Edition variant—it’s clear that the electric pickup is aimed to compete with Ford’s F-150 Lightning, and that’s a tall order.
Ford has been building pickup trucks for decades and is therefore brilliant at it. F-Series pickups have topped U.S. truck sales charts for over 39 years straight and stand as among of the best-selling vehicles in America. Unfortunately, while the Blue Oval has been setting records, Chevrolet has long been playing second fiddle with the Silverado.
How Does It Compare to F-150 Lightning?
Below, we’ve laid out important stats and features that you’ll want to compare before buying. For easier viewing, we’ve highlighted the superior statistics.
Range
- Silverado: 400 miles
- F-150 Lightning: 230 miles (300 miles with range extender)
Horsepower and Torque (Using Standard Modes)
- Silverado: 510 horsepower | 615 pound-feet
- F-150 Lightning: 462 horsepower | 775 pound-feet
Off-Board Power Capacity
- Silverado: 10.2 kilowatts
- F-150 Lightning: 9.6 kilowatts
Bed Length
- Silverado: 5 feet 11 inches (expandable up to 10 feet 10 inches with Multi-Flex tailgate)
- F-150 Lightning: 5 feet 6 inches
What We Know Right Now
Chevrolet
Chevrolet
If you’re looking to buy an electric Silverado, Chevrolet is accepting pre-orders right now, but you won’t receive your pickup until early 2023. Once launch year rolls around, customers will have two flavors to choose from: a Work Truck variant ($39,900 MSRP plus destination) along with a tricked-out RST variant ($105,000 MSRP plus destination), which includes all of the high-tech accoutrements you could dream of (more on those below). After the initial release, Chevy is also looking to expand its lineup with more intermediate options to fill out the range.
Rad Features
While the Silverado EV does have some awesome tech up its sleeve, it manages to outperform the F-150 Lightning in nearly every measurable way.
Similar to the F-150, the Silverado features a frunk (referred to as the eTrunk) where the engine would normally reside. Chevrolet envisioned a series of optional plug-and-play storage solutions that slide into the storage pocket to cater to the owner’s particular requirements. At the back, the bed features the same Multi-Flex tailgate on existing Silverado models. However, one of the clear party pieces unique to the all-electric version is its midgate, which allows the section under the rear-window to fold down, accommodating larger cargo that wouldn’t otherwise fit in the bed—the return of the same system used in the Avalanche. With the Multi-Flex tailgate and midgate deployed, the latest Silverado can almost double its bed length for cumbersome items.
When it comes to providing off-board power, both trucks are very close performers, with the Silverado able to supply 10.2 kilowatts of power compared to the F-150’s 9.6. Both are also capable of charging other electric vehicles as well as supplying your home with emergency power. Having said that, it would likely take quite some time to charge up a dead EV given the limited amount of off-board juice that both vehicles can dish out.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet
With both WT and RST vehicles based on the same GM Ultium EV platform that was used for the GMC Hummer, only the flagship RST spec will arrive with four-wheel steering. Unfortunately, it won’t gain the same zany functionality as the Hummer’s system—with the ability to crab from side to side. Rather, Chevrolet used it to improve maneuverability at low speeds while optimizing stability while going fast.