Chevy Silverado EV Promises a 20,000-LB Max Towing Capacity… Eventually
At launch, the most capable Silverado EV has a listed max of half that.
If you've seen the Chevy Silverado EV yet, you'll probably agree it's full of surprises; whoever had "Return of the Midgate" on their 2022 bingo card should pat themselves on the back. Other highlights include 10.2 kilowatts of available energy supply, up to 780 pound-feet of torque, and styling that's totally unlike any Silverado before it. Something that might've flown under people's radar, though, is a detail Chevy snuck in about building a Silverado EV that can tow 20,000 pounds.
Now, that's a lot more than the truck will be able to pull when it launches in 2023. In its most capable RST form, the Silverado EV is rated to tow 10,000 pounds—a solid number that's on-par with the Ford F-150 Lightning and exactly 1,000 pounds short of the Rivian R1T. However, if Chevy can really build an electric truck that tows twice as much in the next few years, it'll leapfrog the entire segment.
Chevy doesn't include any concrete details regarding how it'll manage such a feat. That alone makes it seem iffy, but look closer and you'll see that the Silverado EV sports eight-lug wheels, just like a three-quarter or one-ton truck. A curious addition, for sure, especially since the R1T wears five-lug rollers and, the Lightning, six-lug.
The press release from Chevy words it like this: "After initial launch, Chevrolet will introduce a fleet model with up to 20,000 pounds max trailering with the max tow package." While little else is mentioned, the fact that a fleet model is specified gives a good hint. Your neighborhood Silverado EV mall crawler isn't likely to have this much towing capacity; instead, it'll be targeted at working customers who rely on their trucks to make a living.
There's no sense in speculating every last detail, especially since we won't see Silverado EVs hit the road until spring of next year. We'll poke around for details but, in the meantime, keep an eye out for camouflaged test trucks hauling a whole-entire excavator or something.
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