Chevrolet Electric Silverado A ZERO Production

Jason R. Sakurai
by Jason R. Sakurai

Chevrolet’s Silverado electric pickup will be built at the Factory Zero assembly plant in Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan, along with GMC’s Hummer EV SUV which will also be produced there, General Motors president Mark Reuss said today.

A new-from-the-ground-up EV pickup, and not adapted from the gas-powered Silverado, it will use the Ultium Platform. Ultium is General Motors’ virtual development tools and technology, said to have reduced development nearly 50 percent to 26 months.

Chevrolet estimates the new Silverado EV will have a 400-mile range on a full charge. Like its gas-powered sibling, there will be retail and fleet versions of the EV, both expected to be in demand. “Chevrolet will take everything Chevy’s loyal truck buyers love about Silverado — and more — and put it into an electric pickup that will delight retail and commercial customers alike,” said Reuss.

Factory ZERO, General Motors’ renamed Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, signifies the company’s zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion outlook for the future. ZERO is the largest renovation and retooling ever for a General Motors manufacturing plant. Its paint and body shop, along with the general assembly area, are getting upgrades including new machinery, conveyors, controls, and tooling. The plant’s footprint is now over 4.5 million square feet.

General Motors previously hawked its modular propulsion system and Ultium battery-powered global EV platforms. The company is definitely looking to compete head-to-head for customers wherever they may exist. Ultium is a joint venture with LG in Lordstown, Ohio to produce battery cells for future battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Construction of that facility is underway.

General Motors world domination plan calls for a million EVs by 2025, and North American EV leadership. How will this work out with the power grid, President Biden’s future vision, and infrastructure improvements?

[Images: General Motors]

Jason R. Sakurai
Jason R. Sakurai

With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.

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  • ToolGuy ToolGuy on Apr 08, 2021

    ...shows up late for the remedial class... So this will be the Chevy version of the Hummer pickup? Or am I doing that wrong?

  • Art Vandelay Art Vandelay on Apr 08, 2021

    On the plus side, opting for the EV version ensures it is US built.

    • Gass-man Gass-man on Apr 09, 2021
      Assembled in the US, of Chinese and Mexican made parts, and almost entirely by robots. The few assembly workers there won't be paid enough to afford the trucks they make.
  • Turbo Is Black Magic I would probably bet billions on a $350,000 halo car… but insist on bucking all buying trends and build a sedan with an ugly rear and awkward proportions.What do the peasants know anyway.Also more letters and numbers for car names, probably spend another $300 million to buy the YKK trademark… I know most of the common folk associated those 3 magic letters with a zipper they broke last week…. But close your eyes and picture a generic midsize CUV… now say YKK… get it?!Also move headquarters locations again. Kensington PA comes to mind… it can only go up!
  • Coo65757652 A reminder to those of you who expect more from GM: "We are in the business of making money, not cars"(1964: CFO of GM).
  • Jeff Here's an idea from the past 0H:08 / 22:100:08 / 22:10 1970 Cadillac Eldorado (400HP 8.2L V8): Top 10 Facts You Didn't Know!
  • Ras815 It's a travesty that this is even allowed to carry the same 7er identity that the E23, E32 and E38 established.
  • V16 It's hard to believe that GM or Ford in 2024 can't or won't design a truly class leading sedan for the North American market.To cede the entire mainstream market to Japan and Korea is an embarrassment.
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