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Tesla Cybertrucks at Petersen
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Up close and personal with the Tesla Cybertruck at The Petersen

Over the past few weeks in Los Angeles, Elon Musk’s long-anticipated Tesla Cybertruck fever dream finally became an objectively verifiable reality. And not just on popular car-spotting Instagram posts, either. In early December, I actually witnessed a Cybertruck driving down the Pacific Coast Highway one morning. Then, a few days later, I cruised by one stuck in traffic on the 405. And unless someone got a quick wrap job done, I can also confirm that these first two sightings were, in fact, different Cybertrucks: one finished in that famous brushed stainless and the other in matte black.

Then, a few days later, the Petersen Automotive Museum invited select media for the debut of a new Cybertruck exhibit in the entry hall, complete with an exoskeleton sitting out in the open, as well as the truck that got shot by a Tommy Gun, and even a quick look at the original prototype downstairs in the museum’s Vault. Tesla designer Franz von Holzhausen actually owns the production Cybertruck on display bearing VIN #002—almost certainly the matte black one I saw on the 405—and even volunteered as tribute to answer questions from an almost certainly skeptical crowd.

But Musk and von Holzhausen are very busy people trying to change the world (maybe worlds if the Mars plan works out), so I felt absolutely zero surprise when I received a last-minute text bumping up the schedule. Then, when I arrived at the Petersen early, the poor PR pros on hand let me know that von Holzhausen never showed up. Interviews with lowly automotive journalists might not cut the mustard at Tesla, as it turns out, setting off a little warning bell dinging in my mind before I turned for a closer look at the angular hulking masses of metal making up the exhibit.

I wanted to pester von Holzhausen about why the production version shrank by a few percentage points, how the design iteration process began originally, and whether he also believed Tesla dug its own grave with the Cybertruck, as Musk admitted earlier this year. Instead, without a need to keep my game face (or audio recording) switched on, I spent the next hour-plus getting up close and personal with one of the strangest, most perplexing vehicles ever built.

First impressions of the angular Cybertruck

First off, outside on the Petersen parking garage’s first floor, I took a quick pic of a guy taking a pic of a Tesla Semi—full Christopher Nolan Inception soundtrack playing in my head, of course. In contrast to the Cybertruck, the Semi builds on von Holzhausen’s formerly smooth and aerodynamically efficient designs for the Models S, 3, X, and Y (and, supposedly, the forthcoming Roadster, but more on that later). 

Tesla Semi at The Petersen
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

Not so much for the Cybertruck, an undeniable exercise in angular excess that attracted even more attention inside the Petersen’s entry hall. The black wrap and black exoskeleton only accentuated the presence of a bulky, boxy shape. The overall size surprised me, too, possibly attributable to the differences between seeing Cybertrucks out and about surrounded by other large cars as I rolled by on motorcycles.

Riding motorcycles in LA traffic is sketchy enough without stopping to rubberneck a controversial new electric pickup truck, so those early impressions only piqued my interest in taking a closer look at the Petersen. And the first thoughts to flit through my bedraggled pre-holiday mind ran the gamut from “gross!” to “gargantuan” because the angular peak sat higher than expected, even with the adjustable air suspension at its normal ride height. The cab looked bigger than in my mind’s eye, and the bed looked smaller. I began to wish I’d brought a tape measure.

Trying to get a better bearing on the actual adjustability of that air suspension system, I ducked into the wheel arch—if we can call it that since it’s squared off. The design somewhat resembled the finger knuckle A-arm of my old Type 955 Porsche Cayenne, except that where Porsche overengineered the Cayenne’s suspension, Tesla appears to have stamped the Cybertruck’s upper A-arm out of sheet metal. Not ideal for an electric truck that weighs north of 6,600 pounds, I thought. And in fact, von Holzhausen’s truck qualifies as the top-spec “Cyberbeast” (because, of course), so it should weigh closer to 3,800 pounds thanks to three electric motors.

Tesla Cybertrucks at Petersen
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

Would the rest of the so-called “exoskeleton” continue that beefy theme? Well, in reality, Tesla calls the cage on display a “Body-in-white,” and the exoskeleton itself is made up of the body side panels that connect the front and rear structures, while the roof and rear wall connect the left and right sides. Obviously, we’ve come a long way from the by-now “traditional” skateboard battery layout. But the purpose here, other than general aspirations of badassery, actually involves reducing the number of parts required in what Tesla now calls a “Gigacasting” (because, again, of course).

In all honesty, the body-in-white impressed me more than the actual stainless steel exterior (albeit wrapped) of the finished product. But here, engineers probably received more control over the process rather than being forced to bring Musk’s vision of a slab-everything body to life. Tesla obviously needs to hit all the rigidity targets, accurate mounting points for subassemblies, and crash structure capabilities required by rules and regulations in order to bring the truck to market. Right?

Easy fodder for the critics (a.k.a. me)

Meanwhile, the visible flat panels of the finished truck do absolutely nothing to hide flaws. Even subtle curves or flowing lines on a normal—read: boring—car can help move eyeballs along without drawing awareness to peculiar or mismatched details. Flat planes make mistakes stand out, so Musk’s vision only made the production of Cybertrucks all that much more of a challenge (even beyond the sheer engineering requirements of cranking out an electric pickup with the aerodynamics of a brick).

To that end, the slightly rounded front panel might look the best, while the flat sides, angled inward up top with a flat windscreen that transitions to a roof, all seem somewhat cockeyed from almost every perspective. Is my mind playing tricks on me? Again, should have brought the tape measure. And maybe an eight-foot level to check those straight lines.

No straight line on the whole Cybertruck looks more egregious than the enormous combined hood and front windshield and its single wiper arm. Approximately 48 inches long, based on measurements compared to my wingspan, the arm pivots only from the driver’s side and will almost certainly struggle to keep the passenger’s side of the windshield clear. And will owners need to source wiper blades for semi trucks or road graders to fit? The blade almost reminds me of an early-2000s Mercedes-Benz CLK, but that wiper arm swung from the center with a strange hump in the pivot point to help cover more of the rectangular windshield (still not nearly as rectangular as the Cybertruck’s, though).

Then I glanced down through the windshield and noticed tiny openings at the base of the expansive, flat dash. Maybe for speakers, defroster vents, or both, these little openings looked entirely insufficient for either purpose. And I thought my mom’s second-gen Toyota Prius had a long dash—then again, maybe the low, raked windshield angle requires less air to prevent steaming up. On the other hand, that long dash reveals a major surprise about the Cybertruck that runs almost entirely counter to most other EV designs: Namely, the interior of such a large vehicle doesn’t even feel very spacious. The sharp edges and isolated lines of such a stark profile simply don’t allow for the kind of efficient packaging that made the Model S, 3, X, and Y so revolutionary when they each debuted.

Dino guts burnt to produce the plasticine era

Meanwhile, out in the front, that full-width plastic light bar sits below expansive panel gaps leading down from the windshield along the frunk hood. And below those gaps, through which I could probably sneak an HB #2 pencil, the plasticine fender flares around plastic and rubber wheel covers, simply put, look nearer to a child’s toy than a production pickup. Carved tires, a la most bold concept cars? Maybe on the original Cybertruck, but also a major surprise on von Holzhausen’s personal daily driver. Non-branded other than “Goodyear” and “Load Range D,” the tires themselves measure 285 millimeters in width at all four corners, though, as a recent scandalous video showed, perhaps lack the true kind of all-terrain or mud-terrain compound that such aggressive blocks and sipes might more regularly indicate.

Tesla Cybertrucks at Petersen
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

The irony of using dinosaur guts to produce the plastic on an electric car entirely notwithstanding, the theme continues in the truck bed, too. There, a Petersen rep helpfully pushed the rubber buttons on the left side to roll up the shuttered bed cover and drop the tailgate—the latter worked but required a bit of a helping hand from me, too. (That rolling shutter, by the way, almost entirely kills any semblance of rear visibility.) But more importantly, because the buttons live out in the elements, they are made out of another plasticky-rubberized material reminiscent of jet ski controls or, somewhat hilariously, the Polaris Slingshot’s infotainment buttons.

Tesla Cybertrucks at Petersen
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

In the rear bed, a light strip of similar material to the front brightens up all the black plastic on von Holzhausen’s truck. A real outlet in the bed reportedly powers 120-volt appliances, though I left my espresso machine at home, so I cannot confirm whether it functions—I see no reason why not, but here we are looking at a Cybertruck, after all. The thick bed walls funnel back towards the squared rear bumper, huge panel gaps continuing throughout. Of course, seals below the surface and a watertight battery pack for the skateboard might help, but the thought of this vehicle being able to drive as a boat across rivers and calm seas, as Musk claimed, seems unlikely.

And that’s not to mention the sharp edges at the end of each gap, especially noticeable up front with the frunk hood lifted. Not only will such sharp edges—made of stainless steel thick enough to inspire machine gun testing, remember—undoubtedly wreak havoc on any other cars in the case of accidents, but imagine a child jumping out of the frunk bench seat and hitting their head on the corner. Ouch!

Spartan to the point Of austerity

The questionable angularity continues on the Cybertruck’s interior, where if you thought the S3XY were Spartan, guess again. The steering wheel even gets a squared-off treatment, not quite a yoke but nearer to a racecar design (or a C8 Corvette but wider). As on the Model 3 and Model Y, the Cybertruck’s massive single touchscreen sits horizontally, as is the trend with Tesla, including the recently-revised Model S that now sports the same style of touchscreen. However, the dash also seems to lack climate control vents, too, unless there are tiny openings on the dash to do the trick, like in Model 3s. Controls on the steering wheel seem a step beyond the strict rollerballs and stalks of previous Teslas, but just about everything still requires diving into text-heavy menus on the main touchscreen, including apps, music, and suspension settings.

Selecting different ride heights elicits a noticeable increase or decrease in the wheel arch clearances, though the process of rising and lowering takes about as long as my 2006 Cayenne while the air compressor noticeably charges up pressures. Other options on the touchscreen include playing with the LED mood lighting, which von Holzhausen’s Cybertruck perhaps had set to a karaoke bar theme. I never counted the cupholders since I’m apparently the world’s worst automotive journalist (I blame the distraction factor of that huge dash, large enough to house a Winston Churchill war game).

Flat plastic door panels, flat plastic window switches, flat plastic on the center console, flat metal pedals, and then “Cybertruck” script welded into the foot sill—everything seems utilitarian to the point of no return. Will the remaining customer base who placed early pre-orders and now faces a price tag about half again as high as Musk promised to appreciate the cheaping out? Or do the diehards stick with their deposits and not care? Maybe they even love the austerity? Even the new car smell, still present despite von Holzhausen’s daily driving, smelled plasticky to the point of nearly Airstream-level formaldehyde. And smells are probably even more important in non-internal-combustion cars, believe it or not!

Machine gun testing, because of course

At least we know the Cybertruck truly can take a beating, if not a bowling ball, to the window. The next truck I wandered over to proved as much, riddled with dents and a few small metal tears after being shot with a series of 9mm and .45 caliber bullets. I brushed my hand up against some of the markings and can confirm that none appeared to pierce the metal entirely. Not bad, though, as a friend later suggested, some malcontents may relish the invitation to open fire on a famously bulletproof truck.

This early Cybertruck also gave me a chance to compare some of the differences that always emerge as concept cars progress through development on the way to production. Different fender flares and bumper designs stood out, and I started to wonder whether the design looked better in a matte wrap or exposed stainless. At the very least, wrapping flat stainless probably requires less effort than curved body panels. Or does it? Does it prevent any wrinkles and air bubbles? Maybe a wrap shop with experience working on DeLoreans can get the job done.

To wrap up the visit—pun fully intended—I headed down into the Petersen’s Vault, where the original Cybertruck concept sat charging. Again, the design differences stood out quickly. I spotted an earlier charge port, a cleaner rear bumper, and then a real steering yoke on the interior. Three semi-bucket bench seats made up the front row here, rather than the production version’s center console—the slight shrinkage in overall size might have made a third seat too narrow. If only von Holzhausen had shown up to confirm such speculation.

The concept truck also featured an even more radically squared-off dash design, so my skull naturally winced again at the thought of passenger impacts in the case of an accident. And better lenses on the light bar up front also stood out, even if a ton of fingerprints on the stainless steel distracted me once more. Keeping the raw metal clean looks like a nightmare task, so maybe the wrap is the way to go after all.

Tesla Cybertrucks at Petersen
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

A sharply angled misdirection

Once I left the Cybertrucks and the Petersen behind, my mind kept wandering. At the very least, nobody can say Tesla built a radical concept car into a production vehicle without provoking serious thought about the state of the automotive industry. Bold and aggressive, the design sparks off a new stylistic generation for Tesla—but that’s exactly what the formerly S3XY Models need more than anything, and what buyers need more than an electric pickup truck that borders on gimmick status.

In a surprising moment of self-reflection, Musk all but admitted that perhaps the Cybertruck went a step too far. Not that such a startling truth prevented him from pushing forward into production. We’re far too far into billionaire celebrity-dom to admit certain levels of error or hand the naysayers any kind of victory. And everyone who’s an automotive nerd remembers a certain John DeLorean’s similar drug-fueled stainless-steel fiasco. 

The fact that Tesla still plans to build the Cybertruck at all represents keeping a promise of sorts, which I suppose is a good thing. And something I always have to keep in mind while critiquing any running, driving car is that actually building a running, driving a car requires a miraculous combination of hard work and a fair amount of luck. But as the Cybertruck finally emerges from delay after delay, the end result still seems like something of a misdirection for the company’s efforts and resources. How about dedicating that work and luck to the cars more people will actually drive? What happened to the Roadster and promises of 600-plus miles of range

Tesla Cybertrucks at Petersen
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

Meanwhile, Tesla also desperately needs to direct more time and effort into parts and service for cars already on the road while continuing to press forward on the infrastructure change that Musk’s electric revolution requires here on Earth. Yes, Tesla is an automobile manufacturer. But the grandiose vision almost centers more around energy solutions than the cars themselves. And in the Cybertruck, all that energy focuses in the wrong direction.

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Still from Tesla's Cybertruck Crash Test
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I investigate to see if the Tesla Cybertruck is really that safe

Ever since amateur martial arts enthusiast and Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the Tesla Cybertruck back in 2019 by throwing a danged metal ball into one of the electric pickup truck’s supposedly “unbreakable” windows, the internet has had questions. Why does it look like that? Will it really be $40,000? Is it actually going to have a 500-mile range on a single charge? And most importantly, is the Cybertruck safe?

The answers to a majority of these questions have been “no,” “probably not,” or “we don’t know,” and pretty much every day the Cybertruck’s reputation suffers a new indignity. For instance, this gem courtesy of the “Rides That’ll Beat Your Ass” account on Musk’s X platform (formerly Twitter):

Down the thread, username “Ass_Beaters” provides additional context, namely that this was a prototype, so it lacked recovery or pickup points and, therefore, had to be towed by the suspension. I cannot say for sure, because I have still not seen a Cybertruck in person, but that is probably not the best way to tow one. It’s unfair to judge a prototype model, as it was built for testing and proving certain engineering specs, but let’s be honest, that doesn’t make it not funny.

Did the Tesla Cybertruck pass crash tests?

When the first production models of the Tesla Cybertruck rolled off the production line at the Austin, TX Gigafactory, reporters, enthusiasts, and internet shitposters alike all wondered aloud how it could’ve ever passed NHTSA crash safety ratings. Especially with the distressing videos released by the automaker itself (look at how the dummy in the back goes flying):

Keeping in the spirit of Elon’s “fuck it, we’ll do it live” ethos, the Cybertruck team has continued crash testing the Blade Runner-inspired EV pickup truck and just today shared some new footage, where at least the side airbags deploy so we don’t have to see the poor crash test dummy’s brain get turned to mush:

So how exactly did the Tesla Cybertruck pass the NHTSA’s crash tests? Well, that’s an easy one – it didn’t! As Teslarati noticed earlier this week, Tesla’s new EV pickup truck was added to the safety watchdog’s database, but with ratings conspicuously absent.

That said, digging a bit deeper, you’ll find that apparently millions of cars are sold every year without verified independent crash testing, and even the insurance company-based IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has to pick and choose which cars they’ll test and/or assign ratings to.

One thing’s for sure, Tesla assures that you’ll be safe if a couple of accountants jacked up on Sam Adams Lagers from the 19th hole decide to go absolutely goblin mode on your Cybertruck:

So… Did the Tesla Cybertruck pass crash tests? We’ll give this one a rating of “possibly.” As evidenced by the videos above, Tesla is clearly doing a lot of in-house testing and if not, at least they have an army of weirdos who pay Elon $8 a month for the privilege of saying how normal and cool the tests look. According to CarBuzz, it will likely be a while until the Cybertruck reaches the sales volume to necessitate a proper NHTSA or IIHS review, so we’ll keep you updated if we hear anything official.

That said, it seems unlikely that Elon would want to be known as the guy who killed Jay Leno or Spike Lee, so let’s hope that they’ve crash-tested the Cybertruck.

Can the Tesla Cybetruck be shot with a Tommy Gun and/or arrows?

We’ll cut right to the chase. We’ve already mentioned this before, but yes, Tesla is making the claim that if your Tesla Cybertruck is shot with rounds from a Tommy Gun, you should be safe inside. This could come in handy if those accountants above are cosplaying as old-timey rascals and/or scofflaws.

And if you find yourself at the wrong end of the Battle of the Five Armies and an Orc who looks suspiciously like Joe Rogan has you in his sights, your Cybertruck should survive the onslaught.

That said, we still haven’t seen any news about the windows, which Elon famously shattered with a danged metal ball at an investor event in 2019. Despite the automaker remaining mum on whether or not the windows will be bulletproof as well, Tesla did sell out of what we have to assume is a relatively short run of $55 window decals commemorating the moment. Considering the fact that there are only 10 non-prototype Tesla Cybertrucks on the road, it’s hard to imagine who purchased these.

Cybertruck OMFG decal listing from Tesla's website
Image credit: Tesla

Does the Tesla Cybertruck have crumple zones?

Ever since the Tesla Cybertruck was announced, folks across the internet wondered about one key detail. Musk intimated that the EV pickup truck would lack traditional “crumple zones” in favor of an “exoskeleton” build. As Jameson Dow of Electrek explained back in 2019, based on the initial designs:

Tesla’s Cybertruck design differs from traditional autos because it uses a stainless steel exoskeleton instead of a traditional body-on-frame design.  In the traditional design, the car body doesn’t have as much structural integrity and is mainly used for aerodynamic and styling purposes, and to protect occupants from the elements.

In the Cybertruck’s design, the entire vehicle exterior is used as a stressed member, allowing it to do double duty as both the body and the frame.  This reduces complexity, and since Tesla is using ultra-hard steel, increases sturdiness of the vehicle’s exterior.

Jameson Dow – Electrek

If you’ve never heard of “crumple zones” before, it’s because they’re something that’s been relatively standard practice in vehicle design since the 70s. According to Traveler’s insurance, the first cars built with “weaker” zones that are meant to absorb, rather than withstand impact were Mercedes-Benz as early as 1959. As this delightful Australian man explains, by absorbing that kinetic energy, less force ends up being applied to the passengers inside the vehicle, preventing or mitigating injury.

Compare the crumple zone footage in that video (or any of the thousands of videos on YouTube explaining the basic concept of crumple zones) to this rendering that has been shared uncritically by Cybertruck-friendly accounts:

So, to answer the question of whether the Tesla Cybertruck has crumple zones? The answer is no. Or maybe “apparently not.” I have a funny feeling this isn’t the last we’ll be hearing about this topic. I saw someone on Twitter claim that the Tesla Cybertruck doesn’t need crumple zones because it will “use all the other cars’ crumple zones” in an accident. I honestly couldn’t tell if the account was satire, so I’m going to leave that factoid as anecdotal.

Either way, a bunch of Tesla fanboys went absolutely nutso after Ralph Nader’s non-profit made fun of the Cybertruck, so clearly they’re going through it.

Is the Tesla Cybertruck safe for pedestrians?

A recent New York Times interactive piece highlighted how pedestrian deaths have been on a steady rise since hitting an all-time low in 1980. Street safety advocacy groups link this to a number of different causes, including city planning, street engineering, and, frankly, the ever-increasing size of American SUVs and trucks.

As you probably know, the Tesla Cybertruck is based on Blade Runner. Or at least it’s a truck that “Blade Runner” (the guy) might drive. That’s why it looks like something your 8-year-old nephew would build in Minecraft. Also, apparently, the reason why the Cybertruck is so pointy is that to make the metal bulletproof, you have to make the truck pointy. Don’t take my word for it, Elon himself said that he tried to bend the metal but it broke the machines.

If this rhetorical tactic sounds familiar, it’s the same one Jenna Maroney from 30 Rock employed when she said she can’t “watch American Idol becaue [she has] perfect pitch.” Either way, the car is sharp as hell, and it might make you wonder, “How did the Cybertruck pass pedestrian crash tests?” Well, the answer to that one’s easy! It didn’t have to.

But it’s unfair to peg that one on Tesla because the United States has no standardized means of evaluating whether or not a vehicle in production has been tested for pedestrian safety. Not only that, the NHTSA only proposed adding such an evaluation this year – so it could be a while. In his official capacity as “Head Twit,” Tesla CEO is “highly confident” that the Cybertruck will be safe for pedestrians.

Fortunately, if you’re in Europe, you are protected by pedestrian safety regulations. According to Euro NCAP, every vehicle sold in the EU must pass VRU (Vulnerable Road User) Protection tests. These tests measure how well new vehicles “protect those vulnerable road users – pedestrians and cyclists – with whom they might collide,” including “the potential risks of injuries to a pedestrian’s head, pelvis, upper and lower leg.”

To Tesla’s credit, their confidence that the Cybertruck will (eventually) pass EU safety regulations seems to be more reliant on the design of its autopilot and full-self-driving systems, which should be hitting European streets and highways in the coming years. Seems like a bit of mixed messaging, given that Tesla just recalled basically every vehicle it has ever sold in the U.S. for a mandatory software update to Autopilot and FSD.

So, to answer the question of whether the Tesla Cybertruck is safe for pedestrians? The answer is “we don’t know, but probably not.” And then you could probably add a little something like, “But to be fair, there are very few trucks sold in America that are probably very safe for pedestrians.” And then you can kind of just shrug and walk away and hope no one asks for any follow-ups.

Is Tesla Cyberbeer Safe?

In case you were planning on paying $75 for a bottle of “Tesla Cyberbeer,” we recommend following the advice of Brian Stone, whose profile proudly claims that he owns not one, but two cars. This is clearly absurd because, as we all know, triples are best.

Conclusion: Is the Tesla Cybertruck safe?

We’ve had our fun today, but what you’re all wondering is whether or not Tesla’s Cybertruck electric pickup truck is safe. Unfortunately, the best we can do is say, “honestly, it doesn’t seem like it.” The production models have been on the street for just over two weeks and we’re already seeing videos of people popping off the fender flares with their bare hands:

It’s clear that fully grown up boy genius Elon Musk is applying the same operating principle to the Tesla Cybertruck that he does to all of his ventures. Do it on the fly, overpromise and underdeliver, and move on to the next thing before anyone has really investigated your prior claims.

It certainly seems like we will eventually see a version of the Tesla Cybertruck that is safe, reliable, and maybe even user-friendly, but none of the videos we’ve seen (including ones shared by Tesla staff!) have given us any confidence that this will be the game-changing EV pickup truck we’ve been promised for nearly half a decade now. We’d love to be proven wrong.

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The powerful 2024 Chevy Silverado EV is a massive truck with a big price tag

General Motors has been hyping up its Ultium battery platform since it was announced in March 2020. The innovative battery system enables a lower center of gravity for electric vehicles and frees up interior space. GM’s latest Ultium release is an all-electric take on Chevrolet’s iconic Silverado 1500 pickup truck. The American automaker is aiming for the commercial market initially with the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV — rolling out their lower-priced WT (Work Truck) trim this summer with the premium RST First Edition trim promised for fall 2023.

While clearly inspired by the beefy Silverado, the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV (much like its cousin the GMC Hummer EV) isn’t simply an electric motor retrofitted into an existing shell. These electric SUVs were purpose designed to lead GM’s electric revolution — enabling a future where size is no longer an impediment to electrification.

With a range of 400mi. on a single charge and up to 754 hp, the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV shows how GM continues to be two steps ahead of their American automaker rivals at Ford when it comes to making that future a reality.

2024 Chevy Silverado EV price and trim level options

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A white electric 2024 Chevy Silverado EV WT pickup truck is seen on an open highway.
Image credit: Chevy

The 2024 Chevy Silverado will be available in two trim levels initially. The WT (or work truck) trim is being marketed to fleet operators who are looking to electrify their commercial vehicles. Despite initial promises that this trim would have an MSRP of around $42,000, the currently available 4WT trim comes in at a whopping $79,800. GM has stated that the full line of Silverado EVs will include trims with shorter ranges and thus, lower MSRPs. The daily-driver targeted RST First Edition trim will set you back $106,895 if you’re willing to wait until it’s released sometime this fall.

2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT (available now)

  • Starting Price: MSRP $79,800 (including destination fee)
  • Electric motor power: 510 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque
  • EPA-estimated range: 450 mi.

2024 Chevy Silverado EV 3WT (coming soon)

  • Starting Price: estimated MSRP $74,800 (including destination fee)
  • Electric motor power: 510 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque
  • EPA-estimated range: 350 mi.

2024 Chevy Silverado EV RST First Edition (fall 2023)

  • Starting price: $106,895 (including destination fee)
  • Electric motor power: 754 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque
  • EPA-estimated range: 400 mi.

2024 Chevy Silverado EV exterior color options

  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV WT
    • Summit White
    • Black
  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV RST
    • Black
    • Northsky Blue Metallic
    • Cherry Red Tintcoat
    • Red Hot
    • Greenstone Metallic
    • Silver Ice metallic
    • Iridescent Pearl Tricoat
    • Summit White
    • Mosaic Black Metallic

2024 Chevy Silverado EV interior color options

  • Jet Black, Leather
  • Jet Black, Choccachino
  • Gideon, Atmosphere (leather)

Interior and tech

We see the rear seats of a Chevy Silverado EV. The leg room is ample.
Image credit: Chevy

Thanks to the Ultium system, GM’s designers have considerably more space to work with for the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV’s cabin — and it shows. Silverado drivers should be used to cavernous cockpits, but even the “stripped down” WT trim will feel bigger than you might expect, with a generous space for all five passengers. And the theme of “bigger is better” doesn’t stop there — with the rear seats folded down, the EV’s bed can accommodate items up to 10ft. 10in. Even the eTrunk (you might call it a “frunk”) is massive, offering around 9 cu. ft. of additional storage.

We see a white Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck with the "eTrunk" or frunk (front-trunk) open.
Image credit: Chevy

2024 Chevy Silverado EV WT dimensions

Interior space

  • Front seat headroom: 41.9″
  • Rear seat headroom: 39.7″
  • Front seat legroom: 44.8″
  • Rear seat legroom: 44.3″
  • Front seat hip room: 62.0″
  • Rear seat hip room: 61.5″
  • Front seat shoulder room: 64.9″
  • Rear seat shoulder room: 63.8″

Exterior dimensions:

  • Wheelbase: 145.7″
  • Overall length: 233.1″
  • Overall width: 93.9″ (with mirrors) / 81.6″ (without mirrors)
  • Overall height: 78.0″
  • Track width (front/rear): 68.9″/68.9″

2024 Chevy Silverado EV RST dimensions

Interior space:

  • Front seat headroom: 43.9″
  • Rear seat headroom: 38.7″
  • Front seat legroom: 44.8″
  • Rear seat legroom: 44.3″
  • Front seat hip room: 62.0″
  • Rear seat hip room: 61.5″
  • Front seat shoulder room: 64.9″
  • Rear seat shoulder room: 63.8″

Exterior dimensions:

  • Wheelbase: 145.7″
  • Overall length: 233.1″
  • Overall width: 94.3″ (with mirrors) / 83.8″ (without mirrors)
  • Overall height: 78.7″
  • Track width (front/rear): 68.7″/68.7″
We see the interior of a 2024 Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck. It is very spacious and has a lot of screens.
Image credit: Chevy

As far as tech goes, the Chevy Silverado EV RST First Edition promises to be fully loaded. GM’s press release even promises access to future technologies that will become “necessities that you’ll never want to drive without.” Self-driving, in the form of GM’s “Super Cruise,” offers hands-free operation on some 400,000 mi. of roads in the US and Canada. The WT trims likely will not include as many bells and whistles but Edmunds’ review of a Silverado EV 4WT found many features will come standard even on the fleet-level versions.

Tech features:

  • Super Cruise hands-free operation
  • Ultifi software platform for personalization and updates
  • Standard Safety Assist
    • Automatic emergency braking
    • Front pedestrian braking
    • Lane keep assist with lane departure warning
    • Forward collision alert
    • Intellibeam headlights
    • Following distance indicator
  • 17 in. infotainment screen (RST First Edition)
  • 11 in. driver instrument display (RST First Edition)
  • 14 in. heads-up driver display (RST First Edition)

2024 Chevy Silverado EV electric range and charging times

We see a white 2024 Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck at a charging station.
Image credit: Chevy

The flexible Ultium battery platform shines once again with the 2024 Silverado EV. Thus far, GM has rolled out the system on its GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and BrightDrop Zevo electric vehicles with many new models promised in the next few years. The Silverado EV offers impressive range for its considerable size, although future WT trims will have scaled-back battery arrays (and lower MSRPs).

  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT
    • Electric range: 450 miles
    • Charging time: 10 minutes to 100 miles range (DC Fast Charging up to 350kW)
  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV 3WT
    • Electric range: 350 miles
    • Charging time: 10 minutes to 100 miles range (DC Fast Charging up to 350kW)
  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV RST First Edition
    • Electric range: 400 miles
    • Charging time: 10 minutes to 100 miles range (DC Fast Charging up to 350kW)

2024 Chevy Silverado EV engine and performance

We see a blue 2024 Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck with tunnel lights zooming by.
Image credit: Chevy

Simply put, with the Chevy Silverado EV, power is the name of the game. While the WT trim will offer a good amount of muscle, clocking in at 510 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque, GM has been really pushing the RST First Edition’s performance numbers. Their latest test numbers have the 2024 Silverado EV RST First Edition boasting 754 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque and up to 10,000 lbs. of towing. Compare this to the combustion engine 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 performance trims’ 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque.

  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT
    • Electric Motor Power: 510 hp and 615 lb-ft of torque
    • Towing: 10,000 pounds
    • Payload: 1,400 pounds
  • 2024 Chevy Silverado EV RST
    • Electric Motor Power: 754 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque
    • Towing: up to 10,000 pounds
    • Payload: TBA

Design changes

We see the headlights of a 2024 Silverado EV RST First Edition.
Image credit: Chevy

As mentioned above, the 2024 Silverado EV was built from the wheels up to make optimal use of the Ultium battery platform. The RST First Edition will have a number of attractive design elements, including optional 24-inch aluminum wheels, modern lighting accents on the exterior and interior, and a fixed-glass roof for a panoramic view.

The bed of a Chevy Silverado EV has been laid all the way down, allowing over 10" of items.
Image credit: Chevy

The star of the show is the redesigned “Multi-Flex Midgate,” which allows you to extend the floor of the electric pickup truck’s bed to up to 10 ft. 10 in, as seen above. The tailgate’s “inner gate” also can become a step that accommodates up to 375 lbs for easier loading and unloading. All in all, it’s clear GM is hoping that eco-conscious companies in need of pickup truck fleets will adopt the Silverado EV as their primary electric vehicle — and RST First Edition buyers will reap all the benefits of this research and development.

2024 Chevy Silverado EV review round-up

We see a white 2024 Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck towing a small front-loader.
Image credit: Chevy

The RST First Edition has only been teased at car shows and press events so far, but a few reporters across the auto-verse have gotten their hands on the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT. Here are their early thoughts on GM’s latest electric pickup.

The Silverado EV is an intriguing take on an electric pickup. With its unique chassis and class-leading range and power, it’s in many ways a more sophisticated, ambitious take on a full-size electric truck than Ford’s F-150 Lightning. As a result, however, it’s also significantly costlier and heavier. We’ll need more wheel time and a head-to-head comparison to determine which design approach we prefer.

Chris Paukert – Edmunds

Current GM truck owners will quickly acclimate to piloting the electrified Silverado. The 4WT moves along with the quiet refinement expected of an EV, with a synthesized hum playing through its stereo speakers only under hard acceleration. It feels as quick as any Silverado we’ve driven, with a responsiveness that makes short work of passing maneuvers on country roads.

Mike Sutton – Car and Driver

A near-$80,000 starting price for a bare-bones work truck is a tough pill to swallow. We get why that is to a certain extent given its all-new platform and advanced battery tech. But through that same lens, its basic interior and crashy ride quality become much harder to justify.

On its face, though, the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV WT is a promising start. We’ll reserve judgment on its real-world range and towing capabilities outside this very brief preview, but at first pass, it seems to be a no-frills tool that’ll happily keep up with you at the job site. And this is only the beginning.

Kristen Lee – MotorTrend

FAQs

We see a silver Silverado EV pickup truck at a worksite.
Image credit: Chevy

What is the estimated range?

The 2024 Chevy Silverado EV 4WT trim offers an estimated range of 450 mi. on a single charge, while the forthcoming 2024 RST will have an estimated range of 400 mi. GM has promised lower-tier versions of the WT trim in the future with less range and lower starting prices.

Are reservations open?

Unfortunately, as of writing (July 6, 2023) reservations are currently full for the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV, according to Chevy’s website. Interested buyers can leave their email to be notified when reservations re-open.

When will the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV be available?

The production model Chevy Silverado EV 4WT has been rolling off production lines, but unless you’re a fleet operator planning to electrify your commercial vehicles, you’ll have to wait until the RST First Edition premium trim launches sometime in fall 2023.

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The 2025 Tesla Model 2 could shake up Tesla’s ‘luxury’ image, if it ever comes out

Tesla released the Model 3 several years ago as an affordable option in its existing line of vehicles. While it started with a reasonable price tag, the Model 3 hasn’t reached the “cheap EV” status Tesla initially touted. Many believe the company is working on a smaller, more affordable model to fulfill this promise, and it’s expected to be released in 2024. Though we don’t know the name yet, Model 2 seems a likely fit for the upcoming EV. The automaker may also offer a performance variant and a long-range model, but there’s plenty of time before its release for specifics to materialize.

Tesla Model 2 price and specs

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Tesla hasn’t detailed pricing for the new car yet, but we can take clues from its other models. All specs and pricing are estimates and may change drastically before the car’s release date.

2025 Tesla Model 2 Base

  • Price: $25,000 (approximate, expected)
  • Range: 250 miles (approximate, expected)
  • Performance: Up to 300 hp

2025 Model 2 Long Range

  • Price: $35,000
  • Range: 320 miles
  • Performance: Up to 350 hp

2025 Model 2 Performance

  • Price: $40,000
  • Range: 300 miles
  • Performance: Up to 400 hp

Tesla doesn’t typically offer many options for its vehicles and equips most features as standard. That includes safety equipment, interior and tech upgrades, and more. However, most color options do cost extra. Buyers can easily spend thousands more than the base price on the automaker’s advanced cruise control features. Autopilot and Full Self-Driving tech alone can add as much as $15,000 to the car’s base price.

Because it manufactures vehicles in the United States, most Tesla models are eligible for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. That could be a significant benefit to the Model 2, as it would make the final price much lower after the credits are claimed. Of course, this all depends on Tesla’s ability to reach the low price point to begin with.

Depending on how it’s positioned at launch, the Model 2 could compete with a range of EVs, from the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV to the Hyundai Ioniq 5. If the car ends up being a small hatchback as expected, it will be one of the only compact, affordable EVs on sale. Most automakers in the space focused on higher-end profit-driving vehicles before moving to the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Tesla EVs: Model 2 vs Model 3

Image credit: Tesla

The Model 2 will be smaller and less powerful than the Model 3, but it likely won’t be slow. Electric vehicles produce massive torque off the line, which gives them an advantage over internal combustion engines. Because of that, even “slow” EVs feel quick, so the Model 2 won’t be a slouch. Expect a lower range estimate and smaller battery packs than the Model 3. 

Both vehicles benefit from access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. The automaker’s chargers offer seamless charging and access through its app. Though some chargers are opening to outside EV brands, the almost-exclusive Supercharger network is more robust and complete than other charging networks. However, electric vehicles still take time to charge, which can create long wait times at Superchargers in EV-heavy areas like California.

Like all electric vehicles, Teslas tend to require less maintenance for normal operations. Regenerative braking helps prevent brake wear, as the electric motors help slow the vehicle. There are also no moving parts under the hood, removing the need for engine oil, transmission fluid, or air filters. That said, EVs tend to chew through tires much faster than gas vehicles. This is because they are much heavier and their instant torque leads to lead-footed driving, which causes faster tire wear. 

Tesla in the news

After years of price increases, Tesla began cutting prices earlier in 2023, leading some to wonder if demand had waned. Even so, the company is expanding its operations with a new facility in Mexico and has leased significant warehouse space to continue its growth. The company is preparing to release its advanced driving tech in Europe, which could happen as early as 2024.

Though we’re talking about a potential new vehicle from Tesla, it’s important to note that it has not yet released the long-awaited Cybertruck or the Roadster, both of which were announced years ago. Additionally, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving and Autopilot tech have caused plenty of concern after several high-profile crashes have highlighted the company’s relaxed attitude toward driver monitoring when using the tech. Though it charges $15,000 for FSD, Tesla still considers the tech a beta, despite the fact that real drivers are currently testing it in the real world. 

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