Chevy just broke a range record with its electric Silverado. A team of engineers was able to drive a Silverado EV pickup 1,059.2 miles on a single charge, shattering the world record for electric road cars. The previous record, held by the Lucid Air at 749 miles, stood for less than a month.
The achievement started as a passion project for GM engineers in Michigan, according to Chevy. A group of 40 employees drove a production Silverado EV WT—the cheapest, lightest trim—on public roads surrounding the company's Milford Proving Ground, as well as Detroit's Belle Isle, over seven days to set the record.
The driving itself was incredibly conservative—all done at 20-25 miles per hour in the middle of the summer—to reduce drag, minimize rolling resistance, and optimize battery efficiency. While the Silverado was a production-spec truck, engineers made a handful of small tweaks to improve its chances of going further. Here's the full list of modifications, provided by Chevrolet:
- The windshield wiper blade position was lowered to reduce drag
- Tires were inflated to their highest acceptable pressure for lower rolling resistance
- The spare tire was removed to lighten the vehicle
- The wheel alignment was optimized
- A tonneau cover was added for smooth airflow
- Climate control was turned off for the duration of the test
The truck's hardware and software were unmodified, meaning anyone with a Silverado EV could theoretically achieve the same range, with enough determination. The EPA rates the Silverado EV WT at 493 miles of range thanks to its massive 205.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack. That means Chevy was able to achieve 214 percent of the vehicle's expected range. That's pretty incredible.
The sheer size of the Silverado's battery probably had a lot to do with the result, as did the ultra-conservative driving tactics. Still, a record's still a record, no matter how it was achieved. It's an impressive showing for GM's engineering prowess and proof of just how far the tech has come in just a few short years.
We suspect it won't be long until this kind of range can be reached without having to pull too many strings or drive at a snail's pace. Such is progress.
