Pickup Review: Power meets practicality with 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss
When electric pickups first started appearing at trade shows a few years ago, the question was whether or not these EVs could really perform as well as diesel and gas work trucks.
Chevrolet believes they've cracked the code with the Silverado EV. Now in its third model year, the 2026 Silverado EV offers a max of 760 hp, 775 lb.-ft. of torque, and 12,500 lb. towing capacity. The top estimated range with the Max Battery spec'd could get you 494 miles per full charge.
Chevy offers several trims, including the simple but effective WT (Work Truck) for fleets looking for productivity and affordability. The MY2026 Silverado EV WT starts under $37,000. For those looking for more power and bells and whistles, the 2026 Trail Boss model is the battery-powered workhorse for you.
Silverado EV’s 2026 lineup includes the WT, Custom, LT, and Trail Boss trims, each with three available battery packs to choose from:
Standard Range: Estimated 286 miles
Extended Range: Estimated 424 miles
Max Range: Estimated 494 miles
The Trail Boss crew cab with max range battery configuration is listed at $88,695 MSRP.
But like with any EV, added capacity means added weight, and the Trail Boss tips the scales around 9,000 lbs. due to its large battery pack. It's worth noting that the higher the battery capacity, the lower the payload. For example, the WT with Standard Range battery offers a 2,350-lb. payload, whereas the Trail Boss with Max Range battery offers a 1,500-lb. payload.
Recently, General Motors invited me to test drive the Trail Boss.
The review
I drove the Silverado EV Trail Boss with the Max Range battery for a week. I took it everywhere, even across state lines.
The Silverado EV stands out immediately from other EVs—and even gas-powered and diesel-powered pickups—with its distinct design. Few light-duty EVs on the streets are bigger than the Silverado EV, and it has a unique shape. Unlike the boxy 90-degree angles popular with today’s pickups, the Silverado EV features a beefy front end with the cab’s back pillars positioned at an angle similar to the front windshield. (Remember the Chevrolet Avalanche?)
Unlike ICE pickups, the interior of the Silverado EV has more streamlined, rounded features than the sharper angles found on the dash and glove compartments of ICE pickups. But we’ll get more into the interior later.
Handling and performance
The vehicle is heavy, weighing around 9,000 lb., thanks to its large battery pack. Yet it doesn’t feel heavy when behind the wheel. It handles well, and its suspension is fine-tuned. Though I wouldn’t describe the Silverado EV as “zippy” on busy highways, there were moments I glanced at the speedometer and was surprised I was going much faster than it felt. This is not only because of how the vehicle handled but also because of a quiet cabin that kept road noise at bay.
Off-road capability is moderate, and the Terrain Mode and Sidewinder feature (Chevy’s version of GMC’s Crabwalk) work well on dirt or gravel but may be more novelty than necessity for most fleet routes. Still, the truck feels planted, whether on the jobsite or the highway.
No review of the Silverado EV Trail Boss would be complete without a trip in the dirt. So, my husband and I took the truck about an hour south of Detroit to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor, Ohio. The trip down was pleasant, especially thanks to GM’s Super Cruise Technology—more on that to come. I also didn’t experience any range anxiety, as the integrated Google Maps showed the EV’s estimated battery percentage upon arrival before we even took off. The map also showed plenty of EV chargers along the way there and back, just in case we decided to charge during the trip.
At the wildlife refuge, our path turned from asphalt to gravel and dirt roads. Unfortunately, because the Midwest’s flat landscape doesn’t offer many 4x4 trails, including the wildlife drive, I didn’t get a full off-roading opportunity to test the Silverado EV Trail Boss. However, the Ottawa Wildlife Refuge offered enough miles of dirt and gravel for us to test the Terrain mode—which disables traction control and reduces electronic stability control for better performance on trails—and the Sidewinder feature. Other drive modes include Normal and Tow/Haul.
The Sidewinder is Chevrolet’s version of the GMC Crabwalk. In this mode, all four wheels turn in the same direction, allowing the truck to move diagonally. I drove it in Sidewinder for a nice stretch of dirt road. While it’s a cool feature to have, I can’t pinpoint a scenario where the Sidewinder would come in handy; however, it’s a fun party trick.
Super Cruise
The hands-free driving assist, or Super Cruise, is arguably the most fleet-relevant technology onboard the EV, using radar, sensors, and GPS mapping to steer, maintain speed, and even perform automatic lane changes on mapped roads to pass slower vehicles.
While not fully autonomous and only available on compatible highways, Super Cruise could help reduce driver fatigue and improve safety for long-haul or regional operators.
It is widely available across the U.S. and Canada. See the map below.
Work features
Built with flexibility in mind, the Silverado EV’s Multi-Flex Midgate allows users to extend the truck bed into the cab, accommodating materials up to almost 11’ long. Combined with the Multi-Flex Tailgate, which can double as a step or workstation, makes it a highly configurable setup.
The truck also houses 11 available power outlets providing up to 10.2 kW of onboard power for running electric tools or charging equipment directly from the truck’s battery, useful for remote job sites. Users can even limit power draw to preserve range for the drive home.
The 2026 Silverado EV is an impressive vehicle. From a personal standpoint—and if money were no object—if I needed a new pickup, I would likely consider the EV because of its comfortable features, capability, and greater range than competitors. But what keeps me from going all-in with the 2026 Silverado EV as a fleet truck is its price-to-capability ratio compared to its gas and diesel counterparts.
Chevrolet offers its Silverado EV in its basic WT (Work Truck) trim to commercial customers with three battery options: Standard (4WT); Extended (5WT); and Max (8WT). The Silverado EV 4WT starts at $52,800 with a maximum towing capacity of 8,500. A double cab standard bed gas-powered Silverado 1500 WT equipped with the TurboMax engine starts at $46,095 and offers a maximum towing capacity of 9,500 lb. A double cab standard bed diesel-powered Silverado 1500, the configuration that offers the highest towing capacity, in the LT trim starts at $56,840 and offers a maximum towing capacity of 13,300 lb. Because of these differences, the capability and cost can be significant factors in deciding between an EV or an ICE pickup for your business.
For more info, check out the video below for our walkthrough of the Silverado EV in early 2024, where Stephen Marlin, EV Consultant Manager with GM Envolve, gave Fleet Maintenance an overview of the work truck's specs and features.
About the Author
Jade Brasher
Senior Editor Jade Brasher has covered vocational trucking and fleets for the past five years. A graduate of The University of Alabama with a degree in journalism, Jade enjoys telling stories about the people behind the wheel and the intricate processes of the ever-evolving trucking industry.