GMC Sierra EV and Chevy Silverado EV Win The Title of The Best EV In The World
Wait, what? When did that happen? Well - it did happen, and it didn’t at the same time. I woke up this morning, had a nice cup of tea, and started thinking about all these EVs slowly taking over our lives. Then I started pondering on what really makes the best car, and very quickly, I realized that there is only one vehicle out there that deserves the coveted title of being the best. Well, actually, two cars - but they are twins, so it’s just a detail.
You gotta have to bear with me here as I try to explain the chain of thought that ended up with Sierra and Silverado being crowned the Best Car In The World EVER. I know it sounds mad, and many of you will never agree with me, but I’ll try to convince you anyway.
Image Credit: GM.
It all starts with performance. When I was half my age, having 200 hp under the hood was all the rage. Tokyo Drift changed the perspective of power, and seemingly overnight, 500 horsepower became the norm. And then the EV revolution started, bringing ridiculous numbers along with performance that made supercars look like overpriced garden fixtures.
Both Silverado and Sierra use the same powertrain with 760 horsepower on tap. Coupled with 785 lb-ft of torque, these nearly 9,000 lb behemoths barrel down the road faster than many Ferraris and Lamborghinis. In fact, both pickup trucks are as quick as the glorious Nissan R34 GT-R. If that ain’t impressive, then you should stop reading here.
Image Credit: GM.
So - we have speed. The next is comfort and usability. Whether you go for the Sierra or the Silverado, you can stuff them with nearly 74 cubic feet of cargo. That’s an entire household, literally. And once you pack it up, you can hitch up a 3-bedroom house to it and move to another state. I bet Camry can’t do that.
But here’s the bit that really made me realize these two trucks are simply the best vehicles ever. They both have a 200 kWh battery. EPA estimates the Silverado can go on for 400 miles before it needs a recharge, and the Sierra beats it at 460 miles. Some of the most recent real-life tests show that both vehicles can comfortably cruise over the 500-mile finish line. It is impressive, but that’s not why those trucks are the best.
Image Credit: GM.
Sure, performance, comfort, range, and cargo space are all important. The 200 kWh battery is the real reason why both the Sierra and the Silverado are the best EVs ever. Both trucks support V2L - vehicle to load - and both can act as a backup electricity source. With the weather playing havoc the last couple of years, snow coming down to Florida, and hurricanes crossing from east to west uninvited and unexpected, this backup is a winner. Let me explain.
Tesla Powerwall 3 battery has a measly capacity of 13.5 kWh. According to Tesla’s own calculations, that’s just enough for 7 hours of electricity. That can be enough in a usual scenario when the power is restored quickly. If you want a longer backup, say 24 hours - you’ll need 4 Powerwalls. And that’s just over $28,500. The maximum number of Powerwall batteries you can buy is 7, which is good enough for 2 days. The issue with that idea is the cost - $55,000 before the electrician even looks at setting them up.
Image Credit: GM.
Do you see where I’m going with this? The $99,495 Sierra Denali Edition 1 is an answer to climate change. And so is its $94,500 sibling, the Chevy Silverado. Look, I don’t need the 450-mile range. I don’t need the 10,000 lb towing capacity. What I need is a reliable source of electricity that can last for more than 48 hours when another hurricane comes knocking on my door.
If I were to use only half of the GMC’s battery for normal driving, it would leave me with well over 200 miles of range. That way, I’d have a 100 kWh battery backup for my house whenever I needed it. To get to this level with home batteries I’d have to spend in excess of $60,000, possibly closer to $70,000 with installation costs. And there’s no way my home battery could take me shopping or pick up the kiddos from soccer practice. Can it tow a camping trailer? Not a freaking chance.
Image Credit: GM.
When we take those home battery costs away, the Sierra becomes a real bargain at about $30,000. There are plenty of incentives about to bring that price even lower, possibly as low as $10,000. If that’s not a definition of a bargain, then I don’t know what is.
I’m not going to pretend this is a scientific approach in any shape or form. But I see both the Sierra and Silverado as home batteries on wheels. I see them as some of the best batteries on the market, and every house should have one. For that reason, I awarded both of the trucks the title of The Best EV In The World EVER.
