Road Trip: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss Max Range

Versatile and Functional Electric Pickup

Habanero is a very hot chili pepper; its most common colors are red and orange. Our best guess is the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss painted in Habanero Orange is to convey this is no normal pickup. After spending a week and more than 1,000 miles in the flaming amber Trail Boss, we agree. It’s everything you need in a pickup, but without the trips to the gas station or the oil change shop.

The question then is: “Why aren’t more pickup owners driving an all-electric truck?” Is it bias? Is it that an EV doesn’t fit certain political beliefs? Is it repeatedly hearing misinformation by people and companies vested in not seeing new energy vehicles succeed? Is it that an all-electric truck doesn’t meet their perceived vocational and recreational needs? Other than the last two reasons, of which we’re skeptical, the others are merely excuses to not being open to the wonderful world of all-electric driving.

Silverado EV Basics

First on-sale in 2023, the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV comes in four trims: Custom/Work Truck, LT, Trail Boss and RST Stars and Steel, the latter of which is new for 2026. Extended Range and Max Range batteries are available on all three top trims. Clean Fleet Report drove the Silverado EV Trail Boss Max Range.

Key elements of the Silverado EV

• Developed from the ground-up as a fully electric truck on the General Motors Ultium platform
• Dedicated platform not shared with the gasoline engine Silverado
• Built at Factory Zero at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center
• All-wheel drive
• All-wheel steering (LT and Trail Boss)
• Towing capacity: 12,500 pounds for the LT or Trail Boss Extended Range with trailing package; 8,000 pounds for the Custom/WT
• 1,000-2,350 pounds of payload (depending on the battery size)
• Available only as a Crew Cab

Power and Range

Dual electric motors

Driving range (miles): WT: 286-493: LT: 283-478; Trail Boss: 410-478

Horsepower (maximum): WT: 510; LT: 760; Trail Boss: 725

Torque: WT: 490; LT: 765; Trail Boss: 775

Ultium lithium-ion battery; peak charging speed

          – Standard 119 kWh; 220 kW

          – Extended 170 kWh; 300 kW

          – Max: 205 kWh; 350 kW

19.2 kW onboard charger

Curb Weight: 7,403 pounds up to 8,464 pounds depending on the battery

Charging

Level 1 (120V) – Long and slow

Level 2 (240V) – 34 miles per hour or about 12 hours

DC Fast Charging (350 kW) – 120 miles in 10 minutes; 10-80% in 44 minutes

Driving the Silverado EV Trail Boss Max Range

We set out on a road trip that ended up totaling just under 1,100 miles, driving from Dana Point to Calistoga, California, the beach to the wine country. We tested the road comfort, handling and efficiency of the all-electric power plant, averaging 2.4 miles kWh. For comparison, the lowest we have tested was 1.2 kWh in a GMC Hummer EV with the highest 5.4 kWh in a Lucid Air.

We drove to Napa with an empty bed and returned with a dozen, oak wine half-barrels weighing about 600 pounds. The added weight was nearly imperceptible, but for the ride being even smoother.

The Silverado EV drove smooth and quiet as is expected of an EV. But considering the 18-inch aluminum wheels mounted with 285/75 Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires, high stance suspension and a lifted chassis, it wouldn’t be unexpected to have concerns about ride comfort and tire noise. We didn’t encounter any of these issues. The ride, mostly freeway through California’s Interstate 5 and Highway 101 was issue-free of noise from wind or tires.

The Silverado EV Trail Boss comes standard with all-wheel drive so it can get dirty, but isn’t designed for rugged off-road driving. Where it shines is on the freeway and around town as it feels more like a SUV and not a heavy truck. This will please consumers familiar with driving an SUV, making them feel right at home quickly. One thing we enjoyed was the active rear steering, where the rear wheels rotate up to 3.5 degrees to make parking in tight places easy. This appreciated feature also reduced the need for steering input while taking city or freeway corners.

Freeway time can be made much more enjoyable and relaxing by activating Super Cruise. This allows the driver to travel hands-free on more than 750,000 miles on compatible roads. We used Super Cruise for about 700 of the 1,000+ miles on our trip and know this feature is one you will want on your Silverado EV.

Features: In and Out

There is comfortable seating for five full-size adults. The front bucket seats are 12-way power, heated, cooled and ventilated. Rear passengers get heated seats, air vents and power outlets.

Occupant head, leg and shoulder space is good, with three adults easily sitting in the 60:40 folding rear seat. Cabin storage is plentiful, including under the rear seat or in the 7-gallon space in the padded center console.

The Silverado EV Trail Boss came with three displays: an 11.0-inch for the digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch color display for the infotainment system and vehicle controls and a 14-inch head-up display that is configurable with navigation, radio channel and speed.

Sounds came through a 7-speaker Bose audio system that doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but does have Google Built In with maps, assistant and apps. There is a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless charging and configurable ambient lighting. Our Trail Boss had the $265 optional all-weather floor liners and the fixed, panoramic glass roof at $1,500.

There are front and rear power ports and vents for the dual zone climate system. Other convenience features include power folding and heated exterior mirrors, LED cargo area lighting, keyless entry and remote start, towing hitch guidance and a deep center console storage area that can hold a small cooler.

The lockable front trunk (frunk) has a remote, power hood and the rear bumper steps made it easy to reach tall loads in the bed. The front and rear walk-up and walk-away lighting sequences were a nice feature.

Versatility and Functionality

The real eye-popper is the mid-gate, either accessed through the second row or the multi-flex tailgate that opens the bed. When the mid-gate is fully optimized, it bumps the 5-foot-11-inch bed to 10-feet-10-inches of load floor, providing enough space for long items like a kayak, surfboard, paddle board or lumber. Check-out this How To video here.

We also liked the hard, folding bed cover—a $1,950 dealer-installed option.

V2H

V2H stands for Vehicle-2-Home, which allows Silverado EV owners to power an office-on-the-go, campsite, job site, inflate tires and even keep the lights on in a home for several days in an emergency. For an additional cost, the GM Energy V2H Bundle, once installed, allows bi-directional power flow to either charge the Silverado EV or take power from the Silverado into a home or another EV. For anyone that lives in an area where weather can knock-out the power, and is considering installing a diesel back-up generator, the GM system will be worth investigating. Here is how it works.

Safety

The Silverado EV comes standard with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), through Chevrolet Safety Assist, that includes automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane keep assist departure warning and forward collision alert.

As with all General Motors vehicles, the Silverado EV will be equipped with OnStar. A simple push of a button connects to a friendly representative to handle emergencies, directions, and general assistance to make your driving experience safer and more enjoyable.

Pricing and Availability

The 2026 Silverado EV is available in four trims with three different battery options. All prices include the $2,595 destination charge.

Summary: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss Max Range

Many pickup truck owners might be surprised they might be happier driving an all-electric truck. Chevrolet-loyal truck owners and first-time truck buyers will be intrigued with the size, driving range, charging speed, cargo versatility and storage options that make the Silverado EV appealing.

Chevrolet understands the challenges of converting current diesel and gasoline-powered truck owners to buying an electric pickup. They also know almost all of them have an opinion on electric vehicles even though they have not driven one or even sat in one. This, of course, is a shame as what they will learn and experience will make their lives easier, more enjoyable and have a positive effect on their personal or business finances.

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Story and photos by John Faulkner.

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