Chevy Silverado EV RST First Edition truck is already sold out
One of the biggest Chevrolet announcements in recent months was its unveiling of the Silverado EV during CES 2022. When Chevrolet announced the truck, it said there will be several trim levels coming, but the very first version of the Silverado EV will be the RST First Edition. The First Edition will come with every conceivable option and a massive price tag.
First Edition Sells Out
GM CEO Mary Barra recently said in an interview with Bloomberg that the Silverado EV First Edition has sold out. According to Barra, all available First Edition models were spoken for in 12 minutes. However, there is a big mystery regarding Chevrolet's claim: no one knows how many First Edition models were available.
It's possible some people who reserved the RST First Edition won't complete the purchase. Another thing to note is the Silverado EV reservations didn't require any sort of significant upfront payment, with interested buyers only putting down $100. A more accurate statement might be that all available First Edition pickups have been reserved rather than sold.
The First Edition is an extremely expensive truck with an MSRP of $105,000 plus DFC. Ford had a similar issue with its Lightning pickup when it opened reservations and was forced to stop taking them after demand far exceeded availability (via Automotive News). Previously this month, Ford confirmed that it was doubling its Lightning production to 150,000 units per year.
Chevrolet hasn't said how many Silverado EVs it plans to build, but with the current chip shortage and bottlenecks with batteries, the truck will likely be in very short supply. Certainly, dealerships will have some of these trucks available once they start shipping with significant markups attached to them.
Silverado EV Details
Thankfully when Chevrolet announced the Silverado EV, it didn't hold back on the details. GM has confirmed that the RST would have a 400-mile driving range. It's not exactly clear if there will be multiple battery capacities available, but that would seem likely. GM stated that the estimated 400-mile driving range on a full charge was "offered" on Work Truck and RST models.
The first version of the Silverado EV to ship will be the RST First Edition at $105,000. After production ramps up, there will be multiple trim levels available. Likely one of the best-selling trim levels will be the basic Work Truck starting at $39,900. Chevrolet did confirm that both RST and Trail Foss trims, as well as others, will come in the future.
Chevrolet plans to offer vehicles at MSRPs of around $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, and $80,000, though options packages will drive prices up significantly from there. Starting at just under $40,000, the Work Truck is priced on par with the basic Ford F-150 Lightning.
As for which of the trucks will be more popular, Ford will likely be the favorite since its F-150 has been the most popular vehicle in the entire country for many years running (via JD Power). For those not familiar with the RST First Edition, it has some notable and interesting features, including automatic adaptive air suspension, four-wheel steering, a multi-flex mitigate, an available multi-flex tailgate with power release, a 17-inch LCD, and Super Cruise that works while towing a trailer.
The multi-flex midgate is a very interesting feature that allows the truck's cargo capacity to be expanded without compromising seating space for the rear passengers. Chevy has also confirmed that all versions of the Silverado EV will feature standard DC fast charging at up to 350 kW.
The RST can tow up to 10,000lbs with 1,300lbs of payload, depending on how it's optioned. RST versions of the truck will have an optional Wide Open Watts mode delivering up to 664 horsepower and over 780 pound-foot of torque. The RST can reach 60 MPH in less than 4.5 seconds with that mode active. The Work Truck and RST models will have an optional 10.2kW offboard power unit capable of delivering power at worksites or camping, among other uses.
Work Truck is aimed at fleet customers and will deliver 510 horsepower and 615 pound-foot of torque. The truck can tow 8,000lbs with a 1,200lb payload rating. After launch, Chevy promises a fleet model that can tow up to 20,000lbs when fitted with the max tow package. If the RST First Edition's features sound familiar, that's because the model is essentially a Hummer EV First Edition with a truck body. Chevrolet plans to launch the RST First Edition in the fall of 2023, with other models expected in 2024.