On first impression, the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV's launch in Detroit earlier this year left a lot on the table. The enormous new electric pickup debuted in a top-spec RST trim package that cost far more than predicted, featured the largest wheels ever on a production vehicle, and struggled over terrible Detroit roads that emphasized suspension dynamics for clunk reduction more than handling or performance. More recently, Chevy wanted me to experience the Silverado EV over the course of a longer trip, in a location better suited to the characteristics of the truck with the largest estimated range figure on the market so far.
And so, I scheduled a road trip and packed up my gear for an adventure from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe, then down the I-5 freeway to Los Angeles. The journey totaled just shy of 750 miles, with over 6,000 feet of elevation gain between San Fran and Tahoe in the first 200 miles alone. Plus, I threw a mountain bike in the bed, my luggage in the frunk, and hustled along winding canyon roads—far smoother than the frost heaves of Michigan.
But another, undoubtedly more important development unfolded between my stints with the Silverado EV, too, when Tesla finally opened up the company's Supercharger network to Chevy vehicles. And that single fact alone, I can now admit, entirely changes the game. After flying into SFO and plopping my bags, including MTB gear, into the front trunk, I needed to reacquaint with Chevy's EV software.
Remember that General Mot.
