Moby Dick - The Silverado EV RST FE Reviewed By Rivian Owner

[Electrified Outdoors]

Most of you know I have owned both the R1T and the R1S. I was an R1T owner first (by about two months) and we still own the R1S. I traded my T a couple weeks ago for this Silverado for the "truck stuff" I felt like it was a better fit at this time. I am still all in on Rivian though.

Interested to hear your thoughts.

Transcript for those who prefer a read vs a Video: https://youtubetranscript.com/?v=vbmyjPc5mOM

Video (Use chapters to skip around to what interests you):

Sponsored

 

[SSpearsAU]

I just did 1,400 miles in a Hertz rented Silverado EV, and the experience left a lot to be desired. It was a 2024 with 7,000 miles on it. I did all of my charging at Tesla Superchargers (using the adapter from my Rivian). My takeaways were:

- A good reminder that EV travel is very slow (ALL EVs)
- The front trunk space was nice, but it was not fully weather-proof.
- the vehicle itself was comfortable.
- The technology lacked. Since a rental, there was no subscription to the Chevy software which prevented use of the map. I know subscriptions are everywhere…but to use the map?!
- It was terribly inefficient. I averaged 1.8mpkwh on the road. Then on top of that the charging took much longer than my Rivian. I know it’s a much larger battery, but I was sitting for 30-45 minutes at a time to go from 10%-50%.

You could tell the vehicle was not manufactured by a company that wants to be making EVs long term was the impression I got.

 

[R1TandMe]

Having been a gear head since I was in my early teens and being old I have my opinions. What a surprise! The established automakers are trying to retrofit electric into their existing model. That doesn’t make sense. Most, but not all, F150 drivers are not interested in electric vehicles and the vehicles don’t preform to their needs. Same with Cheby. The exception being the hummer, only trying to look cool.

Love my R1T!

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

this is a class leading charger when the charger support 800v (Tesla v3 doesn’t support it so 180kw max). My PFJ 10-80 was 38 minutes with 161 kWh delivered. That’s an amazing showing!

Unlike the Ford this is not an ICE retrofit. Silverado EV is built from the ground up on a brand new architecture which is shared by:

Sierra EV
Hummer EV
Escalade IQ

It falls short of the Rivian on interior materials, software updates, and off road capabilities.

If Rivian could deliver a similar pack size with 800v support I would go for that…problem is I don’t think Rivian could do it without the price going to the stratosphere. But if they did think about that…it would probably be close to or better than 500 minutes range.

the Rivian is efficiency king when it comes to EV trucks.

The RST is good but it’s obvious a lot of cost is in the battery and powertrain.

 

[SwampNut]

Silverado EV is built from the ground up on a brand new architecture

Except for the look and interior, which is 1990 or at best 2000 level. Buttons everywhere, and you feel like someone could tell you it's an old truck and you'd believe it. At least it's not as awful as the Dodge EV's extreme old-think design.

 

[Brian A]

Except for the look and interior, which is 1990 or at best 2000 level. Buttons everywhere, and you feel like someone could tell you it's an old truck and you'd believe it. At least it's not as awful as the Dodge EV's extreme old-think design.

Please expand on the "Dodge EV's extreme old-thing design" comment. I have been keeping an eye on the REV RAM coming out (before my R1T I had 3 Ram 1500's) and am curious why you think that.

 

[SwampNut]

Have you looked in it? There are more buttons than the Concorde and just looks dated all around. It's just so ridiculous. I would LOVE the range extender.

 

[Brian A]

I guess I'm used to that from having had three Ram's. I have grown to love the reduced number of buttons in the R1T. I don't like what Tesla is doing. They have to few buttons. Certain things need to remain physical controls (Blinkers, wipers, headlights, gear selector, cruise).

 

[SwampNut]

I guess I'm used to that from having had three Ram's.

Me too, well, only two of them. So the new one being too much like my 1999 is just offensive.

Most of the things you mentioned don't need to be physical buttons. I've never touched the headlight or wiper buttons for example; blinkers with just touch like Tesla are awesome. Tesla now has auto unpark/park so no buttons needed.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Have you looked in it? There are more buttons than the Concorde and just looks dated all around. It's just so ridiculous. I would LOVE the range extender.

That does remind me of the Ram cockpit.

 

[azbill]

I just did 1,400 miles in a Hertz rented Silverado EV, and the experience left a lot to be desired. It was a 2024 with 7,000 miles on it. I did all of my charging at Tesla Superchargers (using the adapter from my Rivian). My takeaways were:


- It was terribly inefficient. I averaged 1.8mpkwh on the road. Then on top of that the charging took much longer than my Rivian. I know it’s a much larger battery, but I was sitting for 30-45 minutes at a time to go from 10%-50%.

The charging speed issue is related to the Superchargers not supporting 800V, that cuts the charging speed in half for the GM trucks. My Hummer battery, same size as Silverado has done 30-80% on an GM Energy charger in 26 minutes. It peaks at 350kw and is still charging at 180kw at 80%.

 

[zefram47]

- A good reminder that EV travel is very slow (ALL EVs)
- It was terribly inefficient. I averaged 1.8mpkwh on the road. Then on top of that the charging took much longer than my Rivian. I know it’s a much larger battery, but I was sitting for 30-45 minutes at a time to go from 10%-50%.

This take is...wrong. If you charged mostly at Tesla stations then you didn't get full-speed charging performance on the GM platform as that requires 800V charging, which Tesla does not currently have. Rivians get full-speed charging at Tesla SCs because they are 400V class vehicles and I just did a 2400 mile road trip using predominantly SCs and it was a great experience. As for efficiency, my most recent trip averaged 1.73 mi/kWh with Blizzak LT tires with an average speed of 61 mph per the trip computer. In summer that would be much better, but it is what it is in the cold and with 75 mph speed limits for at least half the trip.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I just did 1,400 miles in a Hertz rented Silverado EV, and the experience left a lot to be desired. It was a 2024 with 7,000 miles on it. I did all of my charging at Tesla Superchargers (using the adapter from my Rivian). My takeaways were:

- A good reminder that EV travel is very slow (ALL EVs)
- The front trunk space was nice, but it was not fully weather-proof.
- the vehicle itself was comfortable.
- The technology lacked. Since a rental, there was no subscription to the Chevy software which prevented use of the map. I know subscriptions are everywhere…but to use the map?!
- It was terribly inefficient. I averaged 1.8mpkwh on the road. Then on top of that the charging took much longer than my Rivian. I know it’s a much larger battery, but I was sitting for 30-45 minutes at a time to go from 10%-50%.

You could tell the vehicle was not manufactured by a company that wants to be making EVs long term was the impression I got.

Hertz only has the WT models, which don't have air suspension. Your fatal flaw was using Tesla stations, they are dogshit slow for 800v capable ultium vehicles.

 

[SSpearsAU]

Sure, if you spend a considerable amount of time planning your trip out and finding unique charging stations that have limited options around them, sure, it would cut back on the charging time, but that is not how it works when traveling with passengers.

I do not mean to upset anyone with the post. Just sharing my experience, both positive and negative. I do stand by my comment that ICE travel is more efficient than EV when trying to get from point A to point B in as short of an amount of time as possible. I don't care what kind of charger or platform you have.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Sure, if you spend a considerable amount of time planning your trip out and finding unique charging stations that have limited options around them, sure, it would cut back on the charging time, but that is not how it works when traveling with passengers.

I do not mean to upset anyone with the post. Just sharing my experience, both positive and negative. I do stand by my comment that ICE travel is more efficient than EV when trying to get from point A to point B in as short of an amount of time as possible. I don't care what kind of charger or platform you have.

lol, k. "I only used Tesla stations" means you planned it out that way.

Sponsored