Lately, I’ve driven some pretty neat pickup trucks. The Ram 1500 Warlock struck me with its (relatively) reasonable price tag, strong off-roading creds, and novel (these days) front bench seat. With Ford’s F-350 dually in King Ranch duds, it was impression by dimension. That beast stood tall, wide, and dripping with glitz. And then Chevrolet upended my understanding of what a pickup truck can be with its absolutely wild Silverado EV. The Trail Boss Max Range version, to be exact. 
2026 Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss Max Range Specs
Electric Beast Truck
Modern pickups are big, but this battery-powered Silverado is gargantuan. In Trail Boss guise, it sits on 35” all-terrain tires. Width measures 85”, and while that extra 4” over a regular Silverado may not sound like much, remember to multiply it by the 19 ½-foot length and 6’ 8” height on this truck to get a sense of added volume. To that, simply add, oh, 8,906 pounds of curb weight. This is a lot of truck, one that demands attention, but also respect for its tremendous driving range. Max Range = 478 Miles
With the Max Range moniker, you’re looking at an estimated 478 miles of range on this Silverado EV courtesy of a 205-kWh battery pack. This configuration, optional on LT models and above, makes 760 horsepower and 765 lb-ft of torque - or 725 and 775, respectively, for the Trail Boss - from dual electric motors at either end. It also features an 800-volt architecture that allows for a 350-kW DC Ultra-Fast charging connection that Chevy says will add 120 miles of range in 10 minutes. I do not have such a charging setup nearby, so was unable to put this to the test. What I can tell you is that unlike EVs with smaller batteries, the Subaru Uncharted with its 75-kWh pack for example, trickle-charging the Silverado EV overnight via a typical household outlet is a fool’s errand. Open Thy Wallet
All this range and power doesn’t come cheap. The example I drove, optioned with a $1500 glass roof and then some, stickered at $93,000. You do, however, get a lot of truck for the money. 10,500 pounds of towing, a steeper approach angle, a quartet of 120V bed outlets and one 240V receptacle, a 2” lifted suspension, those giant tires, climate-controlled front and heated rear outboard seats, digital rearview mirror, Super Cruise, head-up display, multi-flexing midgate and tailgate, and a heated steering wheel. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah. Wide Open Watts (WOW) and Sidewinder driving modes. So Much Power
Fun fact: This 3-ton brute can hit 60 mph from a dead stop in 4.1 seconds, per Car and Driver. EVs are known for their immediate torque delivery and ability to fling loose objects from interior storage bins with ease. See Lexus RZ for reference. But press the WOW button on the Silverado EV and something different happens. Flop sweat. Four-wheel drive is part of the deal here, but what felt like torque steer entered the equation during a test of uncorking 765 pound-feet of the stuff. It was unsettling and exciting all at once. Enter The Sidewinder
As for Sidewinder mode, it’s just plain fun. Press the WOW icon on the central touchscreen, and you’re greeted with sounds that remind of entering the End Guy portion of your favorite old video game. Think Double Dragon. You also get pretend combustion engine noises piped through the Bose audio system under throttle. Enter the Sidewinder, however, and behold an epic animation of a snake sidewinding across the massive touchscreen, replete with snakey sounds! 
Once activated, all four wheels move in phase up to 20 mph. It’s a bizarre feeling behind the wheel as the truck seems to skate diagonally in a most unnatural way. Going backwards was truly strange. Perhaps it would help in tight parking spots, but mostly it worked as a neato neighborhood party trick. All The Cabin Space
Driving the Silverado EV Trail Boss is a breeze. All that power effortlessly moves all that mass. The cabin is incredibly quiet and airy. Though the all-glass roof wants for a sunshade, it certainly opens up the space. Rear passengers appear to be lounging in the living room, and up front, you can manspread to your heart’s delight. I did find the ride a bit bouncy front-to-back over rough sections, but that rear-wheel steering makes light work of tight turns. Favorite features include the big frunk. Unlike smaller EVs, this area is not an afterthought; it’s a space that can handle more than charging cables. The midgate took a little getting used to when being opened up - be careful not to drop the glass window - but once mastered, twas pretty handy. For instance, you can fold down one section of the 60/40 rear seats to slide long stuff through. Or you can lay it entirely flat, stow the glass in a dedicated slot, and enjoy serious airflow alongside a huge load of cargo capacity. Beeps, Bops, And Bloops Galore
Perhaps my only real gripe was the amount of noise - beeps, bops, and bloops - being generated by the various sensors in this truck. Some can be turned off, only to come back on the next time you get in. One in particular, which is not unique to the Silverado EV, involves the vehicle slamming on the brakes while you attempt to reverse into a tight space. It’s jarring and borderline dangerous when that maneuver is being performed with oncoming traffic. The central infotainment screen is appropriately massive given the size of Chevy’s electric Silverado at 17.7”, and is quick to react. Note that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both absent. Instead, you get Google Built-In. There are many reasons GM has gone this route, but the bottom line is that my iPhone hooked right up without trouble. With more time, I would have liked to get the Trail Boss on the trail and see what it can do. The good news is, with all that range, you’d likely be less anxious about making it back home after a day of adventuring. Also, it’s worth knowing that you don’t have to spend 93 thousand bucks to enjoy this slick new EV pickup truck. The Budget-Friendlier Chevy Silverado EV
The new-for-2026 Silverado EV Custom starts under $60,000. It can only be fitted with the Standard Range powertrain that limits driving range to 286 miles and “only” 605 horsepower. These models also see slower max charging rates and an 8,500-pound towing limit. But for a $30,000 discount, it could be just the ticket for the electric pickup-curious crowd. Should your wallet allow it, however, I can see the appeal of the Trail Boss, if just for the pure bodaciousness of the thing. Thanks for reading The Knocking Rod! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Thanks for reading!
|
Posts
0 Comments