General Motors Co. is again revealing another pricey electric version of one of its popular trucks: the GMC Sierra.
The first edition of the 2024 Sierra EV will come in the premium Denali trim with a price tag of $107,000, not far from the Chevrolet Silverado EV RST’s price of $105,000. An AT4 trim and Elevation trim will arrive in the 2025 model year, with the Elevation starting around $50,000.
Edition 1 of the Sierra EV has 400 miles of range, offers onboard charging capabilities to power homes and other electric vehicles and comes with the largest infotainment screen of any Sierra at 16.8 inches.
The Sierra EV’s arrival will give the premium GM brand three electric truck offerings, including the Hummer EV pickup and SUV.
“When it comes to Sierra EV, we’re delighted that it’s the third EV in our brand — the only brand in the industry with three EV trucks and really setting GMC up to be the leader in this EV truck space,” GMC and Buick Global Vice President Duncan Aldred said during the Sierra reveal.
Capabilities
The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1, built on GM’s new Ultium electric platform like the Hummer EV, has a GM-estimated 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque when in “max power” drive mode, which also allows the truck to go zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds. It can tow up to 9,500 pounds and has 1,300 pounds of payload capacity, according to GM’s estimates.
Edition 1 can accommodate 800-volt DC public fast charging up to 350 kilowatts, so the truck can get 100 miles of range after 10 minutes of charging.
Onboard powering capability makes the Sierra EV into a mobile power source. With an available Ultium power bar accessory, the truck has 10.2 kilowatts of off-board power through up to 10 outlets that can help charge another EV or keep the lights on at home.
“That’s enough power to charge your home’s essential devices for 21 days,” Sierra EV Chief Engineer Nichole Kraatz said. “You can go camping, you can go tailgating … anything that you want.”
While range will differ on other models, the Edition 1 gets a maximum 400 miles on a charge.
“We did a very specific engineering ground-up new architecture because we knew that having over 400 miles of range was extraordinarily important in this segment,” Kraatz said.
The electrified Sierra also has a “very capable towing experience that allows you to have good range and towing,” she added.
The Sierra EV has air ride adaptive suspension giving customers the ability to raise or lower the truck by about 2 inches. The truck also has rear steer, four-wheel steer and the ability to “Crabwalk” like the Hummer EV does.
When in Crabwalk mode at low speeds, the rear wheels turn at the same time and at the same angle as the front wheels to enable diagonal movement. The four-wheel steer option makes all four wheels work together to enhance maneuverability.
The Sierra will also have variable regen-on-demand braking, which converts kinetic energy of the vehicle’s forward momentum into electricity to increase driving range. A one-pedal driving option allows the driver to slow the vehicle to a full stop using just the accelerator.
“The truck drives very, very well,” Kraatz said.
The Ultium battery architecture “reduces the center of gravity of the vehicle compared to traditional full-size trucks and what that means is, it’s a much more refined … ride while still being able to take the prowess and capability of the Sierra that it’s come to be known for into the EV so you’re not giving up any capability.”
Interior/exterior features
The Sierra EV Edition 1 will be offered exclusively in crew cab with a “MultiPro Midgate” expandable bed.
The Midgate provides 9 feet of storage between the cab and the tailgate when it’s open.
A 60/40-split second-row seat has four configurations, allowing for customers to haul equipment and still have room for a passenger.
The popular GMC “MultiPro Tailgate” comes standard on the 2024 Sierra EV Denali Edition 1. When the tailgate is down, the load floor length extends to about 11 feet with the MidGate also down and the MultiPro Tailgate’s load-stop open.
At the front of the vehicle, customers can use a lockable eTrunk or front truck (often called a frunk) that’s weatherproof and has two drains.
On the inside of Edition 1, there’s an all-new, panoramic fixed glass roof to make it feel more spacious.
Also new is an inductive wireless charger that’s finished in open-pore wood to create a more modern feel. The wood is complemented with aluminum accents and etched stainless steel on speaker grilles.
Technology
At the center of the interior is a large, 16.8-inch-diagonal touchscreen, which is the first portrait-oriented screen for GMC. The touchscreen offers a customizable experience and can be “split” to use three apps simultaneously.
The 16.8-inch screen is paired with an 11-inch-diagonal reconfigurable driver information center and a multi-color head-up display.
GM’s Ultifi software system will be included on the Sierra EV for new features and apps to be downloaded over the air.
There are 14 available camera views for better visibility.
GM’s autonomous technology Super Cruise will also be available for hands-free driving on more than 400,000 miles of roads in the U.S. and Canada. This technology can also be used while towing.
Hands-free start on Edition 1 enables the vehicle to turn on after the driver enters the vehicle with a key fob.
Availability
The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 will be available for U.S. customers to reserve one today at gmc.com. Availability will be limited on the Edition 1.
The Sierra EV will be offered in Canada for the 2025 model year.
Details on future models will be released closer to their launch dates.
The 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 will be made at GM’s Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, where the Silverado EV and Hummer EVs are also built. Future Sierra EVs also will be made GM’s Orion Assembly plant in Lake Orion.
khall@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @bykaleahall