Overview
GMC will soon have not one, but two electric pickup trucks when the 2024 Sierra EV arrives to complement the massive, over-the-top Hummer EV pickup. The Sierra is meant to be a more utilitarian choice, and like its gasoline stablemate, it shares much with its Chevrolet-badged sibling, the Silverado EV. Even still, the launch model is the highly luxurious Denali Edition 1, which has a 754-horsepower two-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain, claims 400 miles of range, and will cost more than $100,000. Additional models, including the Elevation and AT4, will follow for 2025 with lower starting prices and less ambitious performance claims. The Sierra EV will be offered only as a crew cab with a 5 foot 11 inch bed.
What’s New for 2024?
The Sierra EV is completely new for 2024 and will be offered initially only as the Denali Edition 1 model. This means it will come fully loaded, with lots of equipment and a powerful drivetrain with two electric motors. Other trim levels will follow for the 2025 model year.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The Denali Edition 1 will be the only model available for the Sierra EV’s first model year, and it’s an expensive beast with all the luxury features and capabilities we expect from a modern pickup truck. GMC claims that the lower trim levels will start at around $50,000.
EV Motor, Power, and Performance
The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 will come standard with a powerful electric drivetrain that incorporates front and rear electric motors. This enables all-wheel drive and pumps out a total of 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque, which GMC says will get this giant truck to 60 mph in a claimed 4.5 seconds. The Sierra will also come with plenty of other tricks up its sleeve, including an air suspension that can raise and lower the truck and the Hummer EV’s “crab walk” feature that can turn the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels to maneuver the truck diagonally. A variety of drive modes will change the Sierra’s character, and the regenerative braking system will include a one-pedal driving option that uses regen to slow the truck significantly when you lift off the gas pedal.
Towing and Payload Capacity
GMC claims that the Sierra EV will provide a maximum towing capacity of 9500 pounds. We’re not sure at this point if this max capacity will require certain options, but we’ll update this story when we get more details about the Sierra’s standard and optional features.
Range, Charging, and Battery Life
The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 claims an impressive driving range of 400 miles on a single charge, thanks to its large battery pack (GMC hasn’t yet said exactly what size it is). Fast-charging capability will also be standard and will enable the truck to charge at up to 350 kilowatts. If you can find a charging station capable of this level, that means you’ll be able to add around 100 miles of range in 10 minutes, GMC says. Less expensive versions of the Sierra EV will likely have smaller battery packs and won’t provide as much range as the loaded Denali version.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe
The EPA hasn’t released fuel economy estimates for the Sierra EV yet and we haven’t had a chance to test the truck out on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route either. When we do, we’ll update this story with test results. For more information about the Sierra EV’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Sierra EV will be offered only as a crew-cab pickup with a bed measuring nearly six feet in length. This means it should offer a spacious interior with a comfortable rear seat. GMC will also offer a mid-gate function that expands the bed into the cabin to allow for longer items. There’s also a large “frunk” up front, in the space where a gasoline engine would usually go. The Denali version also incorporates nice materials such as open-pore wood and leather, as befits its price and premium mission.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The standard infotainment system is a 16.8-inch touchscreen with plenty of connectivity features, likely including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone-mirroring functionalities. There’s also an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster. A wireless smartphone charging pad is also included.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
GMC hasn’t provided details on all of the Sierra EV’s standard and optional features yet, but we know that the Denali Edition 1 comes with the advanced Super Cruise hands-free driving system. This function takes over acceleration and braking and also allows you to take your hands off the steering wheel in certain driving situations, such as when you’re on a mapped highway and so long as you keep your eyes on the road. For more information about the Sierra EV’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features are likely to include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Standard adaptive cruise control with hands-free driving mode
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The Sierra EV comes with a similar warranty to other General Motors products, which means three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage.
- Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
- Hybrid components are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit
