[jjmicon]

Any thoughts on whether the Silverado EV WT will be able to accept an under the bed gooseneck hitch with removable ball? A top bed gooseneck hitch is too bulky for my liking, limits the use of the bed, and although some top of the bed hitch versions can be removed, doing so can be a hassle. Just wondering if I need to start thinking about changing my two gooseneck trailers to bumper hitch versions.

 

[NutsnBolt]

Any thoughts on whether the Silverado EV WT will be able to accept an under the bed gooseneck hitch

I have the same question, since I use a gooseneck adapter on my 5th-wheel toy-hauler. But I haven't asked the question because there are so many other needed unknown details. I've talked to an after-market truck-equipment dealer, and they say they have no info from GM, so they can't plan for anything yet.

 

[HawaiiEV]

Just doesn’t seem realistic. There’s no frame like a regular full size . The bed is short and side skirts would get in the way real quick, it has to sit over the wheels and there is no room there look at the image above. We don’t know for sure but I would say it’s a hard no. I’ve never seen an avalanche with one, I have always heard short bed with crew cab is a no no.

 

[jjmicon]

There has to be some kind of substantial frame in the bed area of the truck to support the bumper hitch. Short beds pull gooseneck trailers all the time. Now the swoopy design elements coming from the cap could be an issue especially for a wide front fifth wheel - maybe not so much of an issue for a more narrow front gooseneck car hauler or gooseneck horse trailer. Sure would be a downer if a Silverado couldn't haul a gooseneck trailer.

 

[HawaiiEV]

I kinda imagine it’s something they weren’t designing a unibody ev Silverado 1500 alternative for. No doubt the HD truck could do it. My experience with 5th wheels is campers and short bed crew cab, let alone something with side skirts would seriously limit turning to like 45 degrees max, you are right that some trailers might not have as much a limitation.

 

[jjmicon]

I kinda imagine it’s something they weren’t designing a unibody ev Silverado 1500 alternative for. No doubt the HD truck could do it. My experience with 5th wheels is campers and short bed crew cab, let alone something with side skirts would seriously limit turning to like 45 degrees max, you are right that some trailers might not have as much a limitation.

I might think that the side skirt design elements flowing down from the back of the crew cab might also preclude fitting something like a lightweight Lance Camper that fits nicely onto the bed of a traditional Silverado 1/2 ton shortbed crew cab?

 

[jjmicon]

... or a topper???

 

[HawaiiEV]

Camper tops do exist for the avalanche so I see no problem there, as well as ladder racks. I just honestly believe one of the reasons GM went the way they did with the Silverado EV is to keep it as a more “lifestyle” vehicle like they did with the Avalanche and how most EV trucks are being positioned.

Towing and other heavy duty uses have all sorts of requirements that limit the packaging and efficiency of EV, the Silverado EV is already pushing current ev technology to its limits. A lot of people really would be better off with some the the current crop of HD offerings. By packaging it like the avalanche they have given us many advantages that people like myself benefit from, I use my truck to run a small handyman/carpentry business and the avalanche form factor excels in a way that a typical family hauling short bed crew cab can’t. The F-150 Lighting may look like a regular F-150 square box, frame and all… but look at the disappointment when people figured out it wasn’t going to tow well. Of course Chevy is pushing the WT for fleet customers and no doubt for round town bumper tow the Silverado Ev will be better then a gas Equivalent competition, bumper towing step down transformers from a warehouse on one side of town to the install on the other.

 

[HawaiiEV]

I think the HD towing people keep expecting from the EV trucks won’t be realistic with EV until about 2035 when solid state batteries are available. I imagine we will then be seeing EV RVs, ev box trucks and semis for shorter hauls.

 

[jjmicon]

Camper tops do exist for the avalanche so I see no problem there, as well as ladder racks. I just honestly believe one of the reasons GM went the way they did with the Silverado EV is to keep it as a more “lifestyle” vehicle like they did with the Avalanche and how most EV trucks are being positioned.

Towing and other heavy duty uses have all sorts of requirements that limit the packaging and efficiency of EV, the Silverado EV is already pushing current ev technology to its limits. A lot of people really would be better off with some the the current crop of HD offerings. By packaging it like the avalanche they have given us many advantages that people like myself benefit from, I use my truck to run a small handyman/carpentry business and the avalanche form factor excels in a way that a typical family hauling short bed crew cab can’t. The F-150 Lighting may look like a regular F-150 square box, frame and all… but look at the disappointment when people figured out it wasn’t going to tow well. Of course Chevy is pushing the WT for fleet customers and no doubt for round town bumper tow the Silverado Ev will be better then a gas Equivalent competition, bumper towing step down transformers from a warehouse on one side of town to the install on the other.

Chevy is obviously giving much thought to this issue with a special 20,000 lb towing edition planned for later in the Silverado EV production process. That is definitely some serious towing capability. It will be interesting to see how they incorporate gooseneck and fifth wheel towing into that design - and where the price for the privilege of such serious towing will land. I wonder if it might include a longer bed and loss of the Avalanche swoops?

 

[HawaiiEV]

The 20k towing is just marketing. With a 1300 lb payload that number is suspect at best. I guess they have the power, weight and brakes, but not the rest. When they can fit the batteries for towing range(solid state) there will be an HD truck and GM has said as much arriving 2035. The Silverado EV is a half ton equivalent, 20k towing capacity or otherwise it’s not designed to pull a goose neck or any other HD equivalent towing. They just wanted to beat 15k or whatever the current BS half ton marketing says now. Truth is bumper towing with a 1500 over 10k pounds now is not a fun experience whatever their marketing says. The Silverado EV has the weight so that will help with highway stability, but the range will be crap so that doesn’t help much. I think it’s safe to say the base 8000 lb towing capacity they advertised for the EV is a realistic approximate of what it can tow and matches the payload rating, the range still won’t be good. no one is gonna be towing cross country with a 20k trailer anytime soon in any EV truck, the charging alone even after they get 300 miles range will be a pita.

 

[HawaiiEV]

these are the type of trailers the Silverado EV might tow within reason. We shall see if it really can tow a skid steer or small excavator, that would be a sight to behold.

 

[jjmicon]

So theoretically, a lightweight 2,500lb aluminum stock trailer (see pic), with no more than 5,500lbs of animals should be doable for the EV WT?

 

[HawaiiEV]

Don’t see why not, perfect use case.

 

[tsuintx]

So theoretically, a lightweight 2,500lb aluminum stock trailer (see pic), with no more than 5,500lbs of animals should be doable for the EV WT?

Probably. As long as you don’t expect to go much over 100 miles per charge. Or maybe even less with all that weight.