2019 Gmc Sierra 2500 Denali on 2040-cars

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GM hard at work on Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra PHEV pickups

Autoweek heard from sources at General Motors and Ford about how each automaker is addressing the dip in EV enthusiasm and sales. At General Motors, AW reports, "plug-in hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are headed to market, in a hurry." The sources gave no timeline for when the trucks might appear. GM CEO Mary Barra told analysts during GM's Q4 2023 earnings call, "Let me be clear, GM remains committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from our light-duty vehicles by 2035, but in the interim, deploying plug-in technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the environmental benefits of EVs as the nation continues to build its charging infrastructure."  It's too soon to predict how the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV will fare on the market, the Silverado EV Work Truck still the only one available to customers. It might be better for GM if they're not too popular at first, the automaker's cautious EV production ramp-up and recent software setbacks responsible for some still-healthy reservation rolls. Barra said the company plans to build between 200,000 and 300,000 EVs, this year, which would clear that backlog. Heading into the end of February, with the Chevy Bolt out of the picture and additional EV pickup production pushed to 2025, our Spidey senses feel those are optimistic numbers. The Chevy Bolt was the third-best-selling EV in the U.S. last year, at 62,044 units. GM didn't have another vehicle in the top ten. Furthermore, the combined sales of every EV in the top ten after the Bolt — seven models from six manufacturers — is only just over 200,000 units. The Blazer EV and Equinox EV could make it happen, but there's no way Chevy wants to rush those, the Blazer EV still in software purgatory.   The report speaks of collateral damage, GM said to have canceled an electric pickup sized below the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. Automotive News said it saw the truck in January 2023, describing it as a futuristic two-door with a low roof and a 4.5-foot cargo bed. A new full-size van program supposedly got the axe as well, eliminating the plan to put a new Chevy Express and GMC Savana on a Brightdrop EV chassis. Over at Ford, AW says its sources mentioned another canceled midsizer; Ford's apparently stopped working on an EV pickup sized a bit below the Nissan Frontier.

2025 GMC Sierra EV rumored to offer a smaller 170-kWh pack as standard

It's kind of wild that you can order a 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 pickup, yet GMC hasn't released specific figures for battery capacity; maybe that's info you only get after putting down a deposit. Adding to the mystery, the 2025 GMC Sierra EV, already being promoted at the GMC site and which will be available later this year, will add a second battery. GM Authority says the pack in the 2024 truck (that only comes in one trim) is the 204-kWh pack we already know from the GMC Hummer EV. In April, GMC raised the estimated range rating for that pack from 400 miles to 440 miles, upped towing capacity by 500 pounds to 10,000 pounds, and raised max payload capacity by 150 pounds to 1,450 pounds. For 2025, GMA says the the Sierra EV range will add a smaller 170-kWh pack for lower trims.  Trims, you ask? Yes, next year's standard Denali trim will be joined by AT4 and Elevation trims. The AT4 will come with trail-use perks like four-wheel steering, CrabWalk, and two additional inches of ground clearance thanks to 18-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch all-terrain tires, plus Super Cruise and a spray-on bedliner. Optional features on the AT4 include a DC fast charge upgrade to 350-kW, GMC's MultiPro MidGate, and the 10.2-kW Power Station Pro. The Elevation, typically a lower trim in GMC's vehicle lineups, comes with a power-operated frunk, the MultiPro tailgate, and sits on 18-inch wheels in 33-inch rubber. The Elevation options menu will offer the MultiPro MidGate, Super Cruise, spray-on bedliner, Power Station Pro, and fast charge upgrade. The Denali will come with all of these tech features standard, but sit on 24-inch wheels in 35-inch rubber. New colors will expand the palette from the sole option today, Thunderstorm Gray, to include Deep Ember Tintcoat, Deep Ocean Metallic, Moonlight Matte, Onyx Black, and Summit White. Back to the battery, the 2025 Sierra EV's order guide shows two pack options, an Extended Range and a Max Range, without giving capacity figures. GMA believes this will be a 20-module pack of 170 kWh, powering a range of around 380 to 390 miles. The 2025 trucks reportedly begin heading down lines in early September, starting with the Denali trim, so information should be forthcoming in the not-too-distant. The AT4 and Elevation trims will reach dealerships early next year.

General Motors designers sketch the GMC pickups of the future

It's been a busy few years for GMC's team of stylists. They penned a new look for the Yukon and the Yukon XL, and they gave the Sierra 1500 a nip-and-tuck that we'll discover in the coming months. Overhauling these hugely significant models hasn't stopped them from exploring how the firm's design language can evolve. General Motors Design posted two forward-thinking renderings on its official Instagram account that illustrate two ways to move GMC's design identity forward. Karan Moorjani, who works as an exterior designer for the company's autonomous and electric vehicle division, created a truck that breaks all ties with the Sierra. It's characterized by a tall front end with a wide grille and thin LED headlights, sculpted sides, and an unusually low cab. Generously-sized fender flares and tires suggest Moorjani envisioned it as a serious off-roader. Joe Boniface, a member of GMC's Strategic Advanced Design team, took a more realistic approach to moving the design language forward and away from sister company Chevrolet's. His rendering shows a Heavy Duty model with a Denali-branded grille that takes up most of the real estate on the front end and encompasses horizontal rows of LED daytime running lights. It wears less chrome than the current-generation Sierra HD. Nothing suggests either truck is currently on its way to production; General Motors Design regularly publishes sketches from the brand's stylists. Its fascinating Instagram account also shows a Cadillac off-roader, a battle-ready Chevrolet pickup, and a high-riding, open-top two-seater with General Motors emblems that looks like a race car for the Moon.  "Often, these works are not intended for production," a GM spokesperson told Autoblog. "Instead, designers create them to hone their creative skills, to try new shapes or themes, and sometimes simply for the fun of sketching something badass. The GM Design Instagram account was launched to share some of the most compelling, most badass works GM Designers produce." They're sketches created for the sake of sketching, but they give us a peek at the ideas floating around the minds of the men and women who will draw the next generation of General Motors products. Related Video: