GMC Sierra EV Denali is here to take on Ford F-150 Lightning
The new GMC Sierra EV will initially come in the high-end Denali Edition 1 trim only, with a starting price of $108,695. Obviously this is the MSRP meaning the prices at the dealers will either be higher or a lot higher. The cheaper versions will eventually follow at the later stage.
GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado EV are siblings, they share the structural Ultium battery pack, in the Sierra it delivers 400 miles of range or 640km. Ultium is based on 800V architecture and allows for up to 350kW DC charging, which enables 100-mile topups in 10 minutes. Just like all of its competitors, Sierra can act as a back-up energy source and GMC claims it can power a house for 21 days on full charge.
The only body choice is the crew cab with a bed nearly six feet long, the pickup features a midgate that opens up the cab and by lowering the rear seats the truckbed gets extended to nine feet - very useful solution.
The tailgate can act as an extension as well and adds another two feet - all together 11 feet of cargo space or just over 3.3 meters. On board power supply that can run the house, can be used to power any DIY tool of up to 10.2 kW, Sierra comes with 10 power outlets as standard - plenty enough to run an entire workshop or charge another electric car.
When it comes to power and performance, Sierra comes with 90hp more than its sibling Silverado. There is 754hp on tap and 1,064Nm of torque - probably enough to pull a house if such a situation ever arises. Most of the time though, its dual motor AWD drivetrain will be put to the test while racing other cars, and with 4.5 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, Sierra is a formidable competitor.
When not being used as a traffic light racer, Sierra is a highly capable off-roader. It comes with four-wheel steer and it has the coveted crab walk so it can get out of tight spots, but will more likely be used to impress onlookers. Towing capacity is set at 9,500 pounds or 4,309 kg - that’s plenty enough to pull the F-150 Lightning in a tug of war, which is inevitable to happen as soon as first units reach customers.
The interior is surprisingly close to the one on the Silverado EV, the same central 16.8-inch screen with the 11.8-inch digital instrument cluster. Denali trim brings all the leather, aluminum and wood with it, multi-color HUD displays a lot of info onto the windscreen. Super Cruise is on board and so are the 14 cameras keeping an eye on every corner of the Sierra EV. Bose sound system and glass panoramic roof complete the equipment list.
GMC Sierra EV Denali will reach dealerships no earlier than the beginning of 2024, the AT4 and Elevation trims will follow in 2025 and GMC will introduce a cheaper entry model at about $50,000, but we’ll have to wait a very long time for that one.
Reservations are already open at the GMC website and if you want to be in with a chance of grabbing one of the early production slots - you better be quick. If history is anything to go by - 2024 production may be already fully booked.
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