GM shocks substantial jolt into GMC Sierra

Having most recently showcased facelifted version of the conventional petrol and diesel engine Sierra 1500 and Sierra Heavy Duty line of “bakkies”, GMC has completed the range by introducing an all-electric derivative simply called the Sierra EV.

Only going on-sale in early 2024 in the States, General Motors’ upscale bakkie and SUV division’s second EV after the revived Hummer follows the same as the route as the Chevrolet Silverado EV introduced in January in spite of being billed as not just a reskinned version of the bowtie brand’s offering.

ALSO READ: PICS: Chevrolet flicks the switch on new all-electric Silverado EV

The third major US commercial vehicle brand to introduce an electric bakkie after the Silverado, Hummer and the Ford F-150 Lighting, the Sierra EV will initially be available solely as a double cab, or Crew Cab in GMC-speak, and only in flagship Denali Edition 1 trim.

Based on GM’s EV Ultium Platform used by the Silverado, Hummer and Hummer SUV, the Sierra EV integrates GMC’s latest styling language with a fully sealed grille, up to 24-inch alloy wheels and inverted 7 shaped LED headlights not offered on the standard Sierra 1500 and Heavy Duty models.

While brandishing the same C-pillar as the Silverado, remodelled LED taillights and the renamed MultiPro mid-tailgate that lowers the bulkhead between the cab and loadbed similar to the Chevrolet Avalanche GM discontinued in 2013, the Sierra EV’s is, unsurprisingly, plusher inside as per the Denali name.

Besides a Denali branded GMC steering wheel, the Sierra EV boasts a redesigned centre console, a portrait-style 16.8-inch infotainment system rather than the angled seventeen-inch display fitted to the Silverado EV, a larger 11.8-inch digital instrument cluster, fixed-glass panoramic roof and a multi-colour fourteen-inch Heads-Up Display.

Added to these is a sound system developed in conjunction with Bose, open-pore wood, stainless steel and aluminium trim on the dashboard and centre console, an “active” wireless smartphone charger, more premium materials and an optional off-board power setup called Power Station Pro made-up of ten outlets inside and in the loadbin capable of producing 10.2 kW.

Underneath, the Sierra EV receives the same drive mode selector as the Silverado EV and Hummer with five settings; Standard, customisable My Mode, Tow/Haul, Off-Road and Max Power, as well as the four-steering system and CrabWalk function that allows all four wheels to move in the same direction.

Equipped with adaptive air suspension as standard, along with GM’s Super Cruise semi-autonomous cruise control, the main drawing card is the Ultium battery that powers a pair of electric motors on each axle GM didn’t disclose any capacity details of.

Combined though, the module delivers 562kW/1 064Nm that improves on the outputs of the most powerful Silverado EV by 67 kW and seven Newton Metres.

Able to haul 4 309 kg and carry 590 kg, the outputs result in the Sierra EV being 0-60 mph (96 km/h) rated at 4.3 seconds and capable of travelling 640 km on a single charge with 160 km available after ten minutes plugged-in to a up-to 350 kW fast charging station.

The result of extensive testing similar to its Chevrolet’s sibling, pricing for the GMC Sierra EV kicks-off at $107 000 (R1 962 695) for the Denali with a more affordable Elevation model planned for 2025 at a starting sticker of $50 000 (R917 147). At present though, it will be made solely with left-hand-drive.