The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where GM had planned to reveal the new battery-electric Chevrolet Silverado EV on January 5th, is on the ropes as numerous big-name exhibitors cancel. That includes General Motors, whose CEO, Mary Barra, had been scheduled as a keynote speaker, as well as major technology companies like T-Mobile, Lenovo, Waymo, Meta (Facebook), Twitter, and others. This unraveling is due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant, which has cases reported all over the world.
GM is still planning on hosting its presentation on January 5th, including the reveal of the “game-changing” new Chevrolet Silverado EV – a more practical, general-purpose alternative to the extreme, off-road-focused GMC Hummer EV. But the company’s presentation will now take place entirely online.
“We have decided to move to an all-digital approach with our activation at CES 2022 in January,” reads a statement from General Motors. “CES is an important technology platform, and we are continuing with our plans on January 5 to share our significant company news including the reveal of the Chevrolet Silverado EV.”
The electric Silverado’s fixed-glass roof. Image via Chevrolet.
The Consumer Electronics Show has taken on an increasing significance to automakers over the past decade or so. Ford in particular has selected CES as its venue of choice for a host of important announcements and reveals – especially ones pertaining to vehicle autonomy and its “Smart Mobility”-branded push for a growth in mobility-as-a-service. Stellantis had planned to reveal its new Chrysler Airflow EV concept at the 2022 show, signaling the start of a more serious attempt at playing in the battery-electric vehicle space and hinting at a very real future production vehicle.
Chevrolet Silverado EV Reveal: Date Unchanged, Details To Follow
The Chevrolet Silverado EV set to be unveiled on January 5th will be GM’s second full-size pure-electric pickup truck, after the GMC Hummer EV. It, too, will be undergirded by GM’s advanced Ultium electric vehicle platform, and built alongside the new GMC Hummer EV at the automaker’s Factory Zero plant in Detroit-Hamtramck. Among the few details that are known about the truck are that it will offer a massive panoramic fixed-glass roof – GM’s first to be fitted to a production pickup – and that top trim models will ride on impressive 24-inch wheels. Powered by Ultium battery technology, the all-electric pickup is expected to have a driving range of up to 400 miles on a full charge.
For now, the Chevrolet Silverado EV is still scheduled to bow at 12:00 PM Eastern Time on January 5th, with online reservations opening up an hour later.
Here’s to CES 2023.
Image Via GM.
