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2024 Chevy Silverado EV Mid-Gate: Hands-On Video

The 2024 Chevy Silverado EV promises a good degree of practicality, as any vehicle bearing the iconic Chevy Silverado nameplate should. That includes plenty in space in the bed for cargo, which is enhanced thanks to a unique Mid-Gate feature that allows users to pass longer items from the bed into the cabin. Now, GM Authority is getting hands-on with the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV Mid-Gate in the following video.

Hosted by GM Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft, the video goes over how to operate the Silverado EV Mid-Gate, which expands the five-foot, 11-inch bed to provide nine feet of length in the cargo area, accommodating a range of longer items.

The Silverado EV Mid-Gate offers three specific configurations:

  • 60 percent partition open, 40 percent partition closed, useful for carrying a passenger in the rear seat. This configuration only allows the 60-percent portion to be open, as the 60-percent portion overlaps the 40-percent portion, preventing the 40-percent portion from opening independently of the 60-percent portion.
  • Both partitions open folds the 60 percent and the 40 percent partitions, thereby folding down the entire rear seat.
  • Fully open drops the entire mid-gate and cross-bar, creating a huge space in the back to accommodate large items.

Note that the rear glass can be removed and stowed with the two latter configurations.

The Chevy Silverado EV Mid-Gate with the 60-percent portion open.

The Chevy Silverado EV Mid-Gate with the 60-percent portion open

60/40 Split

Follow these steps to open the 60 partition and keep the 40 partition upright:

  1. Move the two front seats forward enough to clear the rear seat cushions.
  2. Next, place the rear seat belts into the provided slots in the rear door trim.
  3. Fold the 60-percent rear seat cushion (driver’s side) forward.
  4. Fold in the headrests, then fold the 60-percent portion of the rear seatbacks forward.
  5. Press the switch on the bottom of the Mid-Gate once for less than two seconds, then pull the 60-percent portion of the Mid-Gate forward.

The Chevy Silverado EV Mid-Gate with the 60 and 40 percent portions open

Both Partitions Open

Follow these steps to open both partitions:

  1. Move the two front seats forward enough to clear the rear seat cushions.
  2. Place the rear seat belts into the provided slots in the rear door trim.
  3. Fold both rear seat cushions forward.
  4. Fold in the headrests, then fold both rear seatbacks forward.
  5. Press the switch on the bottom of the Mid-Gate twice to unlock both partitions, then pull the 60-percent portion of the Mid-Gate forward. Repeat for the 40 percent portion.

The Chevy Silverado EV Mid-Gate completely folded and rear glass stowed

Fully Open (Including Crossbar)

Follow these steps to fold the entire mid-gate:

  1. Move the two front seats forward enough to clear the rear seat cushions.
  2. Place the rear seat belts into the provided slots in the rear door trim.
  3. Fold both rear seat cushions forward.
  4. Fold in the headrests, then fold both rear seatbacks forward.
  5. Ensure that the rear glass defroster is turned off. Removing the rear glass with the rear defroster on, a spark may be emitted from the glass area.
  6. Remove the rear glass by pulling on the handles at the ceiling.
  7. Stow the rear glass in the frontmost part of the Mid-Gate, placing the bottom portion first and then pushing the top portion into the secure holder. Make sure to follow the alignment guides as needed to align the glass in the proper spot.
  8. Press the switch to release the entire Mid-Gate, then pull the entire Mid-Gate forward. Note that the Mid-Gate with the crossbar is heavier than either of the 60/40 split sections, so be prepared to “catch it” before it slams into the base.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Still have my Avalanche.
    This is just too expensive.

    🙁

    Reply
    1. Reply
  2. Is the public asking for this? What about hot , humid weather, or rain or snow coming into my 95k dollar truck? What about the dirt or the leaves or saw dust from the last time I used my truck? You forgot to say you need to wash out the bed first! What about the sudden stops that will put my cargo on top of me? Do they ever ask real truck people if they need this? Is a midgate what makes the F150 America’s best selling truck! I am a full GM guy but sometimes they do the stupidest things in the world. The midgate is never going to catch on in the real truck world. The emperor is naked!

    Reply
    1. Here are some observations to your questions:

      – Is the public asking for this? I don’t have direct knowledge of this, but I will say this: having worked at GM and then having been covering the company for the past decade here at GM Authority, I can tell you that very few product decisions get made without supporting data. I doubt the mid-gate was a feature that made it into the product without proper data to allow the decision maker to CYA. This goes a step further with Silverado EV and Sierra EV, since both are key to GM’s ongoing existence and success. On a different yet related note, the public was certainly not asking for a refrigerator on wheels, but here we are… and it’s in high demand.

      – Humid, hot weather, rain or snow? Based on the way it’s configured, I don’t think it will be much of a problem unless someone is driving with the mid-gate down all the time, at which point it’s fairly obvious that they bought the wrong vehicle. The worst that will happen is that the mid-gate will get wet, which it will anyway given that it’s the bulkhead of the bed when it’s upright. That said, I really doubt anyone will be driving with the mid-gate down all the time for these conditions to truly be a problem.

      – Not sure about washing out the bed… depends on what you’re carrying. If you have cargo that needs to be kept clean, then some blankets might be more useful than “washing out” the bed. No different than carrying fragile goodies in a box truck or a van.

      – Sudden stops are, indeed, a concern. It pays to be cognizant of what you’re carrying and how you’re carrying it, and to govern your driving style accordingly… similar to towing a trailer.

      – Is a midgate what makes the F-150 America’s best selling truck? What makes the F-150 best-selling is roughly 40 percent fleet and commercial sales of base XL and XLT models. Clearly, the F-150 doesn’t offer a mid-gate, and it actually can’t based on the way the truck is built. Incidentally, the version of the Silverado EV focused on the fleet and commercial market is the Work Truck, which does not offer the mid-gate at all. That, and my colleagues at Ford Authority tell me there is a good possibility that the next-gen F-150 EV/Lightning will also offer a mid-gate.

      The takeaway here is that the mid-gate is a neat feature. if you don’t want to use it, don’t use it. If you need to carry something extra long in a pinch, you have the flexibility to do so. It’s there when you need it, and not in the way when you don’t. Seems like a win-win.

      Reply
  3. My 2009 Chevy Equinox can carry 10 feet lumber, pipes, and even a 10 foot aluminum ladder, all inside. I did fit a 11 foot plastic pipe from the right passenger side windshield corner to the left rear back gate corner. Can anyone do this in a similar sized vehicle?

    Reply
    1. Sounds like a slight tap from any direction will put that pipe through the windshield.

      In all seriousness, this is a fringe use case… but the first-gen Equinox did have impressive cargoability.

      Reply
    2. Wouldn’t want to, it’s not a truck.

      Reply
  4. Looks like leaks just waiting to happen.

    Reply
    1. Yes, any use of this as a real truck will likely result in the Mid-Gate seals being damaged and then leaking.

      Reply
  5. Thanks for the insightful review, Alex. I always enjoy your reviews and perspective. The mid gate may not be for everyone, but it certainly will be useful to those that want flexibility in in their ability to carry various sized loads. I am not a candidate at this point for a $100k electric pickup truck but would like to see some of the innovations offered on the gas-powered Silverado.

    Reply
  6. Just bring back the Avalanche. I loved mine. Incredibly versatile vehicle. Somebody might actually buy one.

    Reply
    1. Still driving my second avalanche. 2012 Z71. 94,000 miles.

      Reply
    2. I would consider a nice 3/4 ton Avalanche but they are pretty rare around here.

      Reply
  7. $96k for an reworked EV Avalanche? You’re joking right? When an ICE Avalanche could have been bought for around $50k….

    Take $35K off this “turd” and it might sell, not many will pay this for a depreciating asset, and the ones that do are “suckers” who will own it for a year and dump it real quick…just wait and watch

    Reply
    1. This is America. There will be enough people who can afford to buy the truck and enjoy the “out of the box” approach. No need to call them “suckers” or the product a “turd”… just wait and watch.

      Reply
      1. @ Belo

        I will wait and watch when Ford lost over $100k for it’s EV’s!!! GM now will be the next ones losing TONS of money!!! Where will you be then? One of the guys selling his overpriced EV?

        Reply
        1. I don’t think GM will be losing nearly as much as Ford did, simply because they won’t build very many of these.

          Reply
  8. GM and Ford will be fine. Government is protecting them with import taxes against the China’s possible invasion with affordable EV’s. American automakers cannot afford to lose their market, they have to keep investing in the future.
    There are enough well off customers who can afford their high priced cars / trucks, both ICE and EV.
    Just wait and watch. I will do the same.

    Reply
    1. “There are enough well off customers who can afford their high priced cars / trucks, both ICE and EV”
      I disagree with this. There are a lot, but not enough.

      Reply

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