With plentiful instant torque from its electric motors, and the potential expansion of bed cargo space to almost 11 feet by the Chevrolet Multi-Flex Mid-Gate, the Chevy Silverado EV offers various towing and cargo hauling possibilities. From this, it’s natural to wonder if the all-electric truck can also handle a slide-on truck camper for outdoor adventures.
While the ICE-powered relatives of the EV, including the Chevy Silverado 1500 and the Chevy Silverado HD, can readily mount a slide-on truck camper, in the case of the Chevy Silverado EV the answer to slide-on camper compatibility is unfortunately “no.”
GM directly warns against trying to equip the Chevy Silverado EV with a slide-on truck camper. The vehicle’s user manual indicates that installation of a camper can inflict damage on the EV pickup. Furthermore, the damage is not covered by the truck’s warranty and the owner will need to pay for repairs entirely out of their own money. The manual says the model is “neither designed nor intended to carry a slide-in camper.”
Meanwhile, the manuals for the ICE Silverado 1500 and Silverado HD contains full information on use of a truck camper with the vehicles. The camper and its contents must be below the Cargo Weight Rating (CWR) for the vehicle in question. The camper should also be fitted to maintain a proper center of gravity.
Notably, the other major models of battery-electric pickup truck currently offered by The General are also unable to equip a slide-on truck camper. Despite being a powerful “supertruck,” the GMC Hummer EV Pickup remains incapable of carrying such a camper without suffering damage. The same limitation is present in the GMC Sierra EV truck.
As a reminder, a combo of GM battery technology and GM drive motor technology provides 4WD propulsion to all trims of the Silverado EV. A full charge provides 422 miles of range to Extended Range battery packs and 492 miles to Max Range configurations. Meanwhile the LT is rated at 645 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque in Wide Open Watts mode.
The Chevy Silverado EV rides on the GM BT1 platform beneath the skin. Production of the electric truck takes place at the GM Factory Zero plant in Michigan, The General’s first EV-exclusive production facility.
Comments
Silverado EV or electric Avalanche?
That’s a hilarious question. The thing wouldn’t be able to trailer it home without recharging. I can see bolting it on the truck and going to the wilderness
They are called slide IN campers not slide on. It’s been that way for 50 years. Anyone who has ever loaded one knows that if slides in the bed not on the truck bed.
Will it have room to carry a gas generator as well, so you won’t get stranded camping with an EV out in the wilderness??