Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins, www.AutomotiveRhythms.com
The EV experience at General Motors keeps growing with a bevy of new vehicles and technologies coming to market for conscious drivers looking to make the switch to e-mobility. For example, GMC is still reveling in the fandom received from its HUMMER EV released earlier this year and recently closed the order list since successful demand has been met. Well, to complete the trifecta, truck lovers can also swing their attention towards the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 premium pickup that the American automaker announced today.
I had an opportunity to study the EV personally in New York while speaking with GMC product planners and engineers regarding the premium truck’s evolution, target market, technology, and capabilities. And yes, if you are wondering, the Sierra EV is a proper pickup with 9,500 pounds of towing, 1,300 pounds of payload, 754-horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque in Max Power mode, 0 to 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds, and a standard box length of 5’11,” but 10’10” when the MultiPro Midgate + MultiPro Tailgate are engaged. Comparatively speaking, the GMC e-truck is engineered with two electric motors as opposed to the three in the HUMMER EV.
“This truck is everything customers know about the Sierra, but is so much more,” said Nichole Kraatz, chief engineer, GM Battery Electric Trucks. “Leveraging GM’s dedicated Ultium pickup platform, it takes the Sierra franchise to new benchmarks of capability, versatility and luxury — all in a zero-tailpipe-emissions package.”
Built at GM’s Factory ZERO alongside the HUMMER EV, the Sierra EV is powered by GM’s Ultium Platform battery technology, allowing it to achieve a GM-estimated 400 miles of range on a full charge. That’s a fantastic feat for a vehicle of this size and nature. For the fastest energy restoration results, the Sierra EV can handle DC Fast Charging up to 350 kWh enabling 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. However, you will typically have to visit a Walmart to find this Level 3 power. In Maryland, where I live, Electrify America mostly has them. Installing a 240-volt Level 2 unit in your garage, such as the ChargePoint Home Flex, will repower an EV truck overnight. I suggest hardwiring it to a 50-amp circuit breaker for the fastest charge times (usually 37 miles of range per hour). The lower the amp rating, the slower the charge. Other EV tech features consist of Variable Regeneration on Demand and One Pedal Driving which I’m not a fan of. I prefer to use the brake to slow my vehicle down. GMC also offers its Power Station Pro with 10.2 kW of off-boardable electric power for the ten outlets (AC 120V and AC 240V) and can charge other EVs if you are kind enough to share your juice!
As you can see, this particular Sierra EV is the Denali version which is GMC’s luxurious trim. And the Edition 1, like the HUMMER EV Edition 1, launches with unique design features and innovations like 24″ two-tone 6-spoke rims, 35” tires, and High-Gloss Black trim around its grey body. The other two trims are Elevation and AT4 with reduced price points compared to the $107,000 top-of-the-line 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1. Conversely, the Sierra EV Elevation will start at $50,000 and the adventurous Sierra EV AT4 will feature a 2” factory lift. The Denali Edition 1 is now available to order, with deliveries targeted for early 2024, and the other two models will come to market in 2025.
GMC engineers went on to explain that the Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 is equipped with an Air Ride Adaptive Suspension with the ability to raise or lower the truck by approximately 2 inches, 4-Wheel Steer with CrabWalk, up to 14 camera views, DRL headlighting, an eTrunk with a power hood and two drains, and an illuminating grille with an illuminated perimeter and GMC badge. With the HUMMER EV, the rear steering affords the super truck a turning radius similar to cars, but it’s not as aggressively tuned in the Sierra EV. The truck is also devoid of a traditional box cut and front bumper for better aero.
Even with traditional ICE trucks, interior cabins have become so digitally savvy and luxurious that it can be forgotten that you’re behind the wheel of a pickup. Of course, e-trucks take this design technique to another level. The 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 is blessed with a panoramic fixed glass roof, a 16.8” vertical infotainment touch screen with Google Built-In functionality, a 14″ standard multi-color Head Up Display, an 11” diagonal reconfigurable driver information center, open-pore wood décor, and unique quilted seats. It also features a sustainable steering wheel. Yes, the signature Denali interior experience delivers the best of both worlds for active truck owners.
The prospect of switching from a gas truck to an e-truck is exciting and simultaneously interesting. Yet, the future is now, and now is the time to adapt to EVs so “we” can all collectively reduce the carbon footprints that “we” have created.
