Chevrolet takes its 1,085bhp Silverado EV ZR2 truck off-road racing in the desert
Chevrolet has built a one-off racing version of its Silverado pick-up truck boasting more than 1,000bhp and 11,500lb ft of torque.
The Silverado EV ZR2 was created to compete in the EV Open class of the Mint 400 – a scaled-down version of the Baja 1,000 off-road race held in the Nevada desert. It was also designed ot showcase what Chevy’s electric truck is capable of ahead of an off-road focus model hitting the trails later this year.
The EV ZR2 pick-up was fitted with a new tri-motor electric drivetrain capable of producing 1,085bhp and 11,500lb ft of torque, a significant upgrade over the regular Silverado’s two-motor setup, which produces a ‘mere’ 750bhp and 785lb ft of torque.
To handle the event’s rough and rocky conditions, Chevrolet fitted the Silverado EV ZR2 with longer control arms borrowed from the Hummer EV to allow for 13 inches of travel. It also dropped the standard Silverado’s air suspension in favour of dual-coil springs up front and single coil springs at the rear. Paired with 37-inch BF Goodwich tyres, the almost-4.5 tonne Silverado EV sits 15 inches off of the ground.
The Silverado completed just one lap of the 73-mile Mint 400 course. Its crew, driver Chad Hall and co-driver, Mark Stielow, took 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete it. The truck crossed the link with a 40% state of charge, an average consumption of 0.6 miles per-kilowatt hour, and an average speed of approximately 34 miles per-hour.
Chevrolet entered its experimental Silverado into the Mint 400 to see how far it could push an EV pick-up truck in the rough stuff ahead of unveiling its Silverado EV Trail Boss – its first off-road-focused EV truck – this summer. When the Trail Boss launches, it will ride on 35-inch tyres, and come with a factory-installed lift kit, race-inspired red tow hooks, and a ‘terrain’ mode. Chevrolet says it will announce further information closer to the launch date.
“What we learn from racing is applied to vehicles consumers can buy,” explained Hall. “An off-road race like The Mint 400 is equivalent to a lifetime of vehicle wear and tear.”
Chevrolet was not the only EV maker to take part in this year’s Mint 400. Rivian entered an R1T in the EV Production class, where it managed to managed to record two laps; a distance of 146 miles.
Seeing EV pick-up trucks compete in various motorsport events is not uncommon in the United States. In 2024, Ford entered an all-electric version of its F-150 Lightning at Pikes Peak. Named the SuperTruck, the bewinged tri-motor vehicle produced over 1,600bhp and won the title of King of The Hill courtesy of former Le Mans winner, Romain Dumas. Ford will once again enter the event this year, albeit with a NASCAR-derived version of its Mustang Mach-E with Dumas once again behind the wheel.
