Does the Chevy Silverado EV ZR2 Concept Tease Off-Road EVs to Come?
With Mint 400 festivities starting to kick off over in Las Vegas ahead of this weekend's race, Chevrolet has just introduced the world to its latest entrant in the off-road madness. Known as the Chevrolet Silverado EV ZR2 Concept, this 1100-hp electric race truck promises to tackle the multi-day event with almost-entirely factory-sourced hardware under that slick livery.
Chad Hall and Hall Racing will helm the concept truck's efforts during the event, continuing the long standing and successful partnership between Hall and Chevrolet. The truck itself is meant to act as a hype machine for the brand's upcoming Silverado EV Trail Boss model, which is set to arrive in showrooms this summer.
That vehicle employs a factory lift kit, unique 18-inch wheels, and some 35-inch rubber. The concept takes those ideas and pushes them a bit further, with a prototype set of new Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve continuously adaptive dampers underneath. The setup provides this machine with more than 13 inches of wheel travel at either axle, helped along by massive 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 Mud-Terrain tires. The truck also benefits from the tri-motor setup found in the GMC Hummer EV, which provides 1100 hp. Locking differentials at either end and additional underbody armor should help keep the truck on track during the multiple loops imvolvd in the Mint 400.
'There is no better proving ground to test the limits of our vehicles than competitive racing,' said Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet. 'The Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept, which uses 98% GM production parts, showcases some of the best of Chevrolet to produce a beyond-capable pickup to tackle a challenging race of the Mint 400's magnitude.'
While GM is keen to say this project is meant to promote the Trail Boss, we all know it's only a matter of time until we get a production electric ZR2. The nameplate might not carry the cultural cachet of the Raptor brand,but ZR2 models have established their own dedicated owner base. Given how capable GM's Hummer EVs have proven off-road, I don't think we need to worry much about the capability side of the equation. Customer interest may prove to be another story, however.
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