Someone tell the 2022 Ford Lightning to watch out. The Electric Chevy Silverado will arrive much faster than expected. The Lightning may have to compete with the Chevy Silverado EV instead of just the Rivian R1T for a while. But has Chevrolet solved their battery issues? 

Will the Electric Chevy Silverado have battery problems? 

Don’t get us wrong. We are very excited to see the new Electric Chevy Silverado arrive. It will battle the 2022 Ford Lightning, taking the classic Ford vs. Chevrolet battle further than ever before. 

However, we’re also a little worried about the Chevy Silverado EV. All of the headlines about the Chevy Bolt EV batteries exploding into flames are still fresh in our minds. Has Chevrolet found a solution to the battery problems, or will the Silverado EV catch on fire? 

Will the Silverado EV have different batteries? 

The Electric Chevy Silverado will share the same electric powertrain as the GMC Hummer EV. However, the 2023 Chevy Silverado EV will resemble a more traditional truck and should be more affordable. 

While the official specs haven’t been revealed, we can expect the Silverado EV to have up to a 400-mile range. This is on par with the Riviran R1T, but the Lightning is expected to top out at 300 miles. 

Also, the GMC Hummer EV and Chevy Bolt EV don’t use the same battery technology. Whew, this means that the Hummer EV and Silverado EV will avoid facing similar problems to the Bolt EV. 

The Chevy Bolt EV uses a cheaper battery from LG. The Hummer and Silverado EV will gain General Motors’ new Ultium batteries. They will be built in America, and the first plant will open in Ohio. 

The Ultrium batteries include new chemistries and production processes compared to the LG production and cells. GM is learning from the current approach to prevent similar problems from occurring. 

GM shared that the factories will have more quality control. Also, they will communicate wirelessly with GM to provide additional data and evaluate any potential problems. The batteries are also capable of wireless updates. 

What else to expect with the Silverado EV 

Whew, the Electric Chevy Silverado shouldn’t have batteries that catch on fire. That’s great. Plus, there are plenty of other neat features on the way. Like the 2022 Ford Lightning, the Chevy Silverado EV will problem have a lower-priced work truck version as well as a luxury model. 

The teaser image shows a top-down view of the truck with a massive fix-glass roof. It will be available on some trim levels. It will also have rear-axle steering to improve the truck’s turning radius. 

We don’t know much about the interior or tech yet. It might not come as fully loaded as the luxury Hummer EV. Also, we wonder what type of off-roading goodies this truck could potentially receive. 

Unfortunately, we will have to wait to learn more about the new Silverado EV. But we won’t be waiting long. The 2023 Chevy Silverado EV will make its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 5, 2022.