How General Motors Broke the EV Range Record
The public's concern surrounding the range of EVs could be coming to an end after General Motors' test of a truck.
A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Max Range Work Truck, which was estimated to have a range of 493 miles, has broken records by going 1059.2 miles on a full charge during a range test.
This breaks the record set by Lucid which reached 749 miles.
Kurt Kelty, Vice President, Battery, Propulsion and Sustainability at General Motors, says “Getting this kind of range on a full charge doesn’t happen by accident.
“It takes deep integration across battery chemistry, drive unit efficiency, software and vehicle engineering and that’s exactly what the team delivered.
“This achievement is a great example of how far our EV technology has come, and the kind of innovation we’re building on every day at GM.”
How was the record set?
The car was driven on public roads at GM’s Milford Proving Ground.
GM reports that none of the hardware or software were changed, just adjusting drivers habits and setting adjustments.
The drivers were advised that, when it was safe to do so, they should maintain a speed of 20-25 mph, minimising hard breaking or quick acceleration.
The company made the vehicle as light as possible, removing the spare tire and having no passengers for the majority of the trip.
The windshield wipers were set to the lowest position to reduce drag, with tires being set to the highest possible pressure to lower rolling resistance and wheel alignment was optimised.
Drivers also added an accessory tonneau to create smoother airflow and climate control was turned off for the entire test, even though the test was undertaken in summer for optimum ambient temperature for battery efficiency.
The company reports that the engineers wanted to ensure that as much battery energy as possible was going towards moving the truck forward, increasing the truck efficiency and maximising battery range.
Jon Doremus, Propulsion Calibration Engineering Manager, says: “If we drove it downhill the whole time, sure, we’d get insane mileage.
“But that’s not what this was about.
“We wanted this to be real, on public roads.”
Why was the test important?
GM says that the test was not just for bragging rights, but actually created some useful data.
Through the test, the engineers reported that every mile taught them something, helping them to improve and innovate the future EVs.
The team found that the Silverado EV was most efficient when cruising at the speed of 20-25 mph, which the company says is a realistic pace when driving through a neighbourhood or city.
As a celebration for breaking the record, the EV was recharged and powered up a 3D printer trophy to honour the team's accomplishments.
Why does range matter?
Through the company's customer research it found that range is the number one reason to purchase a Silverado EV.
The World Economic Forum reports that the general public have ranged anxiety when its comes to EVs.
Around a third of drivers globally report that they are concerned about driving long distances in electric powered vehicles, according to the organisation.
But, the organisation goes on to report that the average EV range has more than doubled in the last decade.
GM reports that the 2026 Silverado EV Max Range WT will set the standard as a range leader for electric trucks.
Cassandra Garber, Chief Sustainability Officer, General Motors said on LinkedIn: “A new world record for EV range. One thousand miles in a Chevy Silverado EV work truck.
“The more range, the more work you can get done. The more adventures you can take. More memories you can make. More emissions you can avoid. More impact you can have.”
