It shares a skeleton with the Chevrolet Silverado. Beneath that cheap-looking cousin sits this truck. The chassis is the same. The battery packs? Identical. But the GMC Sierra EV wraps that industrial bone structure in cashmere and sound-dampening foam.
It wants you to think it is a work vehicle. It isn’t really. It’s a living room on rails that can haul things.
You have four powertrain choices and three battery sizes to sort through. That means there is a Sierra for everyone. Everyone with credit score that doesn’t make the bank nervous, anyway. The top trims break into six figures. That hurts.
At the bottom sits the Elevation Standard Range. It costs less. You get up to 283 miles of range. Cheap for a EV pickup. Expensive for what you actually get.
At the top sits the Denali Max Range. 760 horsepower. 410 miles of estimated range. It moves like a startled horse and stops like one too, if you know how to use the one-pedal regen.
But if you care about hauling? The middle child wins. The Elevation Extended Range. It can pull 12,500 pounds. The Denali Max can’t even touch that tow rating. Power isn’t always about towing.
Expert Tip: Rivian R1T tows less, sure. But it’s smarter. Better storage. Quirky engineering. Still the king of our list.
Nothing New in 2027
Surprise.
The Sierra EV launched recently. It’s new enough. GM isn’t retooling anything for 2027. Expect zero changes. Same interior. Same screens. Same price tag structure.
Save your excitement for a redesign that hasn’t been announced yet.
Which Trim Do You Actually Buy?
Let’s be blunt.
If you don’t live in mud, skip the AT4. The off-road suspension sags. You pay more. You get dirt.
If you hate luxury, skip the Denali. You’re paying for open-pore wood that gets dusty.
Buy the Elevation Extended Range.
It has the big tow hook rating (12,500 lbs ). It has the 16.8-inch vertical screen. It lacks some of the plush denims of the Denali but saves you a significant chunk of cash. It is the sensible choice. Unless sensible isn’t your thing. Then buy the Denali. Flex the leather.
Speed vs. Sanity
Electric pickups are fast. They always are.
- Elevation/Denali Std: 625 hp (Note: earlier text says 645, specs vary by trim configuration updates)
- AT4 Max: 725 hp
- Denali Max: 760 hp
All-wheel drive is standard. Front motor. Rear motor. Simple physics.
When you mash the throttle? The truck jumps. 0 to 60 in about 4.1 seconds. The Hummer EV does it faster (3.3s). This thing is heavy. It feels like it.
Drive it gently and it handles okay. Stab the gas and it gets nervous. “Squirrelly” is a polite word. The tires lose grip if you are stupid about the weight transfer.
Regenerative braking works. You can drive one-pedal style. Lift off and the truck grabs hard. Useful for city. Annoying for long highways.
Range and the Myth of Efficiency
GM gives you a menu of anxiety levels regarding battery life.
- Standard Range: 283 miles. Cheap. Anxious charging trips.
- Extended Range: 385 miles. The sweet spot? Maybe.
- Max Range: 410 miles. Expensive. You can almost forget to charge it.
The Max Range pack is the winner. Why? Fast charging.
At 350kW? GM claims 100 miles in 10 minutes.
Does that happen in the wild? Sometimes. Depends on the station. Depends on your battery temperature. Depends on whether you care.
Fuel economy (MPGe) hovers between 69 and 75 city. Highway is lower, naturally. 59 to 61. Electric trucks aren’t golf carts. They move mass. Physics taxes them.
Inside: Quiet and Big
The cab is big. It has to be. Crew cab only. No four-doors here that are cramped.
- Cargo: The bed is nearly six feet long. The “frunk” (front trunk) adds 11 cubic feet. That’s useful.
- Noise: It is quiet. Glass is thick. Acoustic seals everywhere. Much better than the Silverado.
The rear seat is roomy. You won’t kill anyone sitting back there. Unless you crash. Which is bad.
In the front? A massive screen.
The Screen Problem
16.8 inches tall. It looks like a smartphone stuck in the dashboard.
It works. It looks expensive. It has Bose audio. Seven speakers.
But.
It lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless mirroring. Really? In 2025/2026/2027? Yes. You use the native GM OS.
The UI is clunky. Finding drive mode settings is a journey through sub-menus. The gauge cluster helps. It is digital. 11 inches wide.
It’s functional. It’s not intuitive. You learn to live with it.
Safety and Hands Off
Super Cruise is standard on the higher trims (Denali). Some sources say Elevation gets it now, check the window sticker. It matters.
Hands off the wheel. On mapped highways. You stare out the window. The truck steers. The truck brakes. It is creepy. It is cool.
Standard safety suite includes:
– Automatic emergency braking.
– Lane keep assist.
– Pedestrian detection.
No crash test data yet? Check NHTSA/IIHS when it arrives. Or wait. It will happen.
The Boring Stuff (Warranty)
GM offers standard coverage.
- 3 years / 36k miles : Bumper to bumper.
- 5 years / 60k miles : Powertrain.
- 8 years / 100k miles : Battery.
Standard stuff. Don’t hold your breath on complimentary maintenance. They gave you one visit. Maybe. Read the fine print.
The Bottom Line
The Sierra EV isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s putting a really big wheel in a luxury shell.
It’s fast. It tows a lot. It costs a lot.
The Elevation Extended Range is the rational pick. The Denali is the flex pick. The AT4 is the mud pick.
Which one are you?
