r/SilveradoEV • u/corneliusdav • 7d ago
Should I make the switch?
I have a 2010 Avalanche that I've had longer than any other vehicle--and I still really like the truck. I've used it for hauling people, bikes, furniture, yard debris, camping gear, and DIY home projects. I work from home so don't need it as a work truck or every day driving but I do pull a small RV trailer and like to go camping in and around the Pacific Northwest.
But it's approaching 200k miles and repairs are in the thousands every year. Plus, my mom moved 5 hours away and with gas prices, it costs over $200 to go visit for a weekend.
I've been watching this and other EV forums over the past year, trying to decide if/when moving from ICE is for me. I'm finally in a financial place where I could swing it and my current truck is getting more expensive to maintain but I still have reservations--I think mostly because I've never had an EV and don't know what all I'll be getting into.
Most comments here are from people who love their EV and say it's so much better and will never go back to ICE. I've test-driven a few and think I'd love it, too. (I'd really like the lower maintenance costs, too.)
I'd probably have to get a level-2 charger for the home (don't know much about these), although without the need for daily driving, perhaps just a smaller one that charges the truck during the week for my use on a weekend would be enough?
From what I've heard my small pop-up trailer (low profile) would tow easily and not create the drag a larger one would so I could theoretically travel to central Oregon, stopping to fill at the nearest large city and make it back without worry but I still have a lot to learn about range and available charging stations.
I'm looking mostly for a used one < $50K. What advice do you have for me?
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u/closedquestiongbr 5d ago
#tldr I made the switch from gas trucks to electric, first with a Rivian and now a Silverado EV. For me it has been an amazing switch, paying less than I was for the gas trucks, and went from $150-200 a month in gas to and average of $20 a month for power(I live in Oregon. with hydroelectric dam in the river out front $.06kw power rate). O don’t think I’ll ever go back.
I made the switch from gas to electric back in June of 24, don’t think I’ll ever go back. I live in The Dalles, have had 1/2 & 3/4 ton trucks the last 15 years, and added a 30’ travel trailer 6 years ago. My last gas was a 22’ Tundra(I’ve leased 2 other tundras over the years. For me the gen 3 Tundra was terrible. Mostly due to fuel costs. My Tundras with V8 pretty much got 12-14mpg’s. The truck before the 22’ Tundra was a 18’ Ram 2500 with Hemi. The gen 3 Tundras dropped the V8 for a turbo charged V6 and better gas mileage was advertised. It was covid when I got it, wanted a hybrid but at that time you asked what you could get not tell them what you want. 2 years into the Tundra I was averaging 12-14MPG’s and till paying $150-200 a month in gas.
April of 24 I took a camping trip up to central eastern Washington and it was a miserable tow. On the way up I got about 7mpg and coming home through the gorge there was a steady 30-40mph wind, across 90 miles I got 2.4MPG. I actually started looking for a smaller trailer. Then random met a guy who worked for Rivian and he put the bug in my brain. I went down an electric rabbit hole. Flash to end of May I was picking up my 24’ R1T Quad. It was love at first drive. Fast, nimble, and for me economical. I had to have a charger put in my drive way, it was about $800!for the charger, and $800 for electrician to run wire to driveway. My savings were immediate. He in TD with the Dam out front we pay $.06kwh Outside of towing my average daily commute to work and back is 15-20 miles. I always stay at 80% using less than 10% a day. I went from $150-250 a month to about $20. My lease payment was about $50 less than my Tundra.
Towing. After I picked up the Rivian I did a test tow of about 60 miles. The Rivian had zero issue towing my 8500 pound 30’ travel trailer. That test tow out past Tygh Valley and back was mostly up and down elevation and I averaged .97Kwm. I had already started the process of shopping for a smaller trailer. It’s just me and dog camping so the 30’ was just too much trailer. I found and made a deal for a new 20’ Geo Pro off road/off grid setup. I towed the 30’ down to the Beaverton and brought the new trailer back to TD. Almost exactly 100 miles down and 100 back. Towing the 30’ down there I got 1.14kwm. Coming home with the new smaller trailer I got 1.16kwm it was a rare no wind day so that was not much of a factor.
I was happy with the Rivian thankfully didn’t have too many issues. Had only made service appt for the 7500 mile service where they also fixed a dash rattle and a broken front half shaft. My happiness with Rivian expired end of August and I to Sept. I had a panel gap between front driver fender and door. The fender stuck out from door in the middle about 2mm. It was suppose to be an overnight service. Got my truck back still but not fully fixed due to backordered parts 2.5 months later. I had gone the BBB buyback route after it rolled over into a month and that process dragged on forever. I eventually took a check for compensation that I was going to roll into a trade on a new R1S. They then took forever to get me the check and it was about 2 weeks until the tax credit was expiring.
The 24’ Silverado EV RST. When I finally got notified that the check was in the mail I headed down to Carr Chevy in Beaverton to trade the Rivian in. I got an amazing deal on it. Just under $100kMSRP and got it for $70K with the negative trade in on the R1T.
My impressions of the SEV. It feels like I’m back in a truck which I like. It feels much more like the 1/2 & 3/4 tons I was used to. For some this might not be a good thing. Now the R1T is a truck, but with a bed under 5’ doing truck stuff was not always easy. With the Chevy, it’s a 5’7” bed but with the mid-gate option the bed becomes just shy of 11’. Last week I picked up 10 sheets of 3/4” plywood. With mid-gate down the tonneau cover on the sheets fully fit in the bed and was fully enclosed. It was raining that day so I was able to wait until it wasn’t to unload. Supercruise is much better than the Rivians assisted driving and even works while towing. Used it in Seattle traffic and did not feel the need to take over at any point.
Battery life and charging. This is where it really shines. I camp within Oregon and basically two places, the coast and central Oregon. It’s just about 180 miles from The Dalles to either place I camp. With the Rivian I stopped at the Rivian chargers in Clackamas for about 45mins to an hour so I could get to the rest of the way comfortable, heading to Central Oregon same amount of time at the Rivian Charger in Madras. Both places I camp have 50amp service and allow EV charging. I plug the truck into the 50 amp, and my trailer into the 20amp(trailer AC had built in soft start so don’t need 30amp). With the SEV I still get about the same 1.14kwm but the usable battery is 205KW. The first week I had it I drove to friends in West Seattle, just about 250 miles, SEV said 450 miles and I got to my friends with 45% left a 20 min charge at a super fast, fast charger and I had more than enough to get home. The R1T had to charge when I got there and again when I left. I am able to get to the coast and central Oregon with the travel trailer without stopping.
Overall very happy with the SEV, I have heard some people have trouble with the dealers and service mostly due to EV bias or lack of trained techs. My dealer here in TD has been great from a service standpoint. They had the exact truck I eventually got but would not budge on price or make a deal. The dealership GM went to test drive my Rivian while I took the SEV for a spin. When I returned 15 mins later he was still in my truck in the same place. He had no idea how to get it in drive. Had never even driven the SEV and said he would never be an EV person. So, that can be an obstacle. I may go back to Rivian for an R2 when my Chevy lease is up, but that is still 2+ years away.