- The 2024 GMC Sierra EV arrives as a traditional alternative to the more extreme GMC Hummer EV.
- The electric Sierra debuts as the fully loaded Denali Edition 1, with 754 horsepower and a claimed 400-mile range.
- The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 costs $108,695 and will go on sale in early 2024; less expensive models will join the lineup the following year.
Let's be honest. The GMC Hummer EV pickup truck is a beast. It's humongous, it has 1000 horsepower, and its very name conjures up images of war machines and '90s Arnold Schwarzenegger. That's where the 2024 GMC Sierra EV comes in. Sure, it's still a big, bold, and powerful full-size truck, but it's less extreme than its Hummer sibling, and the Sierra is tailored more for folks who want a traditional truck with a nontraditional powertrain.
GMC's First Electric Sierra and Denali
The first electric Sierra makes its debut as the Denali Edition 1, which is a fully loaded model in the same vein as the Hummer EV Edition 1 that was offered at that truck's launch. The Sierra Edition 1 represents the first electric Denali, and it carries a sizable $108,695 price tag. It's only available as a crew cab with all-wheel drive, which is derived from dual electric motors that combine for 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque. The only way to unlock that full power is the appropriately named Max Power mode that GMC claims will shoot the Sierra EV to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
For those who don't already know or who can't connect the dots, the electric Sierra is essentially a resized and reskinned version of the Hummer EV (the same goes for the Chevy Silverado EV). All three pickups use GM's Ultium batteries and share other components and content. GMC hasn't said how big the Sierra's battery is, but we'd bet the house it's the same 200.0-kWh pack found under the floors of the Silverado and Hummer. Plus, its 400-mile estimated range is identical to Chevy's figure. Thanks to its 800-volt electrical architecture, the Sierra is capable of charging at speeds of up to 350 kW; GMC says this can add 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.
Future Sierra EV models will be available with different ranges and tow ratings. For now, the Denali Edition 1 comes standard with trailering equipment, and it's rated to pull up to 9500 pounds. The truck's Super Cruise hands-free driving system is able to operate while towing, and there are currently 400,000 miles of roads in the U.S. and Canada that Super Cruise works on. The Edition 1 can also carry 1300 pounds of payload in its cargo bed.
With an adjustable air suspension, the Sierra EV can raise or lower its ride height by about two inches. The Denali Edition 1 rolls on 24-inch wheels, but a GMC spokesperson told Car and Driver the set of aggressive-looking Nitto Terra Grapplers on the version shown in these photos will not make it to production. What will make it is the rear-wheel-steering system that enables Crab Walk—a feature that was introduced on the Hummer EV and allows the truck to move diagonally at low speeds.
A Transforming Electric Truck
As with the regular gas-fed Sierra, GMC has finally put in an effort to visually distinguish it inside and out from its corporate counterpart. The Sierra EV looks more handsome than the Silverado EV to our eyes. Its closed-face grille is distinctive and the front lighting elements are futuristic without being over the top. The three little light bars double as indicators of the battery's level during charging. The actual headlights are positioned low on the bumper. The hood also opens to reveal a large front trunk with a 120-volt outlet and two drains.
The Sierra EV debuts with a 5-foot-11-inch cargo bed. However, not only does it have GMC's multifunction tailgate, but it also benefits from a foldaway wall on the back of the cab (called the MultiPro Midgate) that dates back to the original Chevy Avalanche. Open the Sierra's Midgate to unlock nine feet of space for extra-long items (that length increases to 11 feet with the tailgate down). There are also smaller sections of the Midgate that allow part of the 60/40-split-folding rear seat to remain in place. The cargo bed's other neat option is the built-in charging station that can provide 10.2 kW to up 10 outlets. With the proper equipment, GMC claims the Sierra EV can power a home for up to 21 days.
Inside, the Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 is finished with attractive materials. The wood and metal trim are real, the dashboard design is simple yet sophisticated, and the giant center touchscreen looks slick. It has a 16.8-inch display that can be reconfigured, and there's a physical volume knob as well as toggle switches for different functions on the lower edge. The driver faces an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster and a head-up display, and above all the passengers is a fixed panoramic sunroof that's designed to limit exposure to ultraviolet rays.
GMC plans to release a regular Sierra EV Denali shortly after the Edition 1 becomes available in early 2024, but we don't yet know how much it'll cost. We do know that the company will add an off-road-oriented AT4 model as well as a more affordable Elevation trim that'll start around $52k. However, those won't join the lineup until the 2025 model year. Reservations to order the Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 are now open.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
