• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss.
San Diego, CA – While the electric vehicle (EV) market has been facing some serious headwinds in recent months, some automakers have had some navigating success and continue to perform well.
General Motors is one of them. The auto giant started 2025 racking up record sales for its electric models and when the first half of the year was done it was even the top seller of EVs in Canada for the 2025 year so far, ahead of Tesla.
A vast lineup of electric models
Its secret? Bringing the right product at the right time, but also offering a multitude of models at different price points, strategically positioned in the industry. As a result, you can find a bit of everything in GM's electric offerings, from affordable compact SUVs to full-size SUVs, and even Cadillac models.
And did someone mention pickups? Models like the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV, not to mention the GMC Hummer EV which shares most of that combo’s components, have demonstrated GM's ability to remain competitive in the pickup segment even when gas engines are removed from the picture - notably by strategically positioning itself ahead of Ford and its F-150 Lightning.
And yet, unlike the Lightning, which has been on our roads since 2022, the Silverado EV was a long time coming. When it finally arrived for the 2024 model-year, it was only in the expensive RST version. GM accompanied its launch with the promise of other versions to be added to the lineup eventually.
Those versions came in the form of the WT and LT models, both priced less astronomically. And now, it's time for the Trail Boss, tasked with adding a touch of adventure to the electric truck lineup.
2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss – What’s new?
Already available for the gasoline-powered Silverado, the Trail Boss version of the Silverado EV also highlights General Motors' efforts in off-road competition, specifically at the Mint 400 event. Last March, Chevrolet entered a Silverado EV ZR2 concept to demonstrate its capabilities. Although it was primarily a marketing initiative, the ZR2 concept aimed to show Chevrolet's seriousness in developing off-road trucks, even electric ones.
No, the Trail Boss has nothing in common with that concept. It is, in fact, a Silverado EV LT that has undergone modifications to improve its off-road abilities.
See also: Chevrolet Unveils 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss
Design of the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
The result is nonetheless interesting. Among the changes are redesigned bumpers to increase the approach angle from 21.7 to 31.6 degrees. The ground clearance has also been raised by 51 mm (2 inches) and the vehicle is fitted with 35-inch all-terrain tires. Exclusive 18-inch wheels for the Trail Boss are also part of the package, along with red-painted tow hooks.
The interior
The Trail Boss cabin also gets its own colour schemes and is equipped with auxiliary switches to add accessories or extra lighting.
2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss – Pricing in Canada
All this, for a starting price of $89,499 for the extended-range version (up to 660 km), and $106,999 for the maximum-range version (up to 769 km). The Trail Boss is positioned between the LT and RST versions in the lineup.
Driving the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
Another unique element of the Trail Boss is the new Terrain drive mode, which modifies the characteristics of the rear-wheel steering. Chevrolet claims the system has been reprogrammed to offer a larger turning radius at low speeds, something we were able to observe on an off-road course Chevrolet had prepared for us in the suburbs of San Diego.
High in the California mountains, the narrow, rocky path sometimes forced us to negotiate very tight hairpin turns. It was in these conditions that the Terrain mode proved most relevant, giving the nearly 10,000-lb monster we were sitting most comfortably in a surprising degree of maneuverability.
The electric motors also displayed remarkable precision in tougher situations, such as when instructors ordered us to climb over rocks or cross crevasses.
Delivering up to 725 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque, the Silverado EV has the unique ability to send power to a single wheel if needed, or redirect torque where it's required to help it overcome obstacles. Even when flashing a wheel in the air, our test models easily navigated the desert trails without making a sound.
A singular vocation
On the paved road, the Trail Boss exhibits the same solidity as other Silverado EVs, but it's clear that its all-terrain tires detract from the normally impressive dynamics of the model.
Certainly, the vehicle always feels well-planted on the ground, and it remains noticeably more precise in corners than a gasoline-powered Silverado. But the Trail Boss's rubber quickly communicates that asphalt is not its preferred playground. There is, however, a positive aspect to its 18-inch wheels: they give the vehicle greater suppleness on rough roads than the 24-inch wheels of the RST model.
The final word
The Trail Boss is therefore a version of the Silverado EV tasked with a very particular purpose. And that allows Chevrolet to expand the Silverado EV lineup as promised, while also allowing it to gain experience in the field of electric off-road trucks, a segment that neither Ford nor Ram has yet dared to explore.
Competitors of the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
- • Ford F-150 Lightning
- • GMC Sierra EV
- • Rivian R1T
