General Motors has finally acknowledged the obvious: no one is buying the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV. As we recently noted, the company only sold 2,383 Silverado EVs and 1,249 Sierra EVs in the first quarter.

Those are dreadful numbers, and they appear to have been the final nail in the coffin for plans to turn Orion Assembly into an EV plant. The facility was originally slated to build electric trucks in 2024, but that date was eventually pushed back to late 2025 to “better manage capital investment, while aligning with evolving EV demand.”

More: The 2026 GMC Sierra EV Now Starts $27,500 Less Than Before

Fast forward to today, and GM has thrown in the towel on its electric truck plans. Instead, Orion Assembly will now build gas-powered full-size SUVs and trucks starting in early 2027. The move means the plant will likely produce the redesigned Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, and Suburban as well as the GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL.

As for the Silverado EV and Sierra EV, they’ll continue to be built at the nearby Factory Zero in Hamtramck. That facility also builds the GMC Hummer EVs as well as the Cadillac Escalade IQ.

The Gas-Powered Chevrolet Blazer Lives

The aging Chevrolet Blazer was expected to be discontinued, but it’s getting a reprieve as production will begin at Spring Hill Manufacturing in 2027. That facility is best known for making the electric Cadillac Lyriq and Vistiq, but it also builds the dated XT5 and XT6.

Speaking of EV plants doing double duty, Fairfax Assembly is slated to begin building the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV by the end of this year. However, it’s getting some company in the form of the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox, which will be built at the plant in mid-2027.

GM said the move will help support sales of the popular crossover, which was “up more than 30% year-over-year in the first quarter.” However, it’s important to note the model is currently built in Mexico, and this could have played a role in shifting some production stateside.

Unsurprisingly, GM didn’t mention tariffs or slower-than-expected electric vehicle adoption in today’s announcement. Instead, they packaged it in Trump-friendly form as CEO Mary Barra said, “Today’s announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to build vehicles in the US and to support American jobs.”

She added, “We’re focused on giving customers choice and offering a broad range of vehicles they love.” That’s a not so subtle hint that gas-powered vehicles aren’t going away anytime soon.

GM said the investments total around $4 billion, which is roughly the same amount of money they were investing in transforming Orion Assembly into an EV truck hub. This begs the question of how much money was squandered on the bad EV bet.

It’s that time of year again when model changes are rolling in, and the 2026 Silverado EV is adding a new off-road-focused trim called Trail Boss. As the name implies, it’s built to handle trails like a boss. To accomplish that, it leverages a lift kit, an updated hydraulic rebound control system, and a new Terrain mode. Interested parties will need to be ready to part with over $72,000 to put one in their garage.

Read: Chevy’s New Electric SUV Could Be Coming to Your Country, But Not America

“Trail Boss has been one of the highest turning trims in our portfolio since we first launched it on the 2019 Silverado,” said Scott Bell, vice president, Chevrolet. “Adding Trail Boss to Silverado EV gives customers an option that builds on our strong truck pedigree, high electric range, and off-road capability.” We’re happy to report that this isn’t just an appearance package.

Enhanced Off-Road Performance

Every Trail Boss comes standard with a two-inch lift kit, which Chevy boasts is a 24 percent increase in ground clearance over the standard Silverado EV. On top of that, the automaker re-tuned the coil suspension and rebound control system. A new trim-exclusive Terrain mode acts almost like a low-speed off-road-focused cruise control for navigating uneven surfaces. It also gets sharper 4-Wheel Steering for better response off-road.

Chevrolet leverages a “high-angle approach” front fascia on the Trail Boss along with 35-inch all-terrain tires, unique 18-inch wheels, red tow hooks, and exterior badging to make the trim stand out. The cabin also gets its own unique touches. Perhaps most impressive is that this new version of the Silverado EV doesn’t sacrifice much in the way of range.

“The Silverado EV Trail Boss delivers similar capability expected with other Chevy Trail Bosses,” said Joe Roy, chief engineer for Silverado EV. “It’s an impressive truck that will meet the needs of our customers looking to get off trail and still have all the features customers have come to love about Silverado EV, including range and off-road power.”

Pricing

Available with Chevy’s Extended or Max battery pack, buyers will get 410 or 478 miles of EPA-estimated range. Pricing starts at $72,095, but those who want the Max pack will pay $88,695. That’s right beneath the RST trim that starts at $89,395. Those prices include destination and delivery. There are benefits to each pack worthy of mention.

Those who select the Extended pack get up to 12,500 lb-ft of towing capacity and 2,100 pounds worth of payload capacity. On the flip side, those with the Max pack can enjoy up to 725 horsepower (540 kW) and 775 lb-ft (1,049 Nm) of torque. Expect it to go on sale later this summer, with additional details about options and pricing coming then too.

Other Updates for 2026

In other news related to the 2026 Silverado EV, Chevy is sunsetting the RST trim, leaving only the Work Truck, LT, and Trail Boss in the lineup. In addition, the Silverado EV is getting a more advanced version of Super Cruise, now integrated with Google Maps. The updated system includes hands-on functionality that helps keep the vehicle centered in its lane and adjusts to the car ahead. Also, when you engage Super Cruise on compatible roads, a green light on the steering wheel indicates hands-free driving is activated.

2026 CHEVY SILVERADO US PRICES