Chevy announces four-wheel steering for its upcoming all-electric Silverado, giving it an edge over the Ford F-150 Lightning.
Chevrolet may be a little late to the e-pickup party, but it’s making sure to arrive with a splash. The brand said today that its newest plug-in Silverado pickup will feature four-wheel steering, an engineering feat that should give it a big boost in dexterity, turning radius, and towing.
Perhaps more importantly, the move demarcates the Silverado from its chief competitor, the Ford F-150 Lightning. As to what other competitors boast four-wheel steering, the list is short.
GM’s Hummer EV, which shares the all-electric Silverado’s Ultium electric battery, also comes with four-wheel steering. And Elon Musk has said the delayed Tesla Cybertruck will also include four-wheel steering, but that’s yet to be confirmed.
Chevy previewed the new option, which comes with 24-inch wheels, in a video rendering. Very few details about the pickup are available at this time.
All-Electric Silverado Four-Wheel Steering: Not 4×4
Every full-size truck lineup comes with four-wheel drive options, but four-wheel steering is different. While four-wheel drive delivers torque to all tires, but the driver still only steers with two of them.
In four-wheel steering, turning the steering wheel articulates all four wheels. The result is, as you might imagine, a tighter turning radius.
The feature is especially useful for off-roading, rock crawling, or simply navigating tight spaces like parking lots. It also improves stability and handling at high speeds, an added bonus for any type of towing.
Chevy’s Four-Wheel Steering Experience
Notably, this won’t be the first time Chevy’s deployed the tech on its full-size trucks. From 2002 to 2005, GM used a system called Quadrasteer, from Delphi Manufacturing, on the Chevy and GMC truck lineup as well as the 2500 line of SUVs. It’s unclear whether Chevy will make the new system itself or contract it out again.
In the American domestic truck market, four-wheel steering has always been a Chevy calling card — no other manufacturer has tried it. And though the feature is relatively common in foreign cars, it’s not often seen on trucks anywhere.
Check Out the Chevy All-Electric Silverado
