GM Takes The Chevy Pickup Truck All-Electric With Retro Hot Rod Concept

GM (GM) took the wraps off the Chevy E-10 pickup truck – an all-electric hot rod concept vehicle – at the SEMA Show on Tuesday. The E-10 is built on a 1962 C-10 pickup truck platform that develops 450 horsepower in an all-electric package that integrates components from the Chevy Bolt EV.

“The Chevrolet E-10 electrified Connect & Cruise concept system reimagines the performance crate engine for hot rodders,” Jim Campbell, vice president of Performance and Motorsports said. “As General Motors continues to work toward our vision of a zero-emissions world, concepts such as this help us get there, while still supporting the enthusiasts who love to drive vintage vehicles.”

Using the Connect & Cruise concept propulsion system, the E-10 is equipped with a double stack of electric crate motors, two 300-volt batteries, and a conventional SuperMatic 4L75-E automatic transmission that drives power to the ground.

The electric crate motors eliminate the need for the traditional gasoline engine, which derives power from the Chevy Bolt’s EV power electronics and two 60 kWh Bolt EV battery packs mounted in the truck’s bed under the hard tonneau cover. The battery packs allow for simultaneous charging, more than doubling the power for the Chevy Bolt EV, GM said.

The E-10 can go from zero to 60 mph in around five seconds and can hit a quarter-mile in the high 13-second range, according to the automaker.

To keep the E-10’s hot rod appeal, GM equipped a sound emulator with three speakers to simulate the V8 engine sound in the back of the truck. Five modes can be selected, including LS7 Z28 track tuning, LS7 Z28 touring turning, a V8 engine, a futuristic sound, or silent mode.

The truck also features the original instrument panel with digital displays to monitor the electric propulsion system. The interior also retains the classic 1962 leather-trimmed seats and cabin appearance.

Shares of GM stock were down 0.30 percent as of 3:49 p.m. EST on Tuesday.