General Motors Speciality Vehicles (GMSV) has updated the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pick-up, giving it more payload capacity than ever before.
From August 1, all locally converted versions of the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium will offer 942kg of payload, which is an increase of 194kg over the pre-update version.
Meanwhile the Silverado 1500 ZR2 will offer 922kg of payload, which is an increase of 209kg over the pre-update version.
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With this payload increase, it sees the gross vehicle mass (GVM) increase from 3300kg to 3505kg. This sees it move from a NA (light goods vehicle) to NB1 (medium goods vehicle) certification.
This reclassification means the Silverado 1500 will be exempt from the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), at least for the time being.
Vehicles with a GVM between 3500kg and 3855kg are exempt from the NVES until June 30, 2027.
This comes as General Motors (encompassing Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC) was the brand with the fifth-highest penalties last year as it missed the CO2 emissions target.
It’s currently on the hook for fines up to $6.59 million unless it can sell more vehicles under the targets in successive years, or purchase credits from carmakers under the targets.
Another reason why this move from NA to NB1 vehicle classification for the Silverado 1500 is timely is it sidesteps a newly introduced Australian Design Rule (ADR), which mandates that all new vehicles on sale in Australia from August 1, 2026, must have autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection.
However, the Silverado 1500 is already equipped with this active safety technology.
Other tweaks with this update include black badging and lettering on the exterior, plus the Z71 off-road suspension with Rancho shocks branding in the LTZ Premium has been replaced by off-road suspension with twin-tube dampers.
Power across the line-up still comes from a 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine that produces 313kW and 624Nm. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a four-wheel drive system with full-time capabilities.
The 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 line-up now starts at $135,990, before on-road costs, for the 1500 LTZ Premium and $147,490, before on-road costs, for the ZR2. This is a $1000 price rise when compared to the pre-update model.
All versions of the Silverado 1500 continue to be produced in Mexico and then remanufactured from left- to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw in Melbourne, Victoria.
Walkinshaw also converts the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, Toyota Tundra, as well as the Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 from left- to right-hand drive at its facility.
