Chevrolet has unveiled the Silverado EV ZR2 off-road race truck concept, a high-performance electric machine built for one of the most punishing off-road races in North America—the Mint 400. This truck will be put to the test in a way few vehicles ever are, driven by Chad Hall of Hall Racing in the Open Production EV class.

As someone who has first-hand experience with the Mint 400, let me tell you—this race is unforgiving. The course is brutal, barren, and remote, with little to no access beyond the race trail itself. There are no smooth sections, no breaks, and no mercy. Every inch of the course is an obstacle, whether it’s a rut, dip, mound, rock, boulder, dune, sharp turn, or unexpected transition.

A Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss and a Silverado EV ZR2 race truck kicking up dust while driving side by side through the desert, showcasing off-road capability.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss (left) and Silverado EV ZR2 race truck (right) tearing through the desert, demonstrating the power and off-road performance of Chevrolet’s electric truck lineup.

I rode with Chad Hall a few years ago in a Silverado ZR2 race truck, and it was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever done before or since. He pushed the truck to its absolute limit, violently muscling it through some of the harshest terrain imaginable. The abuse it took was staggering, yet it kept going. That race proved that the lessons learned in competition are the same ones that end up shaping the production vehicles and off-road parts available at dealerships today—including the factory Silverado ZR2, which we personally own and are long-term testing.

Silverado EV ZR2 – A Race Truck Built to Take a Beating

Chevrolet has been refining the ZR2 platform for years, and this new Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept builds on that foundation. It comes loaded with the off-road hardware needed to survive an event as punishing as the Mint 400:

  • Lifted suspension with off-road tuning
  •  Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve dampers (offering 13+ inches of wheel travel)
  •  Locking differentials
  •  Underbody skid protection
The Chevrolet Silverado EV ZR2 race truck, built for off-road competition, parked in the desert under a bright blue sky before taking on the Mint 400.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV ZR2 race truck, developed with Hall Racing, stands ready in the Nevada desert to compete in the legendary Mint 400, pushing electric off-road performance to the extreme.

The truck runs on 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 Mud-Terrain tires and is powered by a tri-motor electric propulsion system, delivering:

  • 1,100 horsepower
  • 11,500 lb-ft of torque

Paper specs are one thing, but none of that matters if a truck can’t survive the reality of off-road racing. The Mint 400 will push this Silverado EV ZR2 beyond anything it has faced in testing.

Racing to Improve Chevrolet’s Production Silverado

This isn’t just about winning a trophy. Chevrolet engineers will be embedded with Hall Racing, analyzing performance, durability, and component wear in real-time. That data will directly influence future production trucks, performance parts, and accessories.

A Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss and a Silverado EV ZR2 race truck parked side by side in the desert, showcasing the brand's off-road electric truck lineup.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss (left) and Silverado EV ZR2 race truck (right) meet in the desert, highlighting the future of Chevrolet’s off-road EV performance, from production-ready capability to race-proven toughness.

Since 2017, Hall Racing has been running Chevrolet trucks in off-road competition, finishing 53 of 54 races. Their experience has played a major role in shaping factory-built off-road trucks like the Colorado ZR2 and Silverado ZR2. Chad Hall knows firsthand how much punishment a vehicle must endure in this environment:

“What we learn from racing is applied to vehicles consumers can buy. An off-road race like The Mint 400 is equivalent to a lifetime of vehicle wear and tear.”

That statement could not be more accurate. I’ve seen these trucks come out of a single lap looking like they’ve spent years on the trail. If the Silverado EV ZR2 can survive this race, it will prove itself as a legitimate off-road machine.

Will Chevy Sell a Silverado EV ZR2?

The Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept is not just a one-off experiment. Chevrolet is applying everything it learns from this event to its first off-road-focused electric production truck—the 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss, arriving this summer. The Trail Boss will come with:

  • Factory-installed lift
  • 18-inch wheels with 35-inch all-terrain tires
  • Red tow hooks
  • New Terrain Mode for better maneuverability

The goal is clear—Chevy is using the Mint 400 to push the limits of its off-road EV technology, ensuring that future electric trucks are just as capable as their gas-powered counterparts.

The Chevrolet Silverado EV ZR2 race truck parked on a dry lake bed, built for extreme off-road endurance racing like the Mint 400.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV ZR2 race truck, equipped with 37-inch mud-terrain tires, Multimatic dampers, and a tri-motor electric drivetrain, stands ready to take on the desert’s toughest challenges.

What’s Next For the Silverado EV ZR2?

The Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept is about to face one of the toughest off-road challenges on the planet. This is not a controlled test environment—it’s a brutal, unpredictable battlefield where every mile exposes weaknesses and tests endurance. The Mint 400 has broken countless vehicles before, and finishing a single lap is an accomplishment.

If the Silverado EV ZR2 makes it through, it won’t be because of hype—it will be because it earned its place in off-road racing.