Key Highlights – 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali
⚡ Power: Dual motors up to 760 hp with AWD
🔋 Battery: 205 kWh pack, 460–478 miles range
⚡ Charging: 350 kW DC fast charge adds 100 miles in 10 min
🛻 Utility: MultiPro Midgate expands bed to 10+ ft, 10,500 lb towing
💎 Luxury: Heated/ventilated seats, panoramic roof, Super Cruise
💰 Price: Starts at $100,990, Denali Edition $105,585
Big Pickup Energy
The GMC Sierra EV Denali is big in every way. The full-size, crew-cab, all-electric pickup truck that piloted itself down the 405 freeway in Southern California boasts a six-figure price tag, enormous 24-inch alloy wheels, and an impressive 460-mile range estimate (which jumps to 478 miles for 2026). With my hands off the steering wheel and my eyes trained on the road ahead, I found myself looking down on countless other vehicles as this hulking matte-finish GMC automatically stayed in its lane, working its way from Orange County to the RMS Queen Mary.
The Queen Mary ocean liner made an apt destination for the Sierra EV, not just for her sheer size. The Queen Mary managed to survive by evolving into a destination hotel when virtually every other ship of her era was scrapped. Similarly, the Sierra EV points the way forward for full-size pickups as the industry begins its slow shift toward full electrification. Americans love full-size pickups, and the Sierra EV is arguably the best of its breed in many ways. Here's what it was like behind the wheel.
Still a Pickup, Just Electric
The Sierra EV takes the basic shape of a crew-cab full-size pickup truck with a roughly 5-foot-8 bed. It stretches 233.4 inches between its bumpers, which puts it within a couple of inches of a gas-fueled Sierra truck. Unlike the gas version, though, there's no long-bed option.
Starting in 2026, GMC will offer its all-electric full-size truck in three trims: mainstream Elevation, off-road-oriented AT4, and swanky Denali. I tested a 2025 model-year Denali, which is essentially the same for 2026.
All trims share similar styling, including a blocky front end with no traditional grille since EVs don’t need it for the kind of cooling that gas- and diesel-fueled ones do. Peel back its styling, and the Sierra EV Denali shares much of its underpinnings with the rugged GMC Hummer EV Pickup. It’s also a more upscale sibling to the dimensionally similar but generally less costly Chevrolet Silverado EV.
It Can Go the Distance in Max Range Configuration
Every Sierra EV gets dual motors and all-wheel drive, with upward of 600 horsepower, depending on which version you choose. My tester packed in the full 760-hp rating of the Max Range configuration.
I didn't put the 460-mile range limit to the test, but it was definitely comforting to see that big number on the digital instrument cluster. During my week with the truck, in mixed but generally gentle driving, I saw around 2.2 miles per kilowatt-hour, which works out to around 74 MPGe. For a truck this big, that’s surprisingly good; it’s higher than the EPA’s 66 MPGe estimate for the Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum. However, the other Sierra EV trims don't fare as well. The base model with the Extended Range battery pack is estimated at just 64 MPGe combined.
In Max Range form, the Sierra EV Denali has a massive 205-kWh battery pack fed by an 800-volt charging system. The big pack can actually charge quite quickly. A 350-kilowatt DC Fast Charger — like a Tesla Supercharger — can add up to 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
Denali-Grade Luxury Inside
The Sierra EV Denali is the snazziest pickup in GMC’s lineup. It has premium features like power-adjustable front seats with heating and cooling, a heated steering wheel, and a big wireless device charging pad, but the nice materials GMC drapes across the top of the dash and door panels clash with the hard plastics on the lower dash and lower door panels. For a six-figure truck, it doesn't feel quite as ritzy as you'd expect. But if you're using this truck for hauling lumber or tools, you'll appreciate the durable plastic.
There are some minor miscues inside. The big panoramic roof doesn’t open, and while there’s no full cover, it tints automatically to reduce glare. Curiously, GMC parent General Motors has decided not to include Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility in any of its latest all-electric vehicles. Instead, you get Google Built-In tech, which is still user-friendly. And the steering wheel partially obscured the 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster, no matter where I adjusted it.
Then again, I might've noticed these quirks because I wasn’t doing much actual driving. The Sierra EV Denali comes with General Motors’ fabulous Super Cruise system, which allows for hands-off/eyes-on driving at highway speeds on many closed-access roads in the U.S. and Canada. It handled the 405 freeway just fine, only briefly turning off to let me take over in a construction zone.
Flexible Bed for Peak Pickup Utility
One of the Sierra EV’s main advantages over its Ford and Rivian rivals is its practicality. Its 5-foot-8 bed is typical for a crew-cab pickup, but the ace here is what GMC dubs its MultiPro Midgate. The rear seatbacks fold flat with the tug of a couple of levers, and then the partition behind can be folded down in two sections. For especially big items, the glass panel can be pulled out and stored in the folding section. The cargo-maximizing process takes a couple of minutes, and it increases the bed length to more than 10 feet.
There’s also a small front trunk (frunk) that opens and closes at the tap of a button, plus the tailgate can be folded partially open to create a workspace. Power outlets in the cargo area can supply 7.2 kW of power for tools, refrigerators, or even your home with the right equipment.
GMC rates the Sierra EV Denali to tow up to 10,500 pounds, though like any electric pickup, towing will quickly slurp its way through the battery.
What’s It Like to Drive?
In its most powerful configuration, the Sierra EV Denali accelerates quickly and quietly. While its enormous tires don’t allow for crazy burnouts, this roughly 9,000-pound truck vaults forward with giggle-inducing intensity.
The big steering wheel offers little road feel, and the Sierra EV Denali could lean into corners when I hustled it. It was surprisingly nimble around town thanks to its standard four-wheel steering system, which pivoted the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts to reduce its turning radius.
If you’re new to EV truck ownership, you’ll want to understand charging basics. Start here: EV Charging Basics: What You Need to Know
I had to seek out big parking spots due to the Sierra EV’s huge footprint, but I found it could squeeze its way into parallel spots with surprising ease. Those rear wheels turning subtly in concert with the fronts at high speeds aided stability, too. I found the air suspension (standard on the Denali) was great at soaking up bumps.
Sierra EV Denali Is Priced Like the Flagship It Is
The Sierra EV Denali starts at $100,990 after a mandatory $2,095 destination charge. My tester came with a charging cord, a vinyl tonneau cover, and gorgeous but expensive $3,995 Moonlight Matte paint. All in, GMC asks $105,585 for it.
Part of that hefty price comes from the Max Range battery pack. You can save $8,500 by going with the Extended Range version of the Sierra EV Denali, or you can wait for the 2026 model year when the lineup grows with the new Elevation trim. That model has a lower range estimate (283 miles) but costs $64,990.
By most measures, the Sierra EV Denali is a better buy than the $87,190 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum, which has lower range estimates and isn’t as polished to drive. Rivian’s R1T tops out with a 420-mile range in Dual trim with the Max battery option for $84,990, which is a good value. But for buyers who do typical pickup-truck things, the GMC’s ability to expand its bed may be its biggest selling point, with the longer range estimate being icing on the cake.
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