GM Reveals Electric-Drive 3500 Dually With Limited Color Options

General Motors has unveiled the Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), a cab-less, autonomous truck built on the dual-rear-wheel Chevy Silverado 3500 HD architecture. While primarily designed for military logistics, the platform reveals GM’s progress on an extended-range electric heavy-duty pickup chassis.

What Happened

The UGV is equipped with a 102 kWh battery pack and an internal combustion engine, reportedly the 186 hp 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder turbo-diesel, which functions as a generator to recharge the battery and provide continuous vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities. The vehicle is displayed with Scout AI’s Gx Ground Agent autonomy system, featuring an open, modular interface for various sensors and mission systems. Steve duMont, president of GM Defense, emphasized that the program leverages GM’s existing engineering and supply chain rather than starting from a blank sheet.

Why It Matters

Although the UGV is a military concept, its underlying technology suggests potential applications for commercial fleets and consumers. The combination of a one-ton dually chassis, electric drive, and onboard generation addresses specific demands from work-focused buyers and RVers for heavy-duty electric trucks with extended range. Additionally, the autonomy system used in the UGV implies progress toward GM’s eyes-off ADAS, which is scheduled to appear in production vehicles under the Super Cruise brand by 2028.

The Bottom Line

GM’s UGV concept demonstrates a viable path for extended-range electric heavy-duty pickups, though production for the general market remains speculative. The project highlights GM’s strategy of adapting commercial truck platforms for specialized autonomous and electric applications.