Something particular went down within the desert exterior of Las Vegas this weekend: two EVs took on the Mint 400 for the primary time.
Since the Mint 400 launched again in 1969, automobiles on this iconic desert endurance race have been powered by useless dinosaurs. Spectators and race members alike are used to the scent of race gas within the air as all the pieces from V8-motivated Trophy Trucks to humble Class 11 inventory Volkswagen Beetles fly over jumps, clamber over rocks, and go flat out on the dry lake mattress.
That all modified in 2024 when a gaggle of friends entered a Rivian R1T and Mint organizer Matt Martelli created an EV Production class. This 12 months, Chevrolet acquired into the sport and entered the Silverado EV ZR2 off-road race truck idea, a modified model of its truck EV. The idea’s reveal comes as Chevy prepares to launch the 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss, its first off-road oriented EV variant, this summer time.
While the Rivian could be very a lot a inventory truck save for the upgraded 35-inch BFGoodrich tires, the Silverado EV acquired loads of particular elements.
The longer management arms have been taken from the Hummer EV to permit for 13 inches of journey. The air suspension was nixed in favor of dual-coil springs within the entrance — with a spring price of 1,600 kilos per inch — and single coil springs within the rear. These don’t must assist fairly a lot weight and sit at “solely” 978 kilos/inch. Hey, that’s what occurs when a truck weighs practically 10,000 kilos.
The tall springs and 37-inch BFGoodrich tires imply the Silverado EV race truck sits 15 inches off the bottom. However, the truck itself is so massive that I initially estimated it to be solely 11 or 12 inches excessive. Such is the facility of proportion.
Also taken from the Hummer is the tri-motor system, with two motors within the rear and one within the entrance. Chevrolet says all collectively they produce 1,100 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque.
Don’t get too jazzed about that torque quantity although. Chevrolet is speaking about wheel torque, which isn’t the measure the trade normally makes use of to speak about torque. The firm hasn’t given up all of the numbers to do the mathematics, however it’s secure to say the motors produce over 1,000 pound-feet of the stuff. Still nothing to sneeze at.
Chevy didn’t change the 205 kWh battery. In the road truck that’s ok for 440 miles, in principle sufficient to race all 4 laps on the Mint 400. However, journey peak, tire dimension, tread and air stress, and the filth all take their toll.
Tim Demetrio, Group Manager for Off Road Performance at Chevrolet, advised me that in a restricted quantity of testing, the truck averaged .5 miles/kWh within the filth. But he didn’t actually know the way the battery and drive items would react to laborious desert racing.
Not fairly a sq. off
The likelihood to see Rivian and the modified Chevy Silverado EV sq. off on the Mint was disrupted by a technicality. Although each automobiles did race, they have been in several lessons.
The Rivian competed within the EV Production class; the Chevrolet, as a car that’s presently not provided to the general public, was within the EV Open class. And every truck was in a category of 1.
What’s worse, the Rivian R1T acquired to make two laps of the 73-mile course, the Chevrolet just one lap. It’s frequent for manufacturing automobiles to get fewer laps than the large Trophy Trucks, however I hoped each vans would duke it out for 2 laps to check each effectivity and charging.
When I requested Martelli concerning the discrepancy, he mentioned,“The Rivian has already raced and accomplished one lap in final 12 months’s race. When we’re shepherding in any new class we attempt to ease them into it. We don’t need them to fail. That’s not good for anyone. So we attempt to handle that by giving them just a little bit extra every time.”
Call it the Mint 73
As quickly because the vans got here off the beginning line, I instantly ran to the inventory Silverado EV Chevrolet lent me to drive for the weekend.
The first pit is at race mile 21, and the preliminary a part of the course could be very quick. Teams get to go flat out over a lake mattress, by a number of sections of whoops and sort out some sandy washes. By the time I acquired to the primary pit, I had missed the truck.
The second pit space is a fast drive for chase automobiles, however the Chevy solely has to traverse 16 miles of race course. We discovered a spot to park simply in time to see the Silverado EV silently zoom across the nook out of the pit space in a cloud of mud.
The truck crossed the end line with a 40% state of cost. That means it averaged .6 miles/kWh — a bit higher than the group was anticipating. It took the group 2 hours and 10 minutes to finish the course, so their common pace was about 34 miles per hour. Not too shabby for an enormous ol’ truck.
Both driver Chad Hall and co-driver Mark Stielow have been in good spirits after the race.
“We simply cruised,” mentioned Stielow “No issues in any respect.”
For Rivian, it’s the Mint 146
After leaving the Chevy, I hightailed it over to the Electrify America chargers to examine on the Rivian.
Yes, the Rivian has to cost its 149 kWh battery to make the 2 laps and by chance there’s a 350 kW charger only a mere quarter-mile from the race course. The group solely has to enter and exit the course on the similar level.
I arrived at a scene of managed chaos.
The R1T blew an air spring at race mile 50 or so. The group was busy repairing it whereas the truck charged.
Driver Nick Paris advised me they arrived on the charging station with 20% state of cost, placing their lap 1 effectivity on the similar .6 miles/kWh because the heavier Silverado.
He admitted to having a little bit of a lead foot, hitting 110 miles per hour on the dry lakebed. “We noticed the Chevy in entrance of us,” mentioned co-driver Brett Rieser. “And we mentioned ‘Let’s go’ and zoooop!” The Rivian made the go and the race was on.
Charged to 90%, the Rivian left on its second lap. The car blew a entrance damper, however was solely down for quarter-hour.
The Rivian group arrived on the end line with a ten% state of cost and regardless of pushing the truck to 128 miles per hour on the lakebed, their lap 2 effectivity remained .6 miles/kWh.
With their charging timeout it’s robust to get a median pace, however I’d put it at a tad slower than the Chevrolet. Chad Hall is, in spite of everything, an expert race truck driver. The Rivian group is only a bunch of delightfully nerdy privateers.
Regardless, since each vans completed, each are thought of class winners and can take dwelling a primary place trophy.
Where are Ford, Jeep, Tesla?
While battery density and charging infrastructure imply these electron-powered rigs received’t be aggressive with ICE race vehicles and vans, there definitely is room for extra EVs to enter the fray to check their charging pace, vary and sturdiness.
Ford Performance — when y’all getting into the Lightning? Hey Jeep, how about getting into a Wagoneer S subsequent 12 months? Heck, I’d even be in favor of Uncle Elon getting into a Cybertruck. GMC can throw within the Hummer, perhaps Porsche may subject a Taycan Cross Turismo. I helped Volkswagen get the ID4 to the end line in Baja within the Mexican 1000 a number of years in the past, so let’s convey that little man in too. Imagine the spectacle of all these automobiles battling for electrical filth supremacy.
