The all-new 2020 Silverado HD is the strongest, most capable Silverado HD ever, offering a max towing capability of 35,500 pounds2 – an increase of 52 percent – along with class-leading technologies and an expanded range of customer choices.
“We set out to make the best HD trucks on the market, bar none,” said Marissa West, chief engineer. “We increased towing capabilities across the line, not just for dually buyers. We added class-leading towing technologies, such as 15 available camera views3 (some views may require an available trailer camera), to make trailering more convenient, whether pulling a large cargo trailer or fifth-wheel camper. And we made a host of changes to make tasks easier.”
Built at the Flint Assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, the all-new 2020 Silverado HD is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor, with a wheelbase that’s been stretched 5.2 inches on Crew Cab models and is scaled for HD customers. It is available in five trim levels: Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ and High Country, offered across 22 cab, bed, chassis and driveline configurations.
Customers can choose a new, standard 6.6L V-8 gas engine with direct injection, rated at 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque. That’s an 11-percent increase in horsepower and a 22-percent increase in peak torque, respectively, compared to the previous gas engine, contributing to an 18-percent increase in towing capability. It is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Then there’s the legendary Duramax 6.6L V-8 Turbo-Diesel, making 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque, coupled with an all-new Allison® 10-speed automatic transmission.
In addition, every component on the Silverado HD, between the transmission and the wheels, has been upgraded to enable an available 52-percent increase in max towing capability — up up to 35,500 pounds (requires 3500HD regular cab 2WD with dual real wheels, available diesel engine and gooseneck hitch).
2020 Silverado HD highlights:
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New, more powerful 6.6L V-8 gas engine with direct injection for greater performance and stronger trailering capability with 22 percent more torque and up to 18 percent more towing compared to previous 6.0L gas engine.
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All-new Allison® 10-speed automatic transmission is matched with the available Duramax 6.6L V-8 Turbo-Diesel engine for a 52 percent increase in max towing to 35,500 pounds2 on properly equipped models.
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Autotrac active two-speed transfer case on 4x4 models electronically controls “4 Auto” mode, allowing the truck to seamlessly shift between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive based on road conditions.
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Advanced Trailering System technologies and new transparent trailer view3: The in-vehicle trailering system features an available total of 15 available camera views (requires an installed accessory camera), such as HD Surround Vision3 and other unique views including a transparent trailer feature to help provide added confidence when towing. Also features increased integration with the myChevrolet mobile app4.
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HD-exclusive sculpted exterior design features the most differentiation from the Silverado 1500 ever — the roof is the only shared sheet metal.
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Heavy-duty details designed to make work easier and more intuitive, including features such as an easier-access engine block heater cord outlet in the front bumper, easy-to-fill diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank with the fill opening inside the fuel door, a more integrated snow plow prep package and new, available trailering mirrors with perimeter and auxiliary lighting and more.
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BedSteps feature and larger CornerSteps makes it easier to load or reach items in the cargo bed, which is designed to hold a pair of size-12 boots and up to 500 pounds.
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Larger cab enables more spacious interiors with Crew Cab models adding about 3 inches in overall length.
Tougher, stronger and more capable
The 2020 Silverado HD increases towing capability across the lineup compared to 2019. This greater capability is driven by chassis and suspension enhancements and new propulsion combinations that work seamlessly to offer confident performance with great durability, particularly when towing.
An enhanced version of the Silverado HD’s sturdy, proven ladder-frame design, with bed rails that improve strength and contribute to a smooth ride, is the foundation for the new truck. It’s a heavier-duty frame compared to the current model, designed to handle the truck’s higher loads, including a higher gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCWR) of up to 43,500 pounds5 on properly equipped trucks.
The upgraded driveline includes robust front and rear axles, including an 11.5-inch rear-axle ring gear on all 2500HD models and 3500HD models with the 6.6L V-8 gas engine; and a 12-inch ring gear for 3500HD diesel models. Also, 30-percent-larger-diameter prop shafts provide greater strength with the high torque output of the new 6.6L V-8 gas engine and the Duramax Turbo-Diesel.
Helping cool the Duramax engine is a massive 28-inch-diameter fan with variable fan speed (2.5-inches larger than the previous model).
A More Confident Towing Experience through Technology
Silverado HD’s greater towing capability is matched with Chevrolet’s new suite of customer-focused trailering technologies, including a new transparent trailer feature, designed to help improve the experience with hitching and more driving confidence when towing a trailer.
More than 90 percent of heavy-duty truck owners use their truck for trailering, making it one of the most important considerations for customers, with convenience and confidence their top concerns when towing. The 2020 Silverado HD delivers with an Advanced Trailering System designed to make every aspect of towing easier and more convenient.
The 2020 Silverado HD offers up to 15 unique camera views, including HD Surround Vision3, Bed View3, an industry-first transparent trailer view3, and an accessory camera3. The transparent trailer view helps with views through the trailer as if the trailer was not there providing added confidence when towing. The transparent trailer helps with navigating parking lots, merging into traffic or when making tight turns. It uses two cameras — one tailgate-mounted camera and an available accessory camera (installation required) mounted on the rear of the trailer — to provide a wide display that helps the driver to virtually see through and alongside the trailer.
Another new feature we’re developing is the new smart trailer integration, which is designed to work with ASA Electronics iN∙Command® control systems6. The system is designed to integrate with and be accessed through the myChevrolet mobile app4, either on compatible Android and iOS smartphones, or on the vehicle’s infotainment system7 via Apple CarPlay8 or Android Auto9. The iNˑCommand® control system6 allows owners to monitor and control a range of smart systems, such as water tank levels, HVAC controls and even power slide-outs, in compatible recreational trailers equipped with the technology.
Other towing technologies include an in-vehicle trailering app10, complete with customizable trailer profiles, trailer light test, trailer electrical diagnostics, trailer tire pressure and temperature monitoring, maintenance reminders and pre-departure checklist. Many of the in-vehicle trailering app’s functions, including trailer profile creation and trailer light test, are also available with the myChevrolet mobile app4, a feature that offers convenience when the owner is outside of the truck or trailer.
The 2020 Silverado HD also includes a VIN-specific Trailering Information Label that clearly lists the truck’s specific trailering metrics including curb weight, gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross combined weight rating (GCWR), max payload, max tongue weight, gross axle weight rating (GAWR) and fifth wheel/gooseneck ratings (not included on box-delete models).
Additional available technologies and hardware designed to enhance trailering include:
- Auto Park Brake Assist automatically initiates the electronic parking brake to help hold the truck’s position and vehicle creep when hitching a trailer.
- All-new Park Grade Hold Assist enhances hill hold by using braking effort to help keep the truck in place for an extended length of time.
- An enhanced integrated trailer brake controller works with the trailer profile in the Advanced Trailering System to recall a specified trailer’s most recent brake gain setting.
- An enhanced Tow/Haul mode remains engaged on the next key-on cycle, for up to four hours and includes a reminder that the feature is engaged.
- Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.
- StabiliTrak with Trailer Sway Control and Proactive Rollover Avoidance.
- Auto Grade Braking and Diesel Exhaust Braking.
- Enhanced Digital Variable Steering Assist dynamically optimizes power steering according to driving scenarios and enables features like road pull compensation.
New direct-injected 6.6L V-8 gas engine delivers more torque
A new direct-injected 6.6L V-8 gas engine elevates the 2020 Silverado HD’s overall performance and capability. It is built with a forged steel crankshaft, forged powder-metal connecting rods and additional high-strength components to help provide the added strength and durability demanded by HD customers.
Gasoline direct injection offers more precise fuel control in the new engine, which enables a higher compression ratio of 10.75:1, for greater power output of 401 hp. It also supports strong performance at low rpm, where it’s needed when pulling away with a loaded cargo bed or trailer.
The 6.6L V-8 gas engine also features a longer stroke than the previous 6.0L V-8 gas engine, to help it deliver more than 21-percent greater torque: 464 lb-ft. It is offered with dual alternators to support the electrical needs for trailering, snowplowing and other jobs; and the new engine is paired with the 6L90 six-speed automatic transmission, which features the Tow/Haul mode.
New Allison® 10-speed transmission matched with proven Duramax 6.6L Turbo-Diesel
Maximum power and towing capability in new Silverado HD lineup comes from the proven Duramax 6.6L V-8 Turbo-Diesel with 910 lb-ft of torque. Its towing capability is increased up to 52 percent with driveline improvements including the addition of the all-new Allison® 10-speed automatic transmission — a legendary Duramax/Allison® combination that contributes to the Silverado HD’s 35,500-pound2 max towing rating, when properly equipped.
A diesel after-run feature specifically for use following a demanding towing situation is an additional new technology for the Duramax engine. The after-run allows the engine to keep running for up to 15 minutes to allow it to cool down using the fan and circulating coolant. If the driver puts the truck in park when an after-run situation is needed, an alert will appear on the driver information cluster directing them to keep the engine running for cool down. Should the customer ignore the message and exit the vehicle, the truck will restart on its own via remote start mode for cool-down. At that point the customer can walk away and the truck will turn itself off when the engine reaches an acceptable temperature.
The all-new Allison® 10-speed automatic transmission combined with improved driveline components is better at transferring all of the Duramax’s torque to the pavement, allowing more torque to be put to the ground in lower gears, enhancing the overall driving dynamics and trailering with smoother gear changes and shorter steps between them. It also supports smart engine braking, which can help reduce brake wear. The Duramax/Allison® combination’s standard axle ratio is lowered to 3.42:1, which reduces engine speed, therefore enhancing refinement.
“The 6.6L V-8 Duramax diesel and Allison® transmission is a legendary combination in the HD truck market with proven durability and capability that our customers expect,” said West. “For 2020, we made the combination even better and upgraded nearly every driveline component. As a result, we deliver all 910 lb-ft of torque to the ground in first gear.”
For customers powering other equipment with their trucks on the job site, an all-new, factory-integrated engine-driven Power Take Off (PTO) is available and eliminates the need for an aftermarket unit. Exclusively offered with the Allison® 10-speed transmission on select diesel models, it’s the first fully integrated PTO system of its kind in the HD truck segment, with the PTO’s drive gear operated via chain to direct engine power. And because it is engine-driven rather than turbine-driven, owners can use the PTO while the vehicle is idling. A button inside the cab enables the PTO, and a mode selector allows adjustment of load and torque output.
Heavy-duty details
Designers and engineers examined every detail of how heavy-duty customers use their trucks and developed the all-new Silverado HD with new, thoughtful and more intuitive features that make day-to-day work and interaction with the truck easier and more convenient — including features such as smooth outer door skins that enable easier business signage application.
These details complement the truck’s increased capability and allow owners to spend more time focused on the tasks at hand. Highlights include:
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Relocated engine-block heater cord plug-in. Designers moved the engine-block heater cord outlet to a more convenient, external location on the driver’s side of the truck. It is integrated into the front bumper, eliminating the need for cords hanging out of the grille or to open the hood for plug-in. The block heater is standard with diesel models and available with the new 6.6L V-8 gas engine.
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More-intuitive snow plow package11. The front end of the truck is designed for easy removal of the air dam and skid plate for easier and more intuitive mounting of the plow hardware. The design even eliminates the need to drill additional holes in the front bumper. And when the plow blade is removed, the Silverado HD returns to form by maintaining a smooth, integrated appearance without visible hardware.
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Diesel DEF fill enhancements. The Diesel Exhaust Fluid tank is relocated farther back on the Silverado HD’s frame and out of sight from the exterior; and the fill inlet is located next to the fuel filler for greater convenience. An electronic gauge readout for the DEF fluid level is added to the Driver Infotainment Center of diesel-equipped models.
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Redesigned trailering mirrors with improved perimeter lighting (if equipped). New, larger and more functional door-mounted trailering mirrors are standard on all 2500HD and 3500HD models. The mirrors extend and retract using a four-bar-link system that makes for smoother operation, whether done with power or manually. The surface area of the mirrors is larger, for a greater field of view compared to the current model, and an available power extension feature makes it easier to adjust the view from the driving position. Enhanced, available lighting features with the mirrors are new for 2020 and include puddle lamps, perimeter lighting and additional auxiliary lighting. The auxiliary lighting includes forward- and rearward-facing spot lamps that can provide illumination for job sites or camp sites.
Larger and more functional design – with distinctive models
Longer, wider and taller, the 2020 Silverado HD is larger in virtually every measure compared to the current HD. From a design standpoint, the 2020 Silverado HD has the most differentiation from light duty ever. The roof is the only shared sheet metal between the two trucks — every other piece is exclusive to HD, and scaled as such.
Silverado HD’s larger dimensions are framed within a chiseled, modern exterior design conveyed in five distinctive personalities that offer customers a broad range of choices.
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Work Truck: Distinguished with a unique, black “CHEVROLET” flow-through grille bar. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard on 2500HD and 3500HD with dual rear wheels (DRW); 18-inch wheels are standard on 3500HD with single rear wheels (SRW).
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Custom: New to the Silverado HD lineup and exclusive on 2500HD, the Custom trim offers standard 20-inch wheels and body-color trim details for a more contemporary design expression. (Available only with the 6.6L V-8 gas engine.)
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LT: Featuring chrome-trimmed vertical grille elements and a bright grille bar with the flow-through “CHEVROLET” name. 2500HD models feature 17-inch aluminum wheels, 3500HD SRW models feature 18-inch aluminum wheels and 3500HD DRW models feature 17-inch steel wheels.
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LTZ: Takes bright trim to the next level, including a bright grille surround with the flow-through “CHEVROLET” bar and chrome-accented grille inserts. It also features LED reflector headlamps, LED daytime running lamps and LED taillamps. 2500HD and 3500HD SRW models feature standard 18-inch aluminum wheels with 20-inch wheels available. 3500HD DRW has standard 17-inch steel wheels and 17-inch polished forged-aluminum wheels are available. (LTZ not available on 3500HD double cab models.)
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High Country: The most dramatic and expressive trim in the lineup, with a distinctive fascia featuring a grille with the Chevy bowtie and two-tone metallic grille trim, and LED lighting. 2500HD and 3500HD SRW models feature 20-inch polished aluminum wheels and the 3500HD DRW features 17-inch polished forged-aluminum wheels.
In addition to the Silverado HD’s larger dimensions and distinctive trim personalities, 2500 and 3500 SRW models are available with active aero shutters for improved efficiency and a taller, more dominant hood line that asserts the trucks’ strength and character.
Inside, the Silverado HD offers a roomier, spacious, work-focused cabin with class-leading front head- and legroom, plus nearly 3 inches of additional rear-leg room in Crew Cab models while offering more innovative storage options.
A higher seating position complements the truck’s taller profile to offer a confident view from behind the wheel, along with an available, head-up display — something the competition does not offer (excludes other GM vehicles). Additional optimized ergonomics emphasize easy, intuitive interaction with the vehicle’s technologies, such as the new trailering features and infotainment system7.
Durabed: The segment’s most functional HD cargo bed
The 2020 Silverado HD’s Durabed builds on the breakthrough cargo bed technologies and features introduced on the redesigned 2019 Silverado 1500 to offer the segment’s most functional HD bed.
For the first time on Silverado, the HD cargo beds are not shared with the light-duty models. They are designed specifically for the HD with unique dimensions, but still incorporate the multi-piece inner panels (previously a single panel) design and strong, rolled-steel bed construction featured on the Silverado 1500.
The multi-piece inner panels allow them to be pushed closer to bed’s outer panels in certain areas, expanding the usable width by 6.7 inches on the standard bed, compared to the current model. The bed length is also about 3 inches longer on the standard bed, extending length, adding volume and extra clearance for longer items. The long bed length remains 8 feet long. With the extra width enabled by the multi-piece inner panel construction, the total cargo bed volume expands 14 percent and about 9.5 percent, respectively, on the standard and long beds. The larger volume for the long bed — 83.5 cubic feet — is class-leading.
