Silverado truck celebrating quarter-century in 2025, with 20 years of production in Oshawa in 2026
Published December 16, 2024 at 1:59 pm
The truck that returned Oshawa to automaking prominence after a plant shutdown of nearly two years is celebrating a series of birthdays.
The Chevrolet Silverado, with its return to production in late 2020 marking the re-opening of Oshawa Autoplex after a plant closure in 2019 that many though was permanent, was initially introduced by General Motors as a trim option for the CK series in 1975 and will celebrate 50 years next year.
The truck is also celebrating a quarter-century this year as a standalone nameplate after entering the marketplace as its own model in 1999.
The Silverado’s impact in Oshawa will hit 20 years in 2026, with the now iconic truck joining the assembly line in the motor city in 2006.
“The Chevrolet Silverado has a special connection to Canada, with Oshawa playing an important role in its story,” said Chevrolet Canada Director James Hodge, who called it a “point of pride” to see the trucks built in Oshawa by Canadians, for Canadians.”
“Having worked in the plant, I’ve seen the craftsmanship and dedication that has made the Silverado a favourite among Canadian drivers for almost 50 years.”
The Silverado has been known for a few industry firsts over the years, such as standard four-wheel disc brakes in 1999, and the second-generation model became the industry’s first hybrid full-size pickup in 2007.
More safety innovations followed with the third-generation truck in 2014, which also marked the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet trucks.
Chevy has sold an estimated half a million-plus units of the Silverado every year for the last quarter century and launched the Silverado EV in 2024 – produced at GM’s Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center in Michigan – with an estimated range of 792 kilometres on a full charge.
“Truck customers tell us range is one of the main barriers to considering an EV,” Hodge noted, adding that the increased range is “great news for the segment, the industry, and the brand.”
GM closed the Oshawa plant in 2019 as part of a global restructuring plan to cut costs but production resumed near the end of 2020 after a $1.2 billion retooling investment. The plant is now the only GM factory to exclusively build the Silverado, both light duty and heavy duty.
Truck production at the Oshawa assembly plant. Photo Ryan Bolton