General Motors Specialty Vehicles has reclassified the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 as a medium goods vehicle, avoiding Australia’s latest pedestrian autonomous emergency braking requirements while increasing its payload capacity.
The updated 2026 model, effective August 1, raises the Silverado’s Gross Vehicle Mass from 3,300 kg to 3,505 kg. This adjustment shifts the pickup from the NA light goods category—subject to pedestrian-detection AEB rules under ADR 98/01—to the NB1 medium goods class, which exempts it from certain safety standards.
The Silverado already includes AEB capable of detecting vehicles and pedestrians. Under the new classification, it no longer needs to meet the specific pedestrian performance criteria outlined in ADR 98/01.
Payload increases by nearly 200 kg
The change also boosts the truck’s legal carrying capacity. Maximum payload climbs from 748 kg to 942 kg for the LTZ Premium and from 713 kg to 922 kg for the ZR2. This adjustment brings the Silverado in line with rivals like the Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra, both classified as NB1 vehicles.
GMSV Managing Director Jess Bala stated the update enhances the Silverado’s appeal for customers needing greater load-carrying ability while preserving its V8 performance and off-road features. The LTZ Premium receives revised suspension tuning, swapping the previous Z71 setup for Rancho shocks and a new twin-tube damper arrangement.
Exterior updates introduce standard black styling elements across the range. The LTZ Premium now includes black Chevrolet tailgate lettering, a black front bowtie emblem, and Z71 badges, while the ZR2 adds black tailgate lettering as standard.
Regulatory exemption keeps Silverado outside NVES rules
The higher GVM also excludes the Silverado from the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which applies to goods vehicles up to 3,500 kg. While officials have proposed extending the scheme to cover vehicles up to 3,855 kg, the Silverado remains unaffected for now.
Ford has chosen a different path with the F-150, keeping it in the NA light goods category and certifying it to meet full ADR 98/01 pedestrian AEB requirements. The Silverado’s classification follows a similar strategy used by Ram and Toyota for their full-size pickups.
This regulatory shift may influence future models, though most buyers will not notice changes in safety technology.
Pricing for the 2026 Silverado rises by $1,000 across the range. Production of the updated models begins August 1 at GMSV’s Melbourne facility. The truck continues to use Chevrolet’s 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
