What Is the Chevy Multi-Flex Midgate?

As the pickup truck tailgate wars wage with each brand bringing new and innovative approaches to cargo versatility, Chevrolet arrives with an exciting twist to bed access with the Multi-Flex Midgate. This mindful engineering solution brings a new level of utility when hauling items of varying lengths and sizes. The Multi-Flex Midgate will debut as an option on the 2024 Silverado EV.

What Does the Chevy Multi-Flex Midgate Do?

The midgate concept first appeared years ago on Chevy's own Avalanche. This feature allows the back of the cabin to fold down, extending the truck bed and creating one continuous cargo area that can accommodate longer or irregularly shaped objects. The basic idea is not unlike fold-down rear seats in a sedan that gives access to trunk space. But this is the first time a traditional pickup has integrated the midgate into its overall design and function.

The midgate gives the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV a unique characteristic and selling point that other full-size trucks—EV or not—don't offer. The Silverado EV operates with a typically separated bed/cabin configuration with the midgate closed. However, when the midgate goes down, the overall cargo storage length goes from just under six feet to a little over nine feet. And with the bed's tailgate down, the total cargo length increases to almost 11 feet. Like the Avalanche, the rear glass can remain in place or be removed and stowed.

With the elongated cargo bed space, you can transport items such as kayaks, paddle boards, piping, and lumber without needing to tie it down or have it hang off the back of the truck, which is a potential safety hazard. And because of the rear seat's 60/40 split arrangement, the second row remains usable for one passenger, even if exposed to outside air and sitting right next to whatever is being hauled. As opposed, the Chevy Avalanche rendered its rear seats useless for passengers when dropping down the midgate, turning the vehicle into a two-person ride.

The midgate accommodates long items and, when used with an optional tonneau cover, helps create a weathertight space for storing items. Because the tonneau seamlessly joins the rear window, anything inside the cabin remains secure and locked even when the midgate is down.

Other Innovative Gate Designs

Chevy's midgate is unique due to its location relative to the cargo area. Although no other pickup truck offers a similar access point to the bed, some other well-conceived tailgate designs are available. These include:

• Ford Pro Access Tailgate—This design's middle section swing-out ability makes it stand out. The gate is hinged to stop at 37, 70, and 100 degrees. The sideways-swinging tailgate allows the driver to approach the edge of the bed without leaning across a dropped tailgate, making loading or unloading items more manageable.
• Chevrolet Multi-Flex Tailgate/GMC MultiPro Tailgate—This setup comprises two tailgates: the main tailgate and a smaller tailgate integrated within the larger unit. You can raise or lower the smaller tailgate depending on the desired configuration. The two tailgates offer six different setups for six different functionalities, making load-in and load-out easier and more efficient.
• Ram Multifunctional Tailgate—This tailgate has a 60/40 split design. Pushing a button in the tailgate handle housing opens the barn door configuration. The driver-side section of the tailgate opens first, and the passenger section has a handle positioned within, where the two meet. The overall design is straightforward but gives the Ram 1500 extra usefulness, especially when accessing a cargo bed storage box.

Summary

Chevy's Multi-Flex Midgate is another example of how pickup truck designers are constantly thinking of new ways to optimize the cargo bed in terms of size and access.

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Jessica Shea Choksey is an experienced writer in the automotive field. In addition to JDPower.com, she was a correspondent for PBS's MotorWeek. Her work has also appeared in AutoTrader.

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