GM’s Electric Vehicle Setbacks: Delays for Electric Truck Plant and Buick EV Unveiling

General Motors has postponed its increase in electric pickup truck production and the launch of the inaugural Buick electric vehicle for the American market, according to Bloomberg (as cited by Autoblog).

During a Tuesday earnings call, CEO Mary Barra announced that the production of Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV pickup trucks at GM's Orion Assembly facility in Michigan is delayed until the middle of 2026.

The setback is the primary cause for General Motors' inability to reach the previously set target of producing one million electric vehicles by 2025, as per the recent findings. Last week, Barra revealed that GM would fall short of this target, attributing the shortfall to sluggish market demand. However, the company has also encountered difficulties in increasing its production capabilities for new electric vehicles that employ its Ultium battery technology.

The 2024 model of the GMC Sierra, which is an electric vehicle

The Orion facility's conversion has been postponed for the second time. The factory had been the production site for the Chevy Bolt EV until production ceased in late 2023. This cessation was intended to clear the way for the manufacturing of electric trucks at the Orion location.

General Motors has once again delayed the expansion of its truck manufacturing. Previously in 2023, the company had stated that the increase in production wouldn't take place until 2025, leaving the Orion facility unused instead of producing more Bolt EVs. A new version of the Bolt EV is expected to be released for the 2026 model year.

Production on a small scale for the Silverado EV has commenced at GM's Factory Zero facility in Detroit. In their second-quarter financial report, GM revealed that they had distributed 3,257 units of the vehicle during the initial six months of 2024. Additionally, in April, the car manufacturer announced that the Sierra EV would begin shipping in the summer, with the first batch of production also anticipated to originate from the Factory Zero site.

Conceptual design for an electric Buick Wild

Buick stands as the sole brand under General Motors in the United States that has yet to introduce a fully electric vehicle. The company had planned to unveil its inaugural EV for the American market later in the current year, marking the beginning of the new Electra line. This vehicle is expected to draw design cues from the Buick Wildcat concept that was presented in 2022. Additionally, Buick initiated buyout options for dealerships in 2022, paving the way for its transition to electric vehicles.

This week, General Motors announced that Cruise, its autonomous driving division, has decided to stop using the Origin, a specially designed car without a steering wheel or pedals, which shares the Ultium battery technology with GM's electric vehicles. The project had been paused for several months due to multiple problems last year, which disrupted the company's schedule. Moving forward, Cruise will incorporate the upcoming version of the Bolt EV into its autonomous taxi service.

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