Is A Chevrolet Camaro EV In GM’s Future?
69
Sponsored Links
Following a deluge of news and info dropped at the recent GM EV Day event, General Motors is proudly declaring that “Our electric future is now.” The automaker plans on introducing 20 new all-electric models by 2023, and judging by a recent teaser video, it looks like one of those forthcoming EVs could be a new all-electric Chevrolet Camaro.
The video teaser in question is just 13 seconds long, but provides a number of exciting leads with regard to GM’s EV plans. The video shows the automaker’s next-gen BEV3 EV platform, which made its big debut at the recent GM EV Day event. On top of the platform, we see a number of vehicle silhouettes drawn, including crossovers, hatchbacks, a pickup truck, and the Cruise Origin fully autonomous taxi.
Critically, we also see what appears to be a sports car around the four-second mark which looks very much like a Chevrolet Camaro.
All told, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising if General Motors decided to develop a new Chevrolet Camaro EV. We’ve already seen what electric performance can do with the race-spec eCOPO Camaro dragster, while the Chevrolet E-10 EV concept that debuted at SEMA last year take the idea of all-electric performance a step further with an EV crate motor.
Chevrolet eCOPO Camaro
Moving forward, an all-electric Chevrolet Camaro could potentially offer some seriously high-powered performance. The claims made by the upcoming GMC Hummer EV pickup should be evidence enough of that. With 1,000 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mph sprint set at three seconds for the truck, one can only imagine what the same technology might look like in a true sports car.
Would you be open to an all-electric Camaro model? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Camaro news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
- Sweepstakes Of The Month: Win a Corvette Z06 and 2024 Silverado. Details here.
Sponsored Links
Seems inevitable. I prefer this over Camaro disappearing again.
Should be a Pontiac T/A E/V as a comeback, leave the oil n gas to the Camaro.
I’m betting GM will chose to leave the Firebird (and the Pontiac brand) dead, rather than bring back another specialty brand. There just aren’t enough people who care about it, and they are all aging anyway.
Given the poor sales of the Camaro, maybe some electric life support is in order.
They may not be selling as much now as the Mustang or Challenger, but that doesn’t mean they are selling poorly.
Not selling very many means they are selling poorly.
The Cruze (which they quit building one year ago this week) still sold just as many as Camaro did all of last year.
The Camaro sales for 2019 were down 5.29% from the previous year, while the Challenger had sales down 8.57% respectively during the same period. A Chevy Cruze is a mass market economy car so it is expected to sell more as they produce more.
The Challenger, which is like 13 years old now, still sold 50% better and is a direct competitor.
I guess you won’t be happy until they actually cancel the thing and say it was because the sales were poor.
Nate, here are the figures for 2019 sales.
Mustang – 72,489 down 4.42% (37% market share)
Challenger – 60,997 down 8.57% (31% market share)
Camaro – 48,265 down 5.29% (21% market share)
So, as you can see the Camaro sales in comparison to the Challenger is not down 50%. Calculating the figures gives a little over 21% difference not a sensationalized 50% as you stated.
The Camaro has went away before and may do so again, but I doubt it. It will make little difference to me as that is not the type of car I buy anyway but it is my favorite car in its segment!
A hybrid Camaro should be planned, all EV is not something I have a lot of interest in yet, seems those need more work to be fully baked.
Gm isn’t building any more hybrids
Well that sure seems dumb, why take Camaro directly all electric when they never tried a performance hybrid?!! Dip toes in there first and then people can still at least hear an engine!!! All electric could be an additional option, but should not be the only option.
Is this GM’s best opportunity to resurrect and “re-imagine” Pontiac or Oldsmobile? Since Hummer is coming back and Mark Reuss did say they might change the sales channels, what are the chances for Pontiac or Olds to come back into the mix?
Zero.
Not sure why the down votes. Even if you’re one of the old people that cares about Pontiac, you have to admit that it languished a long time before it was put out of it’s misery.
As for Oldsmobile, that would be like bringing back Plymouth.
There really is zero chance.
It is the only way I can see the Camaro survive. Also, I could totally see a Four door Coupe Like car utilizing the Camaro moniker as well. I would prefer that option than what Ford did with an EV CUV with the Mustang name. A four door coupe makes much more sense.
I’d rather Camaro live on as a EV then die again. I’m all for a Camaro high performance Electric SUV also, I’m old school but believe in the future of sustaining an old brand and continuing to modernize it to match the time period we are in. Soon we will see flying cars so a flying Camaro will come one day also. We all need to adjust with the times. Our Earth is in a catastrophic decline with pollution everywhere so it’s time to adjust.
This was expected. As all vehicles will be soon.
there are too many downsides, to an all electric car.
A Camaro is a niche product anyway, and basically already totally impractical. Making this type of car electric actually makes sense. It would have amazing acceleration, and with the weight all down very low in the body, could have great handling too.
The only downside is that there are people that actually want to hear the engine make noise, which to me seems totally idiotic, but it is what it is.
No…
Nate wrong again……..
Al Oppenheiser chimed in on the Camaro forum a few weeks ago still referring to himself as the “Camaro Chief”. Pretty good sign I’d say.
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10730718&postcount=37
“All of your questions will be answered on May 20, including what I’ve been doing for the last year in EV-land. Until then, did you expect any less performance on the Hummer EV from your Camaro Chief?”
What ever happened to Oppenheiser, anyways? Was he fully shifted to EV’s? And is he implying that they’ll talk about an electric Camaro the 20th, or that he was working on the Hummer all this time? On the Camaro, I’d say the facts we do know make the Camaro going electric a virtual certainty at this point, everything seems to point to that. I’m honestly surprised how many people here aren’t outraged by that…I was really questioning this news myself, but like a ton of others here, I too came to the conclusion that I’d much rather an electric Camaro than no Camaro.
Also, is this the same BahamaTodd from the hummerevclub.com forum? Lol
Surprised? Words fail.
What the heck is that supposed to mean
The outrage is there.
These seem like a rigged ink blot tests with Rorschach seeing his own ink blot right and wrong in the answers.
I’ll play a bit.
No Camaro EV. It comes off as Tesla envy hiding with a Camaro affect. It’s not a 6th gen fix. Look at the Camaro6 forum. Even for those left wanting by the last few gens, the salt of the earth faithful won’t stand for anything more being taken from them.
The Cadillacs seem a positve move. Name gripes are a minor thing (concepts with miss-spelling are apparently no longer in vogue).
I really like the Trans Am/Firebird idea.
GMC gets the Hummer, where does the Firebird go, Buick?
That’d be the only option, but I can’t see GM throwing a Firebird, one of the baddest American cars ever made, in with Buick lol.
What if they also built a modern Grand National that wasn’t just a front wheel drive joke?
Actually, forget about the Firebird, just do that.
Buick still makes cars ???
They make like 10 cars and sell 3 in the US. Buick is extremely popular in china, where they make friking minivans and superminis
With the corvette going mid engine. And the current performance of camaro being as good as it is. it’s more of a traditional more affordable front engine car the Chevy fans would starve for if it went away. If any car that should be one of the last to convert to EV I’d think it be cars of heritage like camaro and vette.10 years from now if there’s gonna be all these EV’s on the road I guess I’ll be the one of the few a$$holes with a loud v8 camaro on the road
While all electric vehicles are quick off the line, a Chevrolet Camaro has excellent handling and great top speed which means if there is a Camaro EV in 5-10 years the car must be a great road car to carry on the mantle.
They have hinted at this loudly since the COPO EV drag car was shown. Moving Al to the EV platforms also were a clue.
First off drop all the Trans Am, Pontiac and Olds talk. GM need no more brands.
Now to me the Camaro is dying. Why is it dying needs to be answered.
#1 very expensive
#2 Limited use coupe
#3 cars are just falling out of favor.
Note the one reason they are failing is that the have ICE power plants. In fact that is part of their appeal. Sure it might be a touch faster with electric for a couple runs till the battery goes,
Even as a EV a coupe is going to be a tough sale. If they can really reduce the price that would help. But I am not sure they still could get it low enough to help younger buyer consider it.
I will never say not to try it but if you do park the Camaro name. Do this car on its own merits and do not remind people of the old car and the loss of ICE. Also if it fails it will preserve the name. If it succeeds it will create a new positive name.
I like Monza
This could very well be the greatest risk of a model and investment.
The Ford Mustang Mach E to me was a big mistake in name. Mach E was fine but leave off the Mustang name.
Keep in mind ICE is not totally going away. There could be a good market for performance ICE Vehicles yet in the future. People still like the noise, feel and smell of performance.
Performance is more than 1/4 mile runs that get slower runs the slower the more you run.
Also in ludicrous mode the runs are limited.
As they bring back Hummer…..
I agree with you 100% on the mustang suv
No need to attach mustang to it.
Bringing back Hummer is totally different than bringing back Pontiac, and especially Olds. Hummers are synonymous with off-road SUVs, and that segment is WHITE HOT currently. No one besides GM diehards like us have any interest in Olds whatsoever, and since GM has spent a decade making Chevy their mainstream performance brand, Pontiac coming back doesn’t make sense either. Like Hummer, you’d hve to make it a model (“Chevrolet Pontiac?” “Chevrolet Trans Am?” “Buick Trans Am?” None of those sound right), because its just far too expensive to bring back a full brand.
Those two are never coming back. I loved both, even as a younger guy (“G8Burnout”), but they’re gone for good. Hummer was never really dead…it was just dormant. GM has been messing around with Hummer prototypes since the early 2010’s.
Agree’d
We have suffered enough fake Trans Ams built on the present Camaro.
The last real a Trans Am Pontiac was 1979 when the 400 Pontiac engine died. Otherwise it was just a better Camaro.
Actually 81′ when the 301 / turbo 301 was the last Pontiac v8 engine.
Also the original Pontiac V8 engine was based on the SBC with different heads, I guess the last Pontiac was 1954 with it’s straight-8 engine too huh?.
Anyways to separate the Camaro form the T/A is the Chevy starts as now (base turbo 4 to S/C V8) with the Pontiac as an performance E/V , higher sticker price with maybe a PHEV option. Can’t get no more different than that.
Actually the Iron Duke was the last Pontiac engine too.
The 301 was a crummy engine and never held much in the performance area with Pk tics fans or collectors.
The Pontiac was its own engine . It only shared the thin casting and 8 piston count with The Chevy engine. Any comparison is foolish at best. Trust me we would not be converting rockers over for years if they were based on each other.
Pontiac is gone and not coming back.
Unless they can build a true performance coupe cheaper than the present car it is not going sell. It is they type of car and price not the drive train that is the problem.
“Actually the Iron Duke was the last Pontiac engine too.
The 301 was a crummy engine and never held much in the performance area with Pk tics fans or collectors”
I’d said V8, for the era the 301 t was released in it was still powerful as most of its competition was under 200 hp, in fact the 3rd gen Firebird had the “power bulge” in the hood for turbo 301 clearance when GM pulled the plug on it. Imagine if the 301 t received the Buick 3.8 t treatment if continued into the 80’s.
“The Pontiac was its own engine”
Got me there, I was thinking Buick though some valvetrains and other small pieces were shared over the years.
“Pontiac is gone and not coming back.”
So is Hummer….. Remember GM didn’t want Pontiac to discontinue during the BK but the US told GM it was part of the deal for the money. Pontiac may never comeback as said but there’s room for an E/V niche for one or 2 cars.
The 301 was a Pontiac developed Corperate engine if you really want to be technical. It was used up in everything not just a Pontiac. My father Buick even had one.
Turbo or not they were crap and did not even share anything with the 400 or 350 Pontiac engines. It was a pure bastard engine.
FYI nothing in that era was powerful.
The Oontiac brand and Hummer Brand are two very different things.
The main thing Hummer had that is still relevent is it was a large popular SUV that would still be popular today with a strong SUV market.
Pontiac was a division that was set for closure in the 80’s that got a reprieve when the a Grand Am sales put Olds on the hot seat. Then Pontiac just became a styling exercise till Lutz arrived but even then it was too late.
Hummer only died as the tree huggers were trashing it and GM did little to save it. GM made a mistake making it a brand vs model and killing the brand corrected that. Read Lutz book and he stated he should have made Hummer a model at GMC as it would be easier and cheaper to deal with.
As for making a Trans Am and Camsro. You already have too few a Camaro sales and you will not delete them splitting the model up again. Only an idiot would do that. You ether keep it all Camaro or you kill the Canaro and just do a new. Heavy model. If it is anything more than a coupe it n edds a new name. Don’t spew with the name like Ford did.
garage space for an electric vehicle is very limited, cutting out a large part of electric sales. don’t these bean counters think?
You’re talking C8 again…
I’m very excited for an electric performance coupe. Hopefully it’s a tad bigger than the current Camaro inside as I’d have to be able to share it with the family, like go out on a Friday night with the wife and kid(s).
That all hinges on it being done correctly obviously. I don’t know if GM would do it right, I fear they may water it down too much. But done right, park it next to my 383 carbed sbc and I’ll have my choice of both worlds.
As excited as i am to hear that there may be life left in GM after all. I’m hesitant to be too excited about it. I agree with alot of you guys about about the whole Pontiac thing but honestly I would love to see a balance of both ICE and electric vehicles. and more cars that are not just one trick ponies (RWD coupes) dont get me wrong i believe everything should be based on a rear wheel drive platform but i would prefer to see more 4-door coupes with twin turbo V6 engines, AWD and so on. I agree with the above statements on the stupidity of Ford using the Mustang name on the Mach E but i also realize that cars like the Mustang and Camaro are dying and if the mustang name is to live on the maybe it’s time for it to be something different, I don’t know. But, I guess we will see what will happen in the future. Maybe it will finally be something worth while.
Camaro would do well as a Model 3 Competitor.
Sooo..there looks like there’s a Chevy Astro Van-like EV that may possibly be in GM’s portfolio, will be interesting to see what it actually is.
That’s the Cruise Origin autonomous vehicle.
Why all the down votes?? Lol, that’s just what it is, sorry if you don’t like it. Compare the new Cruise Origin shape to the teaser image if you don’t believe me.
Here’s Burnout….
The reason I bought my Camaro ZL1 was for the mighty roar of the V8 engine , I like to hear it idle when I come up to a stop light. I would not buy a electric only version of this car even if it is faster from 0- 60.
Well said Brian….
IMO a Camaro without the rumble of a V8 is not a Camaro to me. That might be ok with some people but not me being an old fart. I still think going to all electric everything is like putting the cart before the horse. IMO until they make charging station as easy to find as service stations ,(correction filling stations, that’s the old fart thing again) . Back in my day they were service stations.
Back to the subject. They also need to make these vehicle able to travel as far on a charge as they would on a tank of gas. The charging time of a few hours as opposed to a few minutes. Who wants that? IMO again I think the proper thing to do would have been to reestablish your self as a no compromise company by make all your vehicles the best in class. Then gradually enter the electric vehicle market and wait for the infrastructures for electric charging before going full blown into all electric.
Oh oh yeah the part about traveling distance and charging time they need to get that straight before going all electric. The choice of me having to buy an electric vehicle is not something I am going to have to worry about. I am sure there will be plenty ICE vehicle to choose when I am ready to make my last vehicle purchase.
As an old fart, you’re in good company on this site. Half the people want to bring back long failed brands and products. Pointing out why those were killed off just gets you down votes.
Living in the past isn’t going to save GM, and targeting the wants of retirees is a sure way to Buick the whole company.
Just stating what I like and electric is not for me. I am completely aware that I have no influence on GM’s decision making. I do have an openion as stated from the start (IMO) in my openion. Any whoo that’s my story and I am sticking with it. Care less about what kind of votes I get.
Nate .
If it ain’t broke leave it alone….
Like the C7…
Nate….lots of down votes on your comment here, but you are 100% correct. Change is tough, but you have to or be left behind.
It ain’t just “old farts” that want 427 logos on there front engine vette, or 455s on there hurst/olds.
Amazed at how quickly yall have taken to the “EV IS THE FUTURE” cool aid.
Theres still no infrastructure for a 200 million plus EV fleet, nevermimd a few million. The grid barely handles what its supporing now, and 99% of that is for lighting and powering residences and buisnesses.
EV cars are not in any way more effcient in transportation uses. The range isnt there and the re-Charging time is a joke. If you run any climate or convienece accesories it drains the battery as quick as the electric motors which move them. The biggest scam of EVs are the fact they still rely on fossil fuels for power. They just move the actual combustion away from the end user.
The reality is, EVs are little more than an enviormental accessory statement, for corporation and consumers alike. They are only viable in extremely narrow circumstances, and ALWAYS when in conjunction of a far more useful and versatile ICE vehicle as a companion.
Now dont misunderstand. EVs are cool, and kinda innovative. But they are nowhere near prime time and wont be for decades. The main reason for the EV push within the auto industry is misguided GOV regulation and the assumed ease of manufacture that may come with a standardized EV platform.
I don’t think you’re understanding the positions here.
Most aren’t fully in one camp or the other, EV evangelists or ICE OR NOTHING people. Generally, they’re fans of ICE who prefer ICE to EVs but aren’t opposed to some kind of coexistence, and are usually at least intrigued by vehicles like the new Hummer EV and potential EV sports coupe.
If you took a poll of who agreed with your comment, I’d imagine it’d be over 90%, including myself. You’re exactly right about both infrastructure, and the environmental propaganda people are always selling about how clean EV’s are. You’re also right that, practically, ICE should be going nowhere for a long time. That being said, the more GM can carve out of the EV market as it grows, the better. We should want our favorite brands to take up as much market share as possible, in all segments. The key is making sure you don’t abandon ICE vehicles in the process.
The main point being made here is that, given the choice between no Camaro and electric Camaro, most would choose electric Camaro. Not because we all want that (I personally don’t, V8 for me), but because we don’t want to see the Camaro die again. It sucked in 2002…it would suck again.
To me, EVs are largely impractical. The Camaro is also impractical. It’s a perfect fit in a lot of ways. Most of the things an EV would be really bad at wouldn’t be too much of an issue for a Camaro.
Towing? Nope.
Long drives? Probably not.
Loses range in the winter. Sits in the garage all winter.
Takes forever to charge? Only driven on the weekends anyway.
I realize some people probably do buy a Camaro and drive it all the time, but it’s a terrible car for that anyway, so those people are probably in the minority.
Terrible car for driving all the time? You seem to have trouble with your selection of words, or some other anger issue. Maybe you should say, “impractical for some or not the most comfortable daily driver,” how does that sound? Do you actually drive a General Motor’s automobile or is this just a hobby of yours?
I currently have 3 GM vehicles. I used to own a Camaro.
I am not a blind fanatic though.
They are not really innovative. In the last century they had electric cars but gasoline won out due to energy density. There is nothing new about motors and batteries. Growing up every boy had toy RC cars which is essentially a smaller version of an electric box car without all of the fancy driver aids and software.
What is also silly is that no government in the world has really talked about their electric grids. If anything they want to be carbon neutral by some random date. Also we don’t have enough precious metals to keep manufacturing batteries for all of our electronics and now cars. We all know batteries do not last and we do not really recycle. So there is so many things that need to be addressed.
The problem is that our western society is into virtue signaling. Unfortunately people see corporations as people these days and expect companies to be proactive and woke.
I wonder what the van was. I feel like it’s going to be the Chevy Express or something else. I feel this is good but not really cause if your shifting with energy,how would it work.
It’s the Cruise Origin, carbon copy shape. Bring on the down votes, for whatever reason.
I don’t know why they can’t make both. Putting all of your eggs in one basket is a surefire way to alienate your loyal customers and to take an already expensive and impractical car and add yet more impracticalities to the mix along with an even higher price tag will spell lower sales still. Having both would surly help sales a bit. Offer choice and stop limiting and forcing people into one thing. Nobody likes being preached to and forced into buying something they really don’t want or is impractical or outside their budget. For this reason I am giving an electric only Camaro a down vote and would never consider one.