The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread disruptions and delays throughout the auto industry. Despite this, General Motors’ future EVs are still on track, as outlined by GM CEO Mary Barra during the recent first-quarter 2020 earnings call. Now, it looks as though one future GM electric vehicle could even arrive earlier than planned.
In a recent call with journalists, the Vice President of Electric and Autonomous Vehicles at GM, Ken Morris, indicated that one EV program may be pulled forward.
As reported by Inside EVs, Morris made the statement following a question raised by Bengt Halvorson from Green Car Reports. Morris did not detail which GM electric vehicle would possibly see an early introduction, but indication that any future GM electric vehicle was moving ahead of schedule certainly comes as a surprise.
What’s more, Morris indicated that several other GM electric vehicle-related plans remained unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that GM’s deal with Honda to produce two new electric vehicles was still moving ahead, and that plans to source new renewable energy from DTE were also on track. Morris also said that GM’s $25 billion budget for EV programs was still in place.
Despite assertions that the GM electric vehicle strategy was moving ahead as intended, the COVID-19 pandemic has nevertheless resulted in at least a few delays, most notably with the debut of the Cadillac Lyriq crossover and the debut of the GMC Hummer EV pickup. The upcoming reveal of the refreshed Chevrolet Bolt EV has also been pushed back.
Still, Morris’ assertion that the automaker’s overarching strategy remains unaffected comes as good news for those eager to see the new GM electric vehicles.
As a reminder, GM has declared that it will introduce at least 20 new all-electric vehicles by 2023. Prior to the nationwide lockdowns put in place in response to the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., GM held an EV Day event where it revealed its new Ultium battery technology and previewed future GM EV models like an electric Buick crossover. GM is targeting one million EV sales by 2025.
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Comments
Can we just get the GM-Honda merger announcement over with?
* GM kills most cars except for high performance and Spark/Malibu. (Acura and Civic/Accord dominated Buick and Chevrolet in FWD passenger car sales).
* Honda and GM collaborate on Cruise Automation.
* Honda agrees to purchase BEV3 cars from GM.
* Honda requires all JDM white collar employees to learn English: https://www.autonews.com/article/20150703/OEM/150709942/honda-to-make-english-official-language-by-2020
As much as I am totally opposed to this…I’m beginning to think the GM/Honda merger in inevitable. The signs are on the wall: FCA is no longer FCA with the PSA deal going through (and Chrysler hasn’t been Chrysler in years), and Ford is looking to be heading down the path to a VW merger. Not to mention their current collaboration efforts you mentioned, and likely more coming down the pike.
I think the days or regional/national automakers are numbered. And I hate that.
IMO, IDK if Honda will totally merge with GM, Honda have it’s own war chest, value, etc.. More likely a major collaboration of previous ventures like Honda Passport, Vue Redline, transmissions..
FCA will still be referred as FCA despite the merger as certain brands will stay regional, some but not all French brands will be in N/A,S/A.
Ford/VW will be regional but not a total merger, especially with the Ford family not liking any mergers.
Good points, Guestt. You may very well be right, and I hope you are, because that pill is far easier to swallow than a full-on merger. As things stand, I think at LEAST an alliance of major collaborations will be formed between GM and Honda, beyond what they currently have. I think that’s a given. Weirdly enough, I think GM as a company is far more advanced than Honda is right now, and seem to have a much clearer sense of direction. Just 10 years ago I don’t think that was even remotely true.
GM has collaborated with Japan for years. They worked with Toyota back in the (80’s?) building the Nova/Corolla in Freemount. Ford was collaborating with Mazda for many years. This new announcement doesn’t foreshadow anything about potential mergers.
ford + mazda = failure
nissan + renault = failure
i don’t think the japanese are interested. clash of cultures would be too great. barra probably makes 10x the amount the ceo of honda.
somebody has to be at the top in this merger and i doubt either company wants to be told by the other what to do and how to do it.
what great gains would a merger achieve over a colloboration/supplier relationship? i thought the idea of gm as an ev/av tech supplier was one of their talking points for wall street.
I could see honda as customer of GM, but GM with the vehicle set strategy would have to really change all for merger. The GEM strategy seems to be working when looking at Onix sales. The strategy should lower cost while allowing flexibility for releasing new vehicles.
As said on another thread I don’t think it will be a true merger as much as a technology merger/exchange. I think a true merger would be a disaster for both companies given the national pride behind the nameplates. That doesn’t mean there can’t be vehicles like the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe especially when it comes to EV components that are easy to packaged under different body styles.
@Christopher Price
I am totally for GM and Honda to merge. GM needs Car Platforms and Honda needs future Tech that GM is heavily involved in right now. Makes perfect sense to me.
Does GM really need a car platform? It’s not like Honda’s car sales are rising. They are being replaced by CRV sales. If anything I see GM’s future cars being EV. They are a lot easier to do in lower quantities than ICE based vehicles.
Yes they do. The Cruze is gone and the Malibu unfortunately is not on par with the Accord.
Hey Jonathan – has GM stated the Bolt EUV is delayed or have the reports of it’s delay been assumed based on comments that several 2021 models are being delayed due to COVID-19?
Seems unlikely this pull ahead would be tied to the BEV3 platform or the electric T1 platform. Production for both units is expected to occur at the same facility and use batteries from the new Lordstown battery facility. If models on those platforms can be pulled ahead, that means retooling the plant is ahead of schedule and the battery plant is ahead of schedule. And then several EV vehicles will be pulled ahead.
Any more insight you can provide or are you holding out on us again? 🙂
Hey GMC Fan
For now, it looks as though the Bolt EUV is still on track, while the reveal for the 2021 Bolt EV refresh may have been pushed back a bit. The refreshed Bolt EV should still be on track for the 2021 model year though. Production for both models looks as though it will proceed on schedule.
As for which model was pulled ahead, that remains unknown at this time.
Given the recent report on how Lithium Tellurium batteries have 4X the storage capacity of a conventional Lithium-Ion battery, one has to wonder whether General Motors CEO Mary Barra is making yet another critical error by trying to come out with another EV because the Lithium Tellurium battery with 4X storage capacity would allow a re-think on how electric vehicles are designed.
Frankly skateboard design means anything above it can be refactored easily. Most likely scenario is you get an EV with 1,000 mile range and only has to be charged once a month – and can last 20 years… using current designs.
GM/Honda tech collaboration is realistic.
I doubt a full-on merger.
Now or in the next 5-10 yrs.
They both need to move ahead with coming up with cost-effective ways of building electrics.
There is no Honda GM merger going to happen unless the economy really tanks.
GM and Honda are both companies not on the ropes but both are looking for ways to increase profits and save cost.
Honda lacks funding and ability to do major development work on a grand scale. But they function well as a mfg.
GM invested heavy after the bail out into research and development of new technologies.
GM is looking to develop the image of being a tech company vs just a auto mfg.
GM will not only use the tech but also offer and license other companies to use this tech. This income can be significant.
Honda like BMW are both strong brands and solid MFGs but the cost sharing is needed for them to retain the independence they have.
Now companies like FCA and PSA both have major lack of funds to where they can’t make their own tech and they also need the cost sharing of a larger company. This is why they will merge.
The real concern is what is going to happen at Ford? They are in real trouble and they really are only surviving because the Ford family owns a majority.
Ford is going to have to go to someone for help and of late it has been GM. They have gone to GM for transmission help, the Mach E was being tested at the GM proving grounds. To me Ford appears to be a major customer of the GM technology business.
No matter what hoes on GM will lead with their tech center.
It could get to the point with today’s tech they will be building multiple brands in one plant. It is not unimaginable to see Ford and GM trucks built in the same plants. Even Honda could join in the same plants and lines building multi brands.
Time to really watch what is going on and see they are thinking outside the box.
The chassis shown here can underpin a Ford, GM and Honda built in a shared plant with a different body and battery size on it.
As they say you have not seen anything yet.
GM EV systems could be to cars that Intel is to computers.
Cars will be assembled much like computers are today.
Overpriced and security compromised?
ford and vw makes more sense. ford has the trucks and vw has the EVs.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a25887079/ford-volkswagen-partnership-trucks-vans/
What makes most sense is what will benefit the Ford Family. VW will not own Ford because the family will not give up control.
But limited partnerships with various partners does. They remain in control and they save with development programs with others.
Ford being family owned is a different dynamic vs the others.
Now if the family ever gets force to sell due to failing business reasons then that would change. Enzo got to the point he had to sell control.
I believe what many on this feed thus far are not taking into account, is how the coronavirus and its economic fallout has fundamentally changed the auto industry, moving forward and probably forever. Also not considered: is how expensive it is for a boutique or smaller sized gasoline car company to convert its manufacturing over to eventual full electromobility.
With VW Group recently stating it’s speeding up its industrial timetables for ID3 and 4, it shouldn’t surprise us GM does the same with its electromobility product line. Keep in mind that GM is already seriously behind competitors Tesla and VW with their schedules, as all three try to saturate the global EV markets, that when full grown will still be much tinier than the present gasoline ones . . .
A startup that makes it past initial production of its first product has a better financial position to succeed than car makers like Subaru, Mazda, even Honda does, trying to finance then convert their factories to electromobility. None of these three have the money to do conversion the way they need to, and it doesn’t look good for any of them. This is why these three companies are in serious trouble with electromobility, and they need help: to consider options for product lines at cheaper costs, as well as options for corporate survivability, and ensure those plans are viable and executable, whether just for collaboration or outright merger.
If Ford is doing this with VW Group whether they eventually merge or not, so can and should these three tiny or smallish sized car makers with GM, Toyota, or who ever else.
This speed up also proves that if the Great Virus Depression Recession worsens, the makers will speed up electromobility, not petromobility, which in such case because of the now cheaper costs entailed for electromobility, the gas car would be put onto an even faster track toward extinction.
@Al Castro
I totally agree. The funny thing is (and great thing for me personally as I hate this Company) that Toyota for as Huge as they are, they are so far behind the EV game. They picked the wrong Horse to back in hybrid Models.
Toyota did a grate thing with hybrid tech but has dropped the ball with BEVs .
They are behind Tesla in a class they don’t sell many vehicles in – that’s about it. I don’t think they are behind VW given VW doesn’t even sell EV’s in the US at this point. Between the Volt/ELR, Spark EV and Bolt EV GM has sold over 300k vehicles in the US. And by the time the ID4 is available in the US you have the new Bolt EV, Bolt EUV and depending on timing Hummer SUT. Also GM’s design appears to be more modular than VW MEB platform.
Too early to tell what the virus effect will be. The next few month will be telling. It depends on how soon people return to work.
As for the change over GM is not behind as they are trying to tie the change to expected cost of the new lower priced technology.
None of this will work till priced of the batteries become down.
They will have to run the first EV products out and as volume rises the prices will get better per unit.
Ford is a muttled mess as the try to do some things on their own and they try to do things with VW but yet we see they are working with GM in some way.
As for changing plants over that is not an issue. The EV models actually will be easier to build and need less workers.
The real issue is getting suppliers up to speed building needed components like batteries and motors etc.
The virus will have more effect on supplies of electronics from China. It could get automakers to move production here if delays are met.
@C8.R
I think even if people return back to work starting right now, how many will feel comfortable making the second biggest Purchase for most people right now?
Right now people are running up card debts buying parts for their cars now.
The Shop magazine had a memo out saying how the aftermarket industry is running at high and in many cases record sales.
I know my work is well ahead of last year.
The key to the future is going to be how soon people get back to works. If we can get things pretty open by July or August we will see a recovery soon. In fact pent up people will spend money much like after WW2.
If it goes longer we risk depression.
This is the deal. People die early in traffic accidents everyday. We work to cut them down and work with ways to prevent them but they still happen.
We will do the same here as we manage risks. People will not be able to sit this out till they resolve it as it could be 2 week to 2 years if ever.
While many were out of work many like myself have been working from home and will continue on spending.
Also with the market down spending on vehicles increases.
So by August we should have some idea what will happen.
Even those on the left who were willing to lock down till Nov are now blinking as they are seeing people rebelling.
Ford’s tie-up with VW is more about the European market and it’s regulations than trying to get an VW based EV domestically in the US.
Can’t imagine this would happen anytime soon. Honda is not going to like being told what to do by the Chinese, who at very least have big influence on decisions made by GM. I think a “tie-up” between Honda and another Japanese company is much more likely.
which one? none are advanced in EV domain.
A Honda-GM merger may allow GM to minimize the extent of those deals, and prevent sharing VSS and BEV3 with China.
Then all China would have is E2XX and GEM. Big whoop. I’m still pretty convinced GEM is just Gamma bits strung together with E2XX parts bin mixed in.
I am hopeful it will be the Hummer EV that is pushed up. Cannot wait for this vehicle.
My take is the Hummer is the one that pretty much is ready. GM is not behind like some think. Right now it is a matter of timing and cost.
The Hummer will have little cost issues as it will be a higher end model. Keep in mind the GM trucks were built as ICE and EV platforms. So we have been living with the bases of the EV model already.
Great point, C8.R. I agree with that. My suspicion is that the EV that is being moved up is either the Hummer, or the Celestiq sedan. The Hummer has to be the closest to ready, but I can see the Celestiq as being the one that made the largest leap forward after how well the news was received.
Good point on the Hummer platform, too. From everything I’ve heard, it’s essentially a modified and enhanced version of the T1 platform under the new SIlverado/Sierra. With integrated battery, of course.
The two we know the most about is the a Hummer and the Lyriq. Both appear to be the closest to production.
The Hummer is establishing a whole new thing here based on an existing platform. GM will sell a bunch of them at $80k and make money on them.
They will be popular as the next image vehicle.
Let’s face it the Hummer was an image vehicle. The S Tesla was an image. Merge both into one vehicle and it should do very well.
Hopefully GM keeps the Hummer up to date and not rot on the vine like the S. It is looking pretty old anymore.
@C8.R
I am right there with you. GM bringing Hummer back as an EV Brand is Genius. I said last year that GM wouldn’t have the guts to do it even though it would be an amazing story for Hummer and boy did GM prove me 100% wrong. I am super excited for the upcoming Hummer.
Cannot wait.
I totally agree with you also that Tesla needs to update the Model S (looks wise inside and out) but to their credit they always update Hardware and software. Better Motors and much better Software.
Bring on the Hummer!!!
GM has been ac used of being behind in the EV development yet we find out they actually were at least working a gen ahead.
GM targeted the price and ability of the batteries to get prices down and range up vs trying to pawn off a $35k bolt that interest few.
A couple years ago when GM said the new trucks would support an electric platform was telling that they were not behind like some whined.
I just ponder just what else they have yet to show.