General Motors is gearing up to release 30 new electric vehicles by 2025, betting on a surge in consumer interest and EV adoption. Now, according to one study, sales of electric vehicles increased 45 percent in the first quarter of the year.
In a recent release, Cox Automotive and Kelley Blue Book have reported the findings from a U.S. auto market analysis looking at sales results for electric vehicles. According to the findings, sales of battery-powered electric vehicles grew 44.8 percent year over year during the first quarter of 2021, with nearly 100,000 sales during the time period at 98,832 units sold, as compared to 68,247 electric vehicles sold in the first quarter of the 2020 calendar year. The results are a new record for the segment.
Tesla was the dominant electric vehicle brand in Q1 2021, with 69,300 vehicles sold, or 71 percent of total EV sales in the U.S. during the time period. The Tesla Model Y crossover was the best-selling EV in the U.S. market, with the Tesla Model 3 sedan taking the number-two spot. Coming in at third was the Chevy Bolt EV with nearly 10,000 sales in Q1, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover was in the number-four spot.
“Electrified vehicle growth in the U.S. and around the world is shining a spotlight on battery development and sourcing,” said Cox Automotive Executive Analyst, Michelle Krebs. “As the industry builds more vehicles with battery packs, sourcing of these parts and lifetime management of the battery cells is a critical hurdle the industry must clear.”
General Motors recently announced the construction of a new battery plant in Tennessee, which will be built with an investment of $2.3 billion made with South Korean chemical company LG Chem. The new Tennessee facility follows the announcement of another battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio, which will have an annual capacity of more than 30-gigawatt hours when it is completed next year.
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Comments
45% is a big number until you consider that a year ago, people were fighting over toilet paper and the economy was coming to a screeching halt.
Plug-in electric is like 3% of the US market, but is like 50% of the articles on lowercase gm authority. No fault of gm authority, just wish we could get some news on an exciting, practical product in the gm pipeline. Chevy needs some excitement in the b/c segment cause the Trailblazer ain’t it…
Thanks to the democrat’s new hoax.
it wasn’t much of a hoax when trump was standing on the white house lawn gasping for air.
All of the leftards said he was faking it to get sympathy votes.
i never understood that reasoning but you never know what a “stable genius” is thinking.
steve There are a lot of illnesses that make one gasp for air.
gm’s current Lectrics are obsolete and ugly.
Ultium and BEV3 will shake things up. As for Chevy’s design language, that’s Chevy.
Isn’t the “Ultium” battery basically the same exact lithium technology, just packaged differently. Chevy’s design language can seemingly change much more quickly than current battery tech.
GM says Ultium batteries have an improved chemistry and are supposed to offer higher densities at a lower cost, which means they should be able to add more range in the same frame. BEV3 supports Ultium whereas I think BEV2 does not. I took it that is one of the reasons why they are able to promise an electric Silverado with 400 miles of range whereas the Bolt can only over 260ish right now.
I’d be willing to bet that the increased range in the silverado EV would have a lot more to do with a much larger kWh battery size package than actual improvement in technology. Reports state that the Silverado EV could see a battery pack rated at 3-4 times the kWh of a Bolt. The Ultium battery tech sounds like it basically just uses less cobalt and more nickel in the cathode, would be my guess, with probably some other minor chemical changes. Nickel is like 10 times cheaper… I wonder how much the EV Silverado would weigh? The curb weight of a Bolt is like 20% more than the similar Sonic.
The Silverado EV will definitely be a heavy vehicle. More weight means less efficiency and shorter range per kw, which might explain why the Silverado EV needs more batteries. We’ll better understand the efficiency differences if (when?) a BEV3 Bolt is created.
I was thinking about yearly registration cost, but weight really doesn’t figure in enough to care, in my state, which is kind of messed up. You’d think that a vehicle that weighs twice as much, would put twice as much strain on the roads? I get that obviously commercial vehicles should get a break, but… like just some person who wants to buy a 6,000 lb truck should have to pony up to help maintain roads. Anyways, thanks for the civil discord.
That makes sense. A weight tax may be in order.
I’m always down for a good chat and you have good input. I appreciate the interaction.
Even a heavy pickup causes a fraction of pavement degradation as a semi. For a semi, as an example, you’re looking at ESALs of 20,000 pounds. (Equivalent single axle loads).
Yes, but the point I’m making is that buying a heavier vehicle is an individual’s personal choice that effects everyone. So the registration fees should fairly reflect that. In my state, you basically get a discounted rate for every 100 lbs over 3000. It should be evaluated more critically than that, in case of vehicle for personal use, in my opinion.
I’m not convinced the current battery technology range is as good as advertised. After owning a Volt and Bolt, I prefer the benefits of an EV, but the charging time and range are big obstacles to overcome. Fortunately I use mine for local commuting, so it works for me. Most consumers don’t use their car for only local driving. Climate affects range by 20-30%, driving faster uses more battery and recharging makes trip planning more complicated. Americans drive further to get back and forth, that’s why mass transit doesn’t work here. It will take longer for consumers to adapt to the EV transition. The power grid couldn’t handle anything but a gradual switch to EVs, the price and availability of precious metals will drive up costs. Usually demand would lower prices, but it will only drive up prices and electricity costs. This hasn’t been thought out very well, let the consumers determine the outcome of market demand, NOT government regulators!
Well said, you sound like a sane moderate.
That monster hiding in the closet for EVs is mining and use of lithium and other rare elements. What countries will tolerate strip mining of lithium? Will availability/price become an issue?
Will recycling batteries become a green issue for EVs? Will electricity grids grow fast enough with green constraints? How will states tax electric vehicles on the road, by price, weight, miles driven, licensing?
I cannot imagine the business chaos that will be caused in the state of Washington because they banned sale of new ICE vehicles by 2030.
I want nothing to do with an electric vehicle. It causes much more damage to the environment just to build the batteries and dispose of the old ones.