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GM May Have Canceled Plans To Develop Compact Electric Pickup Truck

General Motors is shifting its strategy on electric vehicles, with GM CEO Mary Barra announcing during the company’s recent Q4 2023 earnings report that it plans to reintroduce plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to its North American portfolio. This marks a significant change over GM’s original strategy to transition directly from internal combustion to all-electric powertrains and leapfrog hybrids entirely. Now, it appears as though GM is changing a few other things behind the scenes as well, reportedly canceling plans to develop a new compact electric pickup truck.

The GM Renaissance Center. General Motors may have canceled plans to develop a new compact electric pickup truck model.

In a recent report, Autoweek claims that GM has canceled plans to develop a new electric pickup that would have been roughly the same size as the Ford Maverick. Citing an anonymous insider source, Autoweek states that the cancellation coincides with new plans to develop plug-in hybrid variants of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

According to the report, General Motors is rushing to bring the new PHEV Silverado and Sierra to market as traditional pickup buyers express concerns over towing and hauling in fully electric pickup models like the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV.

Nevertheless, GM states that it is committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from its light-duty vehicle portfolio by 2035, with the new PHEV models offered as an interim measure to bridge the gap between the company’s current ICE-based portfolio and its future EV portfolio.

Small, electric Chevy pickup concept from GM Design

Back in January of 2023, GM Authority reported on rumors that GM was considering development of a new, small, battery-powered pickup model. At the time, it was rumored that the new EV pickup would carry a price under $30,000 and would possibly incorporate a two-door cab, 4-foot to 4.5-foot bed, and a low roofline. GM later released concept images that appear to show a small EV Chevy pickup model.

As GM Authority covered previously, GM is the last of the Detroit Big Three automakers (General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford) without a compact pickup model for sale in the U.S.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Truck isn’t bad, but as EV-only, good riddance.

    Reply
    1. I agree, however GM leadership has very publicly committed to EVs. The aboutface demonstrates a total lack of leadership, and an organization that is completly rudderless. All EV future never made sense, but leadership made that decision anyways… They now have egg on their face, and will very publicly fail to achieve their own goals. GM has always been a company thats perpetually looking forward to the “next big thing” being released “fall of next year”…. “No more crappy cars” – Mary Bara 2013

      Reply
      1. The dealers have trouble selling the WV’s they have in stock. Mary is so far out of her element it is pathetic. Their new battery plant in Detroit has been on fire for leaking batteries 8 times between August and December. Why don’t she realize after forcing dealers in to big fast chargers and the dealers spent a lot of money. The world is not ready for a full electric line of battery powered vehicles at this time. They also found out that they can make mor money by raising the prices and limiting the number of vehicles. Bottom line GM corporate is making big profits.

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        1. Wow, Mary-Joe finally realized that she wasn’t going to be able to force feed EV’s to her customers! LOL, this lady needs to climb out of her cocoon more often and take a look at her customers.

          Reply
      2. And I guarantee you that they are scrambling right now to find non-EV product to backfill plants like Factory Zero and Orion. Unfortunately, this is what happens when you have a celebrity CEO that puts themselves ahead of the company and is more concerned with virtue signaling and being politically correct. The situation is just as bad as Ford.

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        1. Except Ford didn’t neglect its ICE options. Look at all the ICE vehicles that GM has no competition for:

          Ford Maverick
          Ford Bronco
          Ford Bronco Sport
          Ford F-150 Raptor
          Ford Ranger Raptor
          Ford F-150 PowerBoost

          All of these are selling well and are profitable. GM has dropped the ball a lot farther than Ford. Even if you’re pro-EV, the Mach E and Lightning beat similar GM products to market by years.

          Reply
    2. That illustration shows a vehicle with the same visibility problems as a Camaro. No thanks.

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  2. proof?

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  3. The consumer has spoken that this country is not ready for EV mandates. Biden’s mandates along with the hundreds of billions taxpayers dollars wasted because of poor strategic planning. The auto industry invested billions along with financial assistance only to find EV inventory sitting on dealers lots. This is just another sign of incompetence of our government and corporations. Another Bud Light moment. Our country has lost all common sense.

    Reply
  4. Rumor has it that a midsized Hummer EV is in the works, but if anything, make it an ICE or even a PHEV vehicle. I love my 2006 Hummer H3 and would really appreciate a new version.

    Of course, the chance of that happening is essentially zero.

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  5. They are missing a big market opportunity . The foreign s10 is already built just bring it up to US standards.

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    1. The foreign S10 is a rebadged Colorado, genius.

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  6. So, which direction will they go from the the PHEV? Will they add a hybrid system to the ICE trucks? Or will they add a range extending engine to the EVs?

    I would think that adding an engine to the EVs would make the most sense.

    Reply
    1. They will be going to hybrid system but they are kinda late to party so how they get their by 2027 at least will be intresting to see

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    2. They probably will do the latter. The ICE pickups are selling well and gm has committed billions to Factory Zero and Orion.

      Reply
  7. I expect suspended for now till they get a better idea what the government is going to force on them.

    The Plug in would be so expensive in a mid size it would be crazy. It would cost more than the present truck and take for ever to recover the money paid.

    Besides who would buy a used Hybrid or EV. That is like buying a I7 I phone.

    People will soon learn the hard way about hybrids. I already have seen some learn the hard way already.

    Reply
    1. That is pretty vague. Elaborate on learning the hard way about hybrids and who’d buy a used one. They are ideal at this time in age and have been proven to last, make an mpg impact at a low price point and more meaningful greenhouse savings.

      Now PHEV’s are more expensive, I am a fan but they need to come down more in price difference to make a meaningful solution unless you live close to work and can commute on battery alone. The Rav4 PHEV vs Hybrid is around 8k more.

      Reply
  8. Such strong evidence against EVs and overpriced vehicles in general, much reinforced by a myriad of recent GM failures. No one who cannot afford the risk even trusts a GM EV. I drive a well made older Chevrolet, but have no faith in their new turbocharged micromotors, so this is my last GM vehicle.

    Reply
  9. If true, terrible idea.
    GM would have had first mover advantage just like Ford got with the Maverick.

    Reply
  10. I believe if they make the new Colorado/Canyon a hybrid….And kept the same beautiful body style it is now….they couldn’t keep on the lots….oh wait perhaps they have to get them on the lots first.
    The body style of those truck is an absolute home run.

    Reply
  11. Give us a hybrid instead.

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  12. A $30k single cab EV trucket wouldn’t compete with Maverick anymore than a freakin Tahoe does.

    Maverick is a hit because it’s cheap, can fill many of the roles normally taken by cars, CUVs and pickups all in one, and it’s easy to live with. It’s a sedan when you want, an AWD crossover if you want, a Hybrid commuter if you want, or a small light duty work truck if you want. I am seeing many privately-owned Mavericks, but a lot of fleet trucks for companies like AT&T, Servepro and local independent businesses like plumers and electricians. Not since the Model T has one vehicle hit the mark for such a wide variety of people.

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  13. I agree that GM has no clue as to what their customers need or want. I has a 2017 impala with the 2.4l 4 cyl. I get excellent mileage and will not consider a 1.5l turbo vehicle. That engine has to work too hard and will be running at higher revs. I am now looking at either Toyota or Honda to replace the Impala. Our daughter had a Prius and drove it from California to Ontario ( Canada) with achieving almost 60 mpg and when pulling over to go in town the Prius would switch to battery ( Hybrid). Where is GM in being able to offer a hybrid. I drove from Ontario Canada to Florida last month. I was able to achieve over 500 miles on a tank of gas. I could not drive a GM electric vehicle on that trip. GM is not on my candidate list to replace the Impala.

    Reply

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