While the road to an all-electric portfolio of GM vehicles is bumpier than expected, with EV purchase consideration declining somewhat both in the U.S. and in Canada and CEO Mary Barra now suggesting the transition is “going to happen over decades,” part of The General’s strategy appears to be reusing ICE platforms rather than developing new ones.
Currently, General Motors seems to prefer reskinning its ICE portfolio rather than expending money and development time to introduce fully redesigned models, indicating its steady push toward an EV-only lineup continues.
One example of the GM trend of heavily modifying existing ICE platforms instead of creating new ones from the ground up comes from its mid-size pickups. Both the current-generation Chevy Colorado and the GMC Canyon use a reworked variant of the 31XX platform that first debuted 14 years ago with 2011 truck models. with the updated version known as the 31XX-2.
Among crossover models, the next-generation Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave are underpinned by an updated and reworked variant of the C1 platform known as the C1-2. General Motors is also utilizing the C1-2 platform for vehicles sold entirely outside the United States, such as the second-generation Cadillac XT5 debuting in the Chinese market.
Yet another example of an updated platform is a reworked variant of the E2 platform being used for structure in the new generations of the Chevy Equinox and the GMC Terrain. Some platforms are being used without updates or reworks, such as the Omega platform that the new second-gen Cadillac CT6 being sold in China shares with the first-gen CT6.
While it is now more widespread, platform recycling isn’t a new strategy for General Motors, with the Cadillac CT4 easily recognizable as a reskinned Cadillac ATS built on the exact same Alpha platform. The Alpha platform is an excellent vehicle architecture that didn’t require updating to stay relevant. The two models have an identical wheelbase despite the CT4 being slightly longer, and the CT4 even uses the same body stampings as the ATS.
In short, GM now follows a similar pattern for all its new ICE models. The automaker redesigns the body, overhauls the cabin, swaps powertrains (in most cases, but not always), adds new technology, integrates Global B electronic architecture to support new tech, improves noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), and is ready to roll out a new model.
The existing ICE platforms at The General’s disposal are tried and true, and it is likely the company believes that investing in all-new ICE platforms at this point in time is a pointless expense with the clock ticking down to an all-electric future – whether it arrives in a few years or a few decades as suggested by Mary Barra.
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