InsideEVs reports on a document entitled “Car Wars” released last week, Bank of America predicted a continued surge in production and sales of hybrid vehicles. Hybrids are already enjoying an upswing as buyers flock to them as a happy medium between a traditional ICE-powered vehicle and a BEV. Also, they get easier to shop for as some models go hybrid-only, like the Toyota Sienna and Toyota RAV4. Among many automakers named in the report, GM is one of them, and the B of A sees hybrid GM SUVs in the near future.
“Hybrids appear to be gaining more relevancy as many consumers seek more efficient vehicles but are disinterested in EVs,” Bank of America’s auto analysts wrote in the report, which looks at planned U.S. vehicle launches from model years 2026 through 2029.
The Bank of America expects GM to launch a whopping nine hybrid SUVs by 2029. That sounds like a lot, but six of those will likely be platform-sharing full-size SUVs, namely, the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Cadillac Escalade ESV. However, that leaves three more slots, and it’s anyone’s guess what those might be. Perhaps hybrid versions of GM’s 3-row crossover trio: the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave.
“The unprecedented EV head-fake has wreaked havoc on product plans,” the analysts wrote. “The next four+ years will be the most uncertain and volatile time in product strategy ever.”
Industry-wide, the report says there are plans for 58 new hybrids, 71 new BEVs, and 81 ICE-powered vehicles in the U.S. So ICE will likely still comprise a majority of new car sales for some time to come. Perhaps most interestingly, the report predicts a drop in new vehicle launches from 44 percent in 2024 to 34 percent by 2029. In other words, EV sales and market share will likely continue to rise gradually, but the share of brand-new, all-electric models that automakers will launch will decrease.
Per its most recent announcement on the topic, General Motors is on track to reintroduce plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles in North America in 2027. We predict that the next generation of its cash-cow, full-size trucks, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, will offer either a HEV or PHEV option. That launch is due for the 2027 model year, coinciding with the schedule for GM PHEVs to arrive on our shores.
Comments
So by 2029, gm will be able to compete with other maker’s products that exist today. Got it. It wasn’t a head fake. Other companies read the same data with more sobriety. Mary and Mark just liked what their focus groups were telling them and went all in.
There are any number of attributable quotes (to Mary and Mark) that hybrids and PHEVs were a “distraction” to Ultium. Nearly a decade of fumble****ing around will land in a crowded market.
Don’t forget Cadillac. There is an updated XT5 selling in China today. Bring it to North America. The current XT5 production is scheduled through November 2025 , which suggests that something is up. There are many loyal Cadillac customers who do not want an electric vehicle.
Bring it to NA on a ship like the Buick Envision.
The 2nd gen CT6 is also available in China. Bring that here with the revised XT5 please.
No one ever says how much extra it costs for the hybrid option.
Regular hybrid, not much and easily offset with fuel costs in just a couple of years (tons of brands with Ice and hybrid to compare against, ie Toyota). PHEV is more expensive with the much larger battery. I prefer the regular hybrid currently over PHEV, especially if having a longer commute.
I agree keep it simple.
PHEV is actually a much simpler setup. Electric motors fed by batteries drive the wheels. Gas generator charges the battery when it runs low.
Conventional hybrid is more complex with both electric and gas motors integrated in the transmission. If any part breaks the whole thing goes down.
When GM did the regular Hybrid years ago on the large SUVs it was a complete failure, because their fuel economy numbers we barely better than the regular all-gas engines. So they’d have to make a compelling reason for it, like Toyota has done for years
GM Invented the plug in hybrid with the volt and actually when Volt 2 came out also the Chevy Malibu Hybrid they were making money as they took the rare earth magnetic out. GM wanted to go full EV because it made sense. The PHEV approach to an engineer is silly not necessary to the public. Way too complex. More things to break and long term they age poorly. All the Toyota Prius are dead now with bad battery packs as they were not liquid cooled like the GM. People will see that all the old hybrids are dead now with bad batteries and the battery cost does not add up to the fuel savings. Just go all EV its has a much larger pack to last longer.
The Volt was EREV. I looked at it and ended up with a Ford C max hybrid. I’m at 190k miles with no end in sight.
It’s taking Gm way too long to catch up in this field. This should be a priority, whats the big hold up. China has already been using Gm tech for a while .