We reported on Tuesday that GM is investing $4 billion in U.S. manufacturing operations over the next two years. The investment will go into three facilities for ICE and EV production: Orion Assembly in Michigan, Fairfax Assembly in Kansas, and Spring Hill Manufacturing in Tennessee. Part of that investment in Fairfax is the production of a next-generation Chevy Bolt EV, which we already knew was coming. GM also says it will use this facility “for GM’s next generation of affordable EVs.”
It’s a little unclear what GM means by the “next generation of affordable EVs.” It’s possibly a reference to the next generation of the Chevy Equinox EV and Blazer EV, in addition to future iterations of the Bolt. The Equinox EV and Blazer EV will most likely continue to be built at the Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico through their current lifecycles, but perhaps GM is doing some long-term planning for where future generations of those models will be built.
Official details are still a little light on the next-generation Chevy Bolt EV, but General Motors still says it’s on track to begin production by the end of this year for the 2027 model year. During the 2024 GM Investor Day presentation, GM President Mark Reuss said, “Price isn’t final yet,” for the next-gen Bolt, “but it will be priced only slightly higher than the 2023 Bolt, which started at $28,795, and it will just be one member of a family on the Bolt, including an even lower cost option.”
That “lower-cost option” is another possibility for a next-generation affordable EV. The second-generation Chevy Bolt could launch similarly to the Chevy Equinox EV, which started at $43,295 in its debut 2024 model year and got a cut to its base price down to $34,995 upon the introduction of a new LT 1 base trim.
Whatever the case may be, it’s encouraging to hear that GM is still planning on making the next-generation Chevy Bolt EV affordable and that more EVs on the cheaper side of the pricing spectrum are in the product pipeline. Just how affordable they’ll be and how close they are to market remains to be seen.
Some ZR1 orders are getting pushed to 2026.
Building momentum for a strong first half of the year.
Owners noticing reduced brake performance may want to check this out.
With first deliveries scheduled for Q3 2025.
With low-interest financing on GM's ICE-based midsize crossover.
Sizing between 18 and 19 inches.
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Maybe that new Low Cost Option relates to a Buick to be built on the new energy platform that is about to be released in China.
Next gen I get, affordable I do not. Will it actually turn a profit if they sell it under 40K? Currently not a single GM EV turns a profit. Tesla the last half decade only turned a profit due to carbon credits and battery contracts with California energy companies.
GM is selling them at a profit, but they are paying off R&D at this time.
Not in the case of the mass market EV's. Their in the whole for each one before considering R&D. Cadillac, yes, as those cost an arm and a leg, but the amount of R&D put into them and the low volumes means they'll never recoup their costs on those either.
They are recuperating the R&D alteady.
There is no reason to assume that volumes won't continue to climb.
And one of the advantages of GM's approach of using the same drivetrain components and batteries across their entire portfolio of vehicles is that every Escalade or Hummer sold (or ZDX, for that matter) is also paying down the R&D costs of the Equinox and Blazer.
This is also a global platform, and while we don't have precise sales numbers out of China the volume is high enough that they are scheduled to open their third "Ultium center"* this year.
Even if you just focus on North American operations, GM drastically ramped up volume throughout 2024 and the start of 2025, and with a whole portfolio of new and expanded models there look poised to continue that momentum.
*It is unclear if the shift in branding strategy has carried over to the GM China operations.
You keep repeating this without any data to support it. The same for your comments about the 6.2L L87 engine recall, not being an important issue despite the fact that you have the data this time (over 500k engines on recall).
"Their in the whole" should be written "They are in the hole".
Other than that, keep posting, I enjoy reading your comments. I am sorry that I cannot agree with most of them.
Are you GMs current finance guy? If not how would you even know!
An Americanized Spark EUV…
The Bolt= affordable electric vehicle?
When the hell will these intelligent realize Not Everybody is not in the market for an EV...
Not planning to buy any new car, much less an expensive EV. My old BMW and Volvo cars are working just fine.
I have no intention of buying an EV, when the leases are up on my 2023 CT5 and my 2024 XT6, I will buy them and keep them forever.
As the war between Israel and Iran worsens, gas prices will reach or pass $5 a gallon. Are you sure you can pay for it for your two "obsolete" cars? We who enjoy EVs can charge for less or free. And no more oil changes!
I have owned 3 BOLTS and an EQUINOX EV, which to my dismay, I totaled. I'm all-in for EVs for several reasons. 1) they are a lot of fun to drive because you are always trying to get more miles per charge by using the regenerative braking, 2) besides not buying gas, you don't have an oil filter and oil, no radiator, and brake pads last much longer because of the regenerative braking, and 3) I feel we all have do our share in combatting global warming. I am 82 years old and can remember what was like to be in Los Angeles when the city was blanketed with smog. Not only could you not see the mountains around the city, but your eyes stung and lungs burned from the pollution. If it weren't for the catalytic converter what existed in major cities 60+ years ago would be throughout the nation. When I was a teenager in Chicago we might have experienced one or two days of 90 degree weather, but that was in late August! But now this June they have had just recently 3 consecutive days of 95 degrees and a day at 97 degrees. More people die from heat exhaustion each year than for all those that die from tornados, hurricanes, and floods combined (If you don't believe me just google it!). You just don't hear of it because it is not a dramatic event. The simple scientific fact of the matter is that if we, all of us, don't begin to take global warming seriously, we literally will be cooked! At 82 years of age, I won't be here much longer, but I think of my five children and ten grandchildren and what kind of planet is going to be left for them.