It's no secret that GM is preparing to return to Europe. Already in the autumn, some really exciting Americans may appear in central Oslo.
Ready for autumn?
Earlier this year, GM's European president confirmed, Jaclyn McQuaid, to Automotive News Europe that GM will present its electric models in Europe. We do not know exactly when GM will come to Oslo, but they have signed a contract for premises in Nedre Slottsgate and are currently looking for a service engineer for Sweden and Norway. They will probably be in place with their electric model program for 2024 as early as this autumn.
GM's new models are Cadillac Lyrics, chevrolet blazer ev, Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Chevrolet Equinox EV og Chevrolet Silverado EV. We will probably also see new ones GMC Hummer EV SUV. A brand new one is due next year Chevrolet Bolt put into production. For several years, the Bolt has been GM's only electric car.
What can GM offer?
Electric cars sell primarily on price, space and range - and this is precisely where GM's new models will assert themselves. The secret is called vice which is a new electric car drivetrain GM has developed in collaboration with LG Chem. The advantages of the new drive system are lower production costs, more energy per volume and lower weight. The new battery management system can eliminate up to 90% of cables and connectors other models need. Not only does it provide lower weight, but also a better ability to accept fast charging.
The experiences with Bolt
Here at home, the Chevrolet Bolt and its sister model, the Opel Ampera-e, are often portrayed as failed cars. When the Bolt was launched in 2016, it offered unprecedented range for its price. That was what made most people put themselves on waiting lists. Unfortunately, GM and the battery supplier LG Chem grossly missed the production capacity. Huge waiting lists arose - and while people waited, GM was overtaken by other car manufacturers. When they were finally able to deliver cars, the buyers were blown away. It got then GM dealer, Bergheim Auto feel. They had bought a large batch of Chevrolet Bolts which they had to sell at a loss. When GM later sold Opel to PSA, GM's electric car disappeared from the model range.
Although GM stumbled after its launch, the cars were well-engineered and technologically superior to the competition. It is possible that GM may face a similar situation today. It has been opened for orders for certain models even before production has started, but in the last few days it has been reported that the start of production has been delayed by 6 months due to a supplier struggling to deliver equipment to automate the production of the batteries . All the new models are affected, but executive vice president Mary Barra has said that GM will still be able to produce 100 new EV models during the second half of 000.
Cadillac Lyrics
During the first half of the year, only a few cars were produced with GM's new drivetrain – the Cadillac Lyriq and the GMC Hummer EV SUV. These are considered pre-production cars for exhibitions, tests and marketing. The Cadillac Lyriq will probably be the first model to arrive in Oslo. It can to be followed by the all-new Escalade IQ due to enter production in late 2024 as a 2025 model. The Escalade IQ is a colossus of 5,7 meters with a range of up to 720 km that can hardly find a place in Norwegian car parks. The Cadillac Lyriq, on the other hand, has just the right amount of space with its 5 metres. The Lyriq is offered in three equipment variants, Solution, Luxury og Sport - all can be selected with RWD or AWD and are powered by a 102 kwh battery. Range is 505 km for 2-wheel drive cars and 494 for 4-wheel drive. In the US, prices start at just under $60.000, to $80.000 with equipment packages. Then the prices in Norway can start in excess of NOK 600 before taxes and equipment packages.
Chevrolet Equinox EV
This year's most interesting model for most people will probably be the Chevrolet Equinox EV. The electric car version looks better than the other Equinox cars. The external dimensions are almost identical to the Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford's new European Explorer. In the US, the Equinox EV can be ordered already, although production has not yet started. Prices are expected to start from $30.000 for the base model 1LT with 201 hp, front-wheel drive and a range of 400 km. Most people will probably choose the Equinox 2LT with 290 hp, larger battery pack and wider infotainment screen. The range is estimated at 480 km for cars with front-wheel drive and 448 for four-wheel drive. The top model 2RS gets the same powertrains as the 2LT. There are many indications that the prices of the Equinox EV can start well below the tax limit of NOK 500.
chevrolet blazer ev
The new Blazer EV ends up in the same size class as the Equinox, but carries a tougher design language, which is reinforced in more daring colours. The Blazer 2LT is currently priced at $56.715, the RS edition at $60.215. The range-topping SS is yet to be priced, but most images and specs appear to belong to the SS – with acceleration from 0-60mph in 4 seconds and a range of 512km. The Blazer EV comes with a type of 4-wheel drive system where you can also choose to drive with rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive - whatever it would be good for.
Building charging networks
The three best-selling car models in the US in the second quarter of this year are pickups - Ford F-series, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge RAM. But already in 2th place we find the Tesla Model Y, and in 4th place the Tesla Model 12. After Tesla, we have to go far down the list to find more electric cars. The Chevrolet Bolt is in 3th place, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E is number 112. In Q115, 2 times more Model Ys were sold than the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The two models are actually equivalent in terms of size, range, power, quality and handling. Could Tesla's advantage be the good charging network? There are still areas in the US without good public electric car chargers. Tesla chargers, on the other hand, can be found along all major thoroughfares.
Executive director Mary Barra's production target is 400 cars on GM's Ultium powertrain. It's daring. In the first half of 000, Tesla sold 2023 cars in the US, while the other electric cars only got crumbs on the domestic market. There is no reason to doubt that GM's new EV models can deliver competitive technology, but GM car owners need to trust that there is a charging network along the road. Fortunately, GM has taken action on this problem, and is now joining forces with 343 other car manufacturers to build a seamless charging network in the US and Canada in the same way as Tesla. The first charging stations will arrive next summer.
See
Inside EVs – GM is returning to Europe
Manufacturing Dive – GM blames supplier for delays in possible production
