GM Looks To Be Canceling One Of Its Biggest Vehicles
GM looks to be quietly canceling one of its top-selling cars.
This article is more than 2 years old
The Chevrolet Bolt was General Motors’ answer to the rising popularity of Tesla vehicles. GM’s electric car was first made five years ago but might end its distribution prematurely. The car company announced that they would start investing in making their other popular vehicles into electric models, possibly leaving the Electric Bolt in the past.
The announcement came with a $4 billion investment into making electric versions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, two top-selling cars for General Motors. The corporation stated that its main manufacturing plant in Michigan would start producing electric pickups for these vehicles in 2024. There isn’t much the company disclosed about the Chevrolet Bolt, which is currently being made at the Michigan plant. Some assume that plant will phase out Chevrolet Bolt production once 2024’s electric-model plan begins.
A spokesperson for General Motors furthered the mystery around the Chevrolet Bolt, stating that they aren’t “disclosing any additional information at this time about Bolt EV.” They did indicate that the Michigan plant would convert into the sole manufacturer for the new GMC and Chevy Silverado models. This transformation may mean that General Motors’ plans for its electric vehicles won’t include the Chevrolet.
Though General Motors isn’t taking an overt stance on stopping the production of the Chevrolet Bolt, its actions say otherwise. Since last November, a new model hasn’t been made, and hardly any were completed in summer 2021. The company only sold three Chevrolet Bolts in October, November, and December combined. The dwindling sales for General Motors’ Tesla-inspired vehicle may have pushed the company into abandoning the product altogether.
The main issue with the Chevrolet Bolt came with a massive recall in August 2021. 700,000 vehicles were recalled due to the hazardous nature of their car batteries. The Chevrolet Bolt’s battery had the potential to catch fire after fully charging the car. The recall cost General Motors more than $1 billion, and affected the vehicle’s sales throughout 2021.
The Chevrolet Bolt wasn’t always shrouded in bad press. When it debuted in 2016, the electric vehicle was met with high praise and great reviews. The car even won two awards that year, including Green Car of the Year and Motor Trend Car of the Year. Since it was the only electric vehicle General Motors sold, it was an instant hit for loyal brand supporters. But with an exhausting and expensive recall last year, the company is going in a different direction to maintain electric car sales.
General Motors is making considerable changes to switch manufacturing to accommodate more electric vehicles. The company wants to transfer half of its manufacturing capacity to electric cars in 2030 and potentially only sell electric cars by 2035. This plan is very audacious, considering the falling sales of its once-beloved Chevrolet Bolt.
With plans to release an electric-powered Hummer and Cadillac, General Motors may have a turnaround in the green-energy industry. These new vehicles will have a completely different battery than the Chevrolet Bolt, hoping to eradicate the possibility of further recalls.
