GM announces end of year end of production of Chevrolet Bolt
GM announces end of year end of production of Chevrolet Bolt, its first mass-market EV
General Motors (GM) announced Tuesday that it will end production of its Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle at the end of this year in preparation for the launch of an electric pickup next year based on next-generation battery technology.
The Bolt, GM’s first mass-market electric car, went on sale in 2016 with a starting price of about $35,000. The Bolt comes in two models, the Bolt EV and the larger Bolt EUV, which together account for the vast majority of GM’s current EV sales.
However, the battery unit used by the Bolt is different from that of GM’s other upcoming electric vehicles. The latter uses GM’s self-developed Ultium platform, which can provide higher energy density and longer range.
Older design and chemical composition. The Ultium platform will be used in GM’s future electric vehicles, including the GMC-branded Hummer and Cadillac-branded Lyriq, among others.
GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said on an investor call Tuesday that the Orion, Mich., plant that currently makes the Bolt will be revamped so it can start making an electric version next year.
Silverado and Sierra pickups. The two pickups are among GM’s best-selling products.
When the Orion plant reopens and reaches full production, the number of employees will nearly triple and annual capacity will reach 600,000 electric pickups, Barra said.
General Motors plans to sell more than 400,000 electric vehicles in the North American market from early 2022 to mid-2023, and to establish annual production capacity of 1 million electric vehicles in the United States and China. With these moves, GM hopes to catch up with industry leader Tesla in electric vehicles.
The Bolt, despite being a relatively inexpensive electric car, hasn’t been selling as well as expected. Additionally, GM had to recall all Bolts ever produced due to multiple fire accidents due to supplier-related battery issues.
This fall, GM will unveil the new Equinox EV, also a $30,000 EV.
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