General Motors executives are contemplating injecting a new batch of plug-in hybrids — a selection of powertrains that isn’t widely featured through the automaker right now — into the automaker’s product lineup. Despite being at the forefront of a massive push toward electric vehicles, its Ultium platform and batteries, GM is arguably already feeling the effects of slowing EV sales growth, caused in part by the fact that early adopters have had enough.
For many shoppers, the business case for a PHEV is a much easier sell. A PHEV still lets you run around town on the battery, which is sufficiently small that it doesn’t add outsized weight and can be charged at home overnight, to save on fuel and operating costs. But then when you need to visit Nanny Hynes at her home in the country, a PHEV’s gasoline-powered engine vanquishes any range anxiety or the spectre of spending hours at a charging station. For no small number of shoppers, PHEVs are currently an excellent option.
Shockingly, however, Barra was reported to have been quoted as saying “we’ll bring them in at a time when we want them from a compliance standpoint,” while talking about the fourth-quarter earnings of GM hybrids announced today. Anyone who is an industry observer knows this well, calling cars “born of compliance” is necessarily code that means “we do this because we have to, not because we want to,” and it rarely – if ever – results in an attractive or competitive product.
Meanwhile, stores hucking the Toyota brand are experiencing outsized demand for plug-in hybrid models, with machines like the RAV4 Prime and its ilk proving extremely popular with customers. This author thinks GM dealers are looking at their competition askance and have been making noise to Ren Cen about the lack of PHEVs in the pipeline.
But it takes time to scale up a new powertrain, design it for use on a specific platform, and put it up for sale. For a company the size of GM (or any automaker, for that matter), that effort can take years, after all. which consumers would possibly have moved on to the next big thing.
Speaking on this point, Barra said that “the generation is already in production in other markets,” suggesting that GM’s new PHEV models or powertrains could come from (you guessed it) China. Plug-in hybrid models abound there, such as GM’s Wuling Starlight PHEV sedan, unveiled in November last year before sales topped 10,000 units in two months.
Castrol-Wakefield Award for Automotive Writing 2021, Finalist
Finalist – 2023 AJAC Travel & Adventure Journalism Awards through Genesis Canada
Winner: 2023 AJAC Road Safety Journalism Award through Volvo Canada
Email: matthewkguy@hotmail. com
LinkedIn: linkedin. com/in/matthewkguy
Instagram: @DudeDrivesCars
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, ON M4W 3L4
© 2024 Driving, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Edit your picks to remove vehicles if you want to add different ones.
You can load a maximum of five cars to your selection.