US EV latest: GM, Hyundai compete – in battery plant announcements

General Motors and Hyundai on Tuesday published dueling announcements of plans to build electric vehicle battery plants in the United States.  Hyundai is partnering with fellow Korean corporation SK on to build a $5 billion battery factory in the States. GM, meanwhile, is also looking to Korea for its partner in a new $3 …

[toejam++]

Bolt EV

The average time that a Bolt EV sits on a dealer's lot is currently around three days. It is an incredibly in-demand vehicle. With the federal tax credit, it is one of the most affordable BEVs available in the US market. They're incredibly popular as a commuter vehicle.

So of course GM is killing it off. GM suggests that the Equinox EV will fill the role that the Bolt EV does today. But the Equinox EV base trim will around $4000 more expensive. Assuming you'll even be able to find a base trim Equinox EV for the first couple years. It is also larger and has a more touch-screen dominated UI, which is a turn-off for a lot of folks.

I understand GM wanting to kill off something of an odd platform for them. But I've already seen people suggest that this is the EV1 all over again. Not exactly a good image.

[blackcat]

Re: Bolt EV

How much would you like to bet that the end of the Bolt comes with the closure of a factory and a slew of job losses?

[MachDiamond]

Re: Bolt EV

"How much would you like to bet that the end of the Bolt comes with the closure of a factory and a slew of job losses?"

Not a dime. GM is already saying they will be refitting the plant(s) to make much more expensive and higher margin electric pickups (or rather an SUV with the rear part of the roof missing). By eliminating a lower priced compact and not replacing it with something in a similar size range, they are opening the door just that much wider for BYD or another Chinese company to come in and dominate the whole compact EV market. EV's in the US are luxury or luxury priced vehicles. The Bolt was the best value for money in an EV especially after GM started putting new batteries in older models after their partner LG screwed up.

[Orv]

Re: Bolt EV

The US market has moved rather firmly away from cars in recent years, especially compact cars. Ford doesn't even make any cars anymore, just crossovers and trucks.

[Piro]

Re: Bolt EV

The automotive industry lately has been pushing prices up and up, messing up interfaces with touchsreens, and building crossovers and "SUVs" at a great rate. For some reason people like the last one, but it doesn't help efficiency. All these trends need to be rolled back.

[blackcat]

Re: Bolt EV

They like the complex as they can sell <thing> as a service. A connected vehicle means it supports subscriptions. I think it was GM who said last year they can make more from 'as a service' than from the sale of the actual cars.

[fromxyzzy]

Re: Bolt EV

It is shocking that they killed it. The EUV is one of the best reviewed vehicles GM makes (helped immensely by standard Super Cruise, widely considered the best of the driving assist systems on the market) and in killing it, it means they only made it for two model years.

The Equinox will be a few thousand more for the base model, getting one with the same features as the Bolt will surely tack on several thousand beyond that. Meanwhile, the only sub-30k EV left will be the Nissan Leaf, which is the penalty box of EVs, particularly in comparison to the Bolt EUV.

[Kev99]

"We reached out to GM in the hopes someone could explain the decision to eliminate an affordable EV " The answer is simple. The profit margin on trucks is substantially greater than on cars. Just take a look at the size of the kick backs GM and others throw out to clear the lots of last years' truck models.