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May 1, 2019 by Steve Hanley
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, said, during a conference call with investors on April 30: "GM has a truck franchise and advanced electrification capabilities. I assure you that we will not give up our leadership on any of the fronts. We intend to create a 100% electric future with a full range of electric vehicles, including full-size vans. She added that the details of a GM pickup truck would be released "where it would be appropriate in terms of competition".
Credit: General Motors
Detroit News asked for clarification after the teleconference, but a spokesman for GM refused to elaborate on Barra's statement. Just a few weeks ago, Rivian, the electric truck startup in Plymouth, Michigan, said "No thanks" to GM's openings. Subsequently, Ford jumped in to place a half billion dollar bet on Rivian.
Vans are the cornerstone of General Motors (and Ford and Chrysler too). Americans have an apparently insatiable thirst for huge and extremely expensive vehicles. The average selling price of a full-size Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck increased by $ 5,800 over the previous year. Older readers may remember when you could buy a new car for that money.
Nevertheless, the company's market share has increased from 17% last year to 16% today, a disturbing statistic that worries investors. Despite better-than-expected financial results, GM's shares slid 3% after the company's earnings announcement for the first quarter.
Questions about a battery pickup from The General abound. When will it be available, how much will it cost, how far will it go with a single battery charge, where will drivers be able to charge it, how much can it carry, and how much will it cost? will its towing capacity? We know that Tesla is planning an electric pickup. If it's on sale before GM's bid, it could cause big problems to the company.
The Tesla Model S has decimated the demand for luxury Mercedes Class S, Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series cars in Germany. If a Tesla pickup truck did the same with General Motors, that might be all it would have written for the iconic American automaker. GM announces 20 fully electric vehicles for sale by 2023. Will one be a pickup truck? "We will see," said the Zen master.
About the author
Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and wherever the singularity could lead him. His motto is: "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but the number of moments that take our breath away!" You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.
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