GM has launched its This autumn gross sales numbers, displaying Ultium nonetheless ramping steadily, however total EV gross sales are down as its best-selling mannequin, the Bolt, winds down as Chevy takes it off the market in its finest yr of gross sales ever – leaving GM with solely 3.1% EV share, properly beneath the US common.
In This autumn, GM bought a complete of 19,469 EVs in This autumn, a small lower from final quarter’s whole of 20,092, and a major enhance from This autumn 2022 which had 16,266 EV gross sales.
After fairly a little bit of issue getting Ultium off the bottom, GM’s new battery platform is lastly seeing vital ramps in manufacturing. Each Lyriq and Hummer EV gross sales grew, and Blazer and Silverado EV lastly noticed deliveries of automobiles to the general public, although nonetheless in small numbers.
Hummer EV had a formidable quarter, notably contemplating how ridiculously extreme it’s, with 2,028 in This autumn ’23, virtually doubling final quarter’s gross sales of 1,167 items, and up from simply 72 in This autumn of final yr.
The Lyriq noticed comparable development, as GM bought 3,820 Lyriqs, up from 3,108 in Q3 and from 86 (sure, 86) in This autumn of 2022.
So whereas we’re not but seeing giant quantity deliveries of Ultium-based EVs, we’re at the least seeing vital ramping of deliveries every quarter now. Hopefully this implies the kinks are getting ironed out at GM, and the floodgates can actually open because the extra mass-market fashions come into play.
A kind of doubtlessly extra mass market fashions (at the least, when the bottom mannequin turns into obtainable – as of now, it’s laborious to justify the $56k base value when in comparison with the Lyriq) is the Blazer EV, which had its first buyer deliveries in This autumn. 463 Blazers had been delivered to clients, marking the beginning of the mannequin’s availability. However this quantity would have been affected by a short lived cease sale on the mannequin associated to software program points, which resulted in a recall at the moment.
The Silverado EV additionally began deliveries to clients, however solely the work truck model is obtainable thus far. It bought in comparable numbers, with 443 items delivered in its first quarter of availability.
However the true mass market mannequin, the Equinox EV, isn’t out but. So we’ll need to see how the ramp goes on that, when it reveals up later this yr.
Nonetheless, total EV gross sales had been down for GM, primarily attributable to one mannequin: the Chevy Bolt. The Bolt had a down quarter, going from 15,835 items bought in Q3 to 12,551 in This autumn (additionally down from 16,108 in This autumn ’22). However this wasn’t as a result of individuals aren’t eager about it – it was as a result of GM ended Bolt manufacturing in December.
That is a part of a deliberate phaseout of the Bolt so GM can concentrate on Ultium, together with an upcoming Ultium-powered Bolt, but it surely additionally signifies that Chevy ended manufacturing on the Bolt throughout its very best yr but.
Beforehand, the Bolt’s finest yr bought 38,122 items in 2022. However in 2023, the final yr of its existence, Chevy bought 62,045 Bolts – a 63% enchancment. And now it’s finished, so we gained’t get to see how far up that line may have gone.
However when you’re nonetheless eager about a Bolt – and you ought to be, as a result of it’s a superb car – you may nonetheless get one from Chevy within the subsequent weeks and months. And it’s a greater deal than ever now that the US EV tax credit score is now simpler to get for low-income patrons and obtainable upfront as properly, making it doable to get a Bolt for below $20k off the lot. When you’d like, you should utilize our hyperlinks to contact your native sellers concerning the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV or 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV, and see if they’ve any in inventory earlier than it goes away for good.
Lastly, GM delivered 164 BrightDrop vans, up from 35 final quarter.
Electrek’s Take
19,469 EVs represents 3.1% of GM’s 625,176 total gross sales in This autumn, which is properly beneath the US common of about 8% EV market share (primarily based on Q3 numbers). GM has claimed for years that it’s “all-in” on EVs, however it’s at present properly behind the pack in US EV gross sales.
GM staff advised us on the Blazer EV drive occasion that they’re definitely feeling the interior strain to get extra EVs out shortly, however taking a look at these numbers, it looks as if there should not be practically sufficient strain. So we’re right here to offer slightly extra.
If GM actually was “all-in” on EVs, then it ought to be bringing the typical up, not pulling the typical down. Even when you ignore the all-EV startups (a more recent certainly one of which, Rivian, is nearly matching GM in gross sales), large automakers like Hyundai, VW and Volvo are all bringing the typical up, together with a number of luxurious manufacturers (together with one GM model, Cadillac, and Hummer which is all-EV now). Why can’t the remainder of your manufacturers convey the typical up too, GM?
GM is likely one of the largest automakers on this planet, and largest in America, and subsequently is extra chargeable for the air pollution choking all of our lungs than virtually anybody else.
GM’s present complacency on EVs will not be solely not adequate, however it’s actively dangerous, as a result of a overwhelming majority of the corporate’s gross sales are of polluting automobiles. Each gasoline car GM sells this yr will proceed to pollute the air for a decade or extra, exacerbating local weather change and inflicting political and social instability.
If GM was main the cost for EVs, if it was above the typical as an alternative of beneath it, if it was making extra high-volume EVs after years of guarantees and getting them into clients arms in quantity, then our phrases wouldn’t be as harsh. We’re positive that many GM staff are attempting – however the numbers present that it’s clear the corporate as an entire will not be making an attempt laborious sufficient. 3% is pathetic. At the very least be common, GM.
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