QOTD: Filling Electric White Space?

by Steph Willems

Published: March 6th, 2020

Shedding models is a hot pastime at General Motors these days. As the automaker embarks on an electric product push, it was CEO Mary Barra’s axe that cleared the way… by chopping waning ICE-powered nameplates. With the recent loss of the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac CT6, it seems the cull is nearly complete.

Lineup pared, GM now promises electric models in every segment and at every price point — a strategy made possible (and more importantly, profitable) by a modular electric vehicle platform juiced by cutting-edge Ultium battery tech.

With economies of scale supposedly on its side, which corner of the market should GM not ignore?

To illustrate the flexibility of its new architecture, GM issued a video showcasing potential showroom silhouettes. Crossovers, crossover coupes, sedans, pickups, and cube-like vans are all possible, with the platform allowing for rear-, front-, or all-wheel drive.

Battery size can be whatever GM wants.

While high-end buyers will be able to purchase a poorly named six-figure Cadillac sedan underpinned by this architecture, what about those looking for a bit of fun on the low end? Surely there’s room for a model GM beancounters would normally deep-six due to limited projected demand.

You author would like to see the new platform/battery combo finds its way into an electric version of the 2012 Chevrolet Code 130R concept vehicle — a sporty, low-end, rear-drive vaporware coupe that went absolutely nowhere, as per GM tradition.

Enliven that rear axle with a single motor and slot a modestly sized battery underneath. Market to Millennials who aren’t likely to ever have kids. Boom.

A pipe dream? Maybe. But this is an exercise in dreams. In your view, which bodystyle/layout/segment needs a spot in GM’s electrified lineup?

[Images: General Motors]

#EVs #FutureModels #GM #ProductPlanning #QOTD #QuestionOfTheDay

Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 55 comments

Ponchoman49 on Mar 09, 2020

Nothing new here folks. The next new "big" GM thing in a long line of failed dreams and delusions. I don't trust this disastrously run train wreck of a company as far as I can throw them and will not be buying any more of their products with this dumb all eggs in one basket woke thinking. They are dead to me after my 2017 Impala.

Like Reply
Cognoscenti on Mar 09, 2020

Between (1) the obvious trolls, (2) the users with a clear political bias from both sides of the aisle, and (3) the Tesla apologists, the signal-to-noise ratio of the TTAC comments on any BEV topic is getting worse by the day. I don't have a solution, other than to not bother reading.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Lou_BC Hard pass
TheEndlessEnigma These cars were bought and hooned. This is a bomb waiting to go off in an owner's driveway.
Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Thankfully I don't have to deal with GDI issues in my Frontier. These cleaners should do well for me if I win.
Theflyersfan Serious answer time...Honda used to stand for excellence in auto engineering. Their first main claim to fame was the CVCC (we don't need a catalytic converter!) engine and it sent from there. Their suspensions, their VTEC engines, slick manual transmissions, even a stowing minivan seat, all theirs. But I think they've been coasting a bit lately. Yes, the Civic Type-R has a powerful small engine, but the Honda of old would have found a way to get more revs out of it and make it feel like an i-VTEC engine of old instead of any old turbo engine that can be found in a multitude of performance small cars. Their 1.5L turbo-4...well...have they ever figured out the oil dilution problems? Very un-Honda-like. Paint issues that still linger. Cheaper feeling interior trim. All things that fly in the face of what Honda once was. The only thing that they seem to have kept have been the sales staff that treat you with utter contempt for daring to walk into their inner sanctum and wanting a deal on something that isn't a bare-bones CR-V. So Honda, beat the rest of your Japanese and Korean rivals, and plug-in hybridize everything. If you want a relatively (in an engineering way) easy way to get ahead of the curve, raise the CAFE score, and have a major point to advertise, and be able to sell to those who can't plug in easily, sell them on something that will get, for example, 35% better mileage, plug in when you get a chance, and drives like a Honda. Bring back some of the engineering skills that Honda once stood for. And then start introducing a portfolio of EVs once people are more comfortable with the idea of plugging in. People seeing that they can easily use an EV for their daily errands with the gas engine never starting will eventually sell them on a future EV because that range anxiety will be lessened. The all EV leap is still a bridge too far, especially as recent sales numbers have shown. Baby steps. That's how you win people over.
Theflyersfan If this saves (or delays) an expensive carbon brushing off of the valves down the road, I'll take a case. I understand that can be a very expensive bit of scheduled maintenance.