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A Complete Guide To GM’s Electric Vehicles Today

GM signage with the company's logo

A Complete Guide To GM’s Electric Vehicles Today

General Motors or GM boldly claims it will be all-electric by 2035 and have 30 electric vehicles (EVs) available by 2025, 20 of those in the USA. With only a handful of EVs currently in showrooms and another few ready for near-future release, these promises might seem grandiose. However, its titanic $35 billion investment in EV development and production through 2025 shows the Detroit automaker is serious about achieving its electrification goals. The investment in GM electric vehicles dwarfs spending on GM’s gasoline and diesel vehicle segments and includes funding for R&D, battery cell plants, and EV factories.

GM has EV models across all four big brands – GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac. These include passenger cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, and crossover SUVs. The Hummer nameplate’s return as a burly but environmentally friendly EV pickup and SUV rather than the former gas-guzzling ICE vehicle symbolizes GM’s fresh direction. It’s also planning a Chevy Silverado EV release within the next year, challenging the Ford F-150 Lightning pickup. Many other GM EVs are slated to follow.

Chevrolet EV Models

Chevy Bolt EV

Maroon chevrolet bolt EV at a parking area
Produced by General Motors, Chevrolet Bolt is a battery-powered hatchback with an EPA-estimated 259 miles.

Chevy’s designers revamped the Chevrolet Bolt EV for its 2022 model year, making a more spacious interior for the 5 occupants it carries. Even the rear seats have 36-in legroom despite the Bolt’s compact dimensions. Options include leather seats and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. Affordability remains a key trait of the Bolt, with the base model starting at $31,500.

The Bolt offers a good driving experience with some fun, sporty details. According to EPA estimates, the Bolt can travel 259 miles on a charge. While its 6.5-second 0-60 mph acceleration isn’t a race winner, it’s still peppy, propelled by 266 ft-lbs of torque. To put it in perspective, the world-famous 1967 Ford Mustang GT muscle car took 0.8 seconds faster to reach sixty.

The Chevy Bolt also features one-pedal driving with regenerative braking for ease and efficiency. Its software includes multiple driving modes, including a sport mode. Driver assist technology helps make the driving experience less stressful and safer.

Chevy Bolt EUV

Also currently available, the Chevy Bolt EUV or “electric utility vehicle” is a slightly bigger compact SUV than the subcompact Bolt. Like the Bolt, it seats 5 people and has similar features and overall design. A CNET review notes the rear seat remains somewhat cramped for three people, but the over 39-in rear legroom significantly boosts comfort.

The Bolt EUV can cram in 56.9 cubic feet of cargo at maximum. It isn’t as sporty as the slightly smaller Bolt, taking 7 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill. However, it still manages 247 miles of range on a full charge. Charging is limited to Level 1 or Level 2, leaving fast charging to the future.

Buyers can opt for Super Cruise, which uses lane-keeping technology paired with cameras and other sensors to enable hands-free driving. Super Cruise functions on around 200,000 miles of North American roads. On other roads, drivers still benefit from the built-in driver-assist tech.

Chevy Silverado EV

Bringing one of Chevy’s foremost pickup trucks to the road in electric format, the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup will likely come out in summer 2023. This full-size light-duty pickup offers strong performance that potentially outshines rivals like the F-150 Lightning in places. For instance, Chevrolet claims the Silverado EV’s range is 400 miles, exceeding Lightning extended-range variants by 80 miles.

The truck generates 660 horsepower with WOW, or Wide Open Watts, engaged, plus 780 ft-lbs of torque. As a result, the Silverado EV pickup has impressive payload performance, towing 8,000 lbs to 10,000 lbs depending on trim. It can also carry 1,200 lbs of cargo. Chevrolet is planning a model with enhanced, 20,000-lb towing capability.

While the basic bed is 5 feet 11 inches long, the Silverado EV’s designers have another trick up their sleeves. A “midgate” in the back of the cabin wall opens, and the rear seats fold down to boost this to 9 feet. Dropping the tailgate gives a potential 10 feet 10 inches of bed space.

Chevy Blazer EV

GM has slated the Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV, one of its upcoming GM electric vehicles, for release in summer 2023. The company says the Blazer will provide a sporty driving experience with a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds. Occupants can enjoy a spacious, comfortable interior with snappy styling. Multiple driver assistance systems ease driving, including Super Cruise hands-free driving on specific highways. Chevy’s engineers also built regenerative braking into the vehicle.

Chevy plans to release three trim levels with multiple options. Purchasers can select the rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive to match the EV’s intended use. The Blazer can achieve between 247 miles and 320 miles of range per charge, depending on the battery option. Ten minutes of charging on a DC fast charger adds 80 miles of range. The company will charge a likely base model starting price of $44,995 for the Blazer EV.

GMC EV Models

GMC Hummer EV

White GMC hummer EV offroading on sand
GM Hummer EV is powered by Ultium battery-pack technology with a 329-mile range

Originally an icon of gasoline-powered wastefulness, the GMC Hummer EV has returned in pickup truck and SUV models. Featuring a massive-looking, beefy layout and style like the original Hummer, the vehicle includes multiple elements intended to make it a juggernaut both on- and off-road.

On-road, the Hummer achieves ranges of 329 miles by EPA estimates, putting it in the upper end of current EVs by range. Thanks to its blistering torque and horsepower, this EV can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. The Crabwalk feature at low speeds enables sidling the burly SUV or pickup into a tight parking space.

Crabwalk can also help inch around hairpin canyon turns and outdoor, off-road obstacles. Other off-road features include the ability to run on huge 35-inch tires. Ground clearance ranges from 11.9 inches to 15.9 inches. The vehicle can ford between 28 and 32 inches of water, greatly increasing its cross-country mobility.

GMC Sierra Denali EV Pickup Truck

GMC’s third EV after the two Hummer variants will be a Denali trim version of its full-size Sierra pickup truck. Almost no details are available about the Sierra Denali EV, which may appear in 2023. GMC says the truck uses the same Ultium platform as other General Motors EVs, including Hummer variants.

Cadillac EV Models

2023 Cadillac Lyriq

2023 cadillac Lyriq
The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq will be available in all-wheel drive and rear-drive configurations.

Cadillac plans the release of the Cadillac Lyriq premium crossover SUV next year, adding yet another option to the GM lineup. Pre-orders for the 2023 Lyriq are already sold out, but ordering is still open for the 2024 Lyriq. The estimated base price is $62,990, though Cadillac warns the price is likely to change and more accurate information will be available closer to launch.

The Lyriq will come in at least two drivetrain setups, including a rear-wheel drive (RWD) version and an all-wheel drive (AWD) dual-motor option. The RWD vehicle provides the best range, at 312 miles estimated range. A DC fast charger will add 76 miles of range in 10 minutes. The Lyriq also features a 33-inch LED display and control screen and numerous driver assists systems, including hands-free Super Cruise.

Buick EV Models
Buick Wildcat EV Concept

Though it’s just a concept car, the Buick Wildcat EV is intended by Buick to test features and design choices for all its future EVs. One of the design elements likely to find its way into other Buick electric vehicles is the Wildcat’s wide stance. A spacious but sporty interior with a concavely bent control screen and a flat-bottomed steering wheel may also be included. In other models, massaging seats and aromatherapy dispensers to calm and soothe agitated drivers are less likely to be seen.

Buick Electra

Buick appears to be planning the release of sedan-style EV SUV crossovers under the Electra nameplate. The company will build multiple models for the Electra family, with Car and Driver reporting the first is due out in 2025. Piecing together data from multiple sources, the website predicts an approximate 300-mile range and $50,000 base price. Buick will probably reveal more details sometime in 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GM going all-electric by 2025?

No, GM will not be all-electric by 2025. However, it plans to be fully electric and phase out production of all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle models by 2035. The company claims 40% of its US models will be electric by 2025, Electrek notes.

How many EV did GM sell in 2021?

GM sold a combined total of 24,328 Bolt EVs and Bolt EUVs in 2021, Car Sales Statistics reports. Overall, its EV sales jumped about 20% year-over-year. GM delivered a single Hummer EV in the 4th quarter (Q4), one of 26 EVs sold during 2021’s final three months. A temporary production halt related to a Bolt recall accounted for Q4’s weak sales figures.

How many electric cars is GM coming out with?

GM plans to release approximately 30 new EV models by 2025, November statements by company CEO Mary Barra indicate, Car and Driver reports. Out of these, it will sell about 20 models in the United States. GM claims its highly adaptable Ultium EV platform enables this lightning-fast change from ICE to battery electric. These EVs will be in all four of GM’s major brands, GMC, Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac.

Why is GM getting rid of heated seats?

GM is currently delivering vehicles without heated seats. This is because the company supplying these features, Gentherm, can’t make them due to the chip shortage. Nevertheless, GM plans to retrofit affected vehicles with seat heating and ventilation when the shortage eases, Automotive News reports. Given that the feature is only missing temporarily, GM offers a $50 discount instead of the originally planned $500.

Will there be an electric Silverado?

Yes, a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup truck is planned for release sometime in 2023. 

What GM vehicles are affected by the chip shortage?

The chip shortage has affected practically all GM vehicles to some degree. The company is manufacturing any vehicle with heated and ventilated seats without that feature, though with a future retrofit available. It is also omitting stop-start technology from a range of SUVs and pickup trucks because of insufficient semiconductors, Car and Driver says. These include the popular Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, plus the GMC Yukon, Chevy Suburban and Tahoe, and Cadillac Escalade.

Approximately 95,000 GM vehicles of unspecified model, but possibly including EVs, are currently unfinished as reported by Inside Indiana Business. These vehicles are warehoused, awaiting the chips needed to complete them and send them on to dealerships.

How much will GM electric truck cost?

GM currently says the base price of its 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup truck will be $39,900 before destination freight charge and options. It says higher trim levels will likely cost $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, $80,000, and likely more. The GMC Hummer EV pickup has a base MSRP of $84,650 (EV2 trim), $94,650 (EV2X trim), $104,650 (EV3X trim), or $110,295 (Edition 1 trim).

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