General Motors has decided not to start building electric trucks at its Orion Assembly plant in Michigan until the end of 2025, nearly a year later than planned.
The factory currently builds the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV electric compact crossovers, which are scheduled to end production this year before the plant is upgraded to produce vehicles on GM’s latest Ultium electric platform.
The first models planned for the facility are the GMC Sierra EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV, the latter of which is currently in production at GM’s Factory Zero in Detroit-Hamtramck.
A GM spokesperson told Automotive News that the move was unrelated to the ongoing UAW strike, but will allow it “to better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand.” “In addition, we have identified engineering improvements that we will implement to increase the profitability of our products,” the spokesperson said.
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The rollout of GM’s Ultium-based trucks has been slow and unsteady.
GM was only able to deliver 100 Hummer EVs from December 2021 through December 2022, followed by 1,216 through September of this year, along with 18 Silverado EVs, which started shipping in the third quarter. The Sierra EV and Cadillac Escalade IQ are scheduled to enter production at Detroit-Hamtramck in 2024.
Meanwhile, Ford has sold over 12,000 F-150 Lightings so far in 2023 and Tesla is on the cusp of launching its much-anticipated Cybertruck.
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GM did not immediately update its forecasts for electric vehicle growth, but has a second-quarter earnings call scheduled for October 24.