General Motors has canceled its planned next-generation electric trucks, leaving the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, GMC Hummer EV, and Cadillac Escalade IQ with no planned direct successor. The automaker confirmed the news to Crain’s Detroit Business on Tuesday.
This is a massive reversal for a company that has aggressively pursued the market for large, high-range electric trucks and SUVs. Versions of the Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac trucks can go over 400 miles on a charge and weigh over 9,000 pounds. They are massive, excessive, expensive products, with unmatched towing range, tons of power, and 350-kilowatt fast charging.
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Source: GMC
Unfortunately, though, it looks like that may not be enough in today’s electric truck market. Ford has already canceled the all-electric F-150 Lightning and its planned electric successor. Crosstown rival Ram also killed the purely electric version of its 1500 truck, with both it and Ford opting to build “extended range electric vehicle” versions instead. GM wouldn’t confirm to Crain’s if it was pursuing the same path.
“We have not disclosed any potential plans or timing for any next-generation battery electric trucks and we’re not going to engage in speculation,” GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly told the outlet via email.
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Source: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs
The cancellations may hit a bit harder at GM due to the sheer number of large models it offers. The Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Hummer EV SUV, Hummer EV Pickup, and Cadillac Escalade IQ are flagship models for their respective truck brands. The forthcoming 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ was supposed to be the debut product for GM’s “eyes-off” autonomous highway driving system.
I’ve reached out to GM for comment on an updated product and timeframe for the technology. But clearly, winds have shifted quickly within GM, as it was only a few months ago that the company announced that the Escalade IQ would spearhead its autonomy efforts.
Yet it’s not all too surprising. Every product in this segment has struggled against economic realities. Electric pickup trucks are largely more expensive than their gas counterparts, and buyers still have concerns about towing range and longevity.
That doesn’t mean companies are giving up. But they are adjusting their approach. Ford is pivoting to having an affordable, Maverick-sized electric truck as its sub-$30,000 high volume model, with an EREV Lightning catering to the more towing-oriented set. Scout will offer both EREV and EV trucks, eventually. And while Tesla is still selling a few thousand Cybertrucks per quarter, demand never came close to projected figures.
So what is GM’s plan for the future? We don’t know yet. But in my view this is a logical approach. Large vehicles with heavy duty cycles are significantly harder to electrify at a competitive price. Someone will crack that nut, perhaps GM. But a second-generation Hummer EV probably wouldn’t have been the answer.
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