General Motors and Will Ferrell may have to start an apology campaign for the people of Norway (see the 2021 superbowl commercial below) after the automaker divulged that its plan to reenter the European market will start in the continent’s Nordic region. The American automaker is set to introduce an all-electric lineup, with multiple brands hitting the market later this year.
The company’s plans to introduce an “all-electric portfolio” in Europe this fall have been confirmed by GM Europe President Jaclyn McQuaid, as reported by Autonews. An anonymous source also revealed that the automaker is targeting the Nordic countries of Europe as the first port of call.
The area is made up of Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and, most notably, Norway. More than 80 percent of new vehicles sold in the country last year were electric, and the automaker famously said (in jest) that it was a disgrace that it is beating the U.S. in terms of EV adoption.
Read: Wealthy Nations In Europe Dominate EV Adoption
The specific country where GM will start sales in Europe has not been disclosed yet, but Norway’s high adoption rate of electric vehicles has made it an attractive market for foreign automakers looking to enter the European market.
To prepare for its return, GM has set up an advanced design unit in the UK, and has expanded its IT innovation hub in Ireland. The unnamed source told the news outlet that the launch list for GM includes the Cadillac Lyriq, along with vehicles from several other brands.
The Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer are also potential candidates for the European market, along with vehicles from China such as the Buick Electra E5. However, due to Europe’s preference for smaller cars than Americans, larger vehicles like the GMC Hummer and Chevrolet Silverado are less likely to be sold in the market. However, it is worth noting that GM’s crosstown rival, Ford, recently announced that it will start selling a limited number of F-150 Lightnings in Norway due to impressive consumer demand.
Despite pulling out of Europe’s volume segment in 2017, when it sold Opel and Vauxhall to what would become Stellantis, GM has continued to sell a few niche vehicles there, such as the Chevrolet Corvette and the Cadillac Escalade.