GM’s electric revolution continues to stumble as the company has pushed back production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV at Orion Assembly.
The plant is wrapping up production of the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV, and was slated to build the electric pickups in 2024 thanks to a $4 (£3.2 / €3.7) billion investment. The move was slated to save approximately 1,000 jobs as well as create more than 2,350 new ones.
However, things aren’t going according to plan as Automotive News and The Detroit Free Press are reporting truck production at Orion Assembly has been pushed back to late 2025. Company officials said the move was unrelated to the UAW strike and is instead designed to “better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand.”
The automaker has also identified “engineering improvements” that promise to increase profitability. While the latter is good news for the company, the delay seems to be a response to lackluster demand. As spokesperson Kevin Kelly told the Detroit Free Press, “We’re looking at EV demand and the trendline for EVs is stabilizing,” but it’s “not rising as fast as originally forecasted.”
While production at Orion Assembly has been delayed, the Silverado EV is already being built at nearby Factory Zero. It’s made alongside the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and SUV, and the GMC Sierra EV is slated to join them next year.
