General Motors is thinking about a compact EV pickup truck

• For now, it’s still very much an idea.

• The concept only had two doors.

• There are only two small pickup trucks in North America right now.

The automotive industry is constantly evolving, especially as manufacturers are constantly looking to explore new vehicle segments to boost profit. In the compact pickup sub-segment, which consists of only  two models for now, there is still room for other manufacturers to compete with the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick, the only two pickups available north of the Mexican border.

Automotive News has learned that General Motors is interested in this segment, but in electric form. During a visit to GM’s affordable EV design studio in Warren, Michigan, AN got to take a look at a futuristic, sporty-looking design study.

The automaker reportedly intends to add this compact-sized pickup to its fleet of affordable electric vehicles. Unsurprisingly, this vehicle with a short cargo box – we’re talking 4 to 4.5 feet in length here – would be intended for recreational use, the Automotive News article that mentions an image of the concept with surfboards in the box.

The pickup shown at the studio had only two doors, a configuration that is often limited to businesses, not families who favour four-door pickups more. That’s why you must take this information with a grain of salt, but nothing is impossible, especially when you look at the sales figures of the Ford Maverick, the small truck that clearly won its first duel with its Hyundai rival last year.

It’s also possible that this styling study was designed for the South American market, where small compact pickups are more common. In fact, Chevrolet already sells models like the Chevrolet Montana or the Chevrolet Colorado S10 there, although the latter is very similar to the North American Colorado.

We’ll have to keep an eye on General Motors, as this pure electric pickup could eventually be added to the company’s electrification effort. Environmental groups won’t like this, but pickup trucks are still very popular with consumers in North America. In any case, if this compact pickup truck project sees the light of day, it will probably have more in common with the Chevrolet Bolt EV than with the very large Chevrolet Silverado EV.

We’ll be following this closely in the coming months.