It is codenamed BV1.
Production to begin in late 2021.
Will share components with GM’s future electric trucks.
The motivations behind this decision are numerous. One is that GM, and Ford, do not want to hand over this opportunity to Tesla, for example, which is something they did for electric cars and SUVs. The other is that, while electric cars and SUVs still only represent a small fraction of overall sales, electric vans or commercial delivery vehicles, could easily be a multi-billion dollar strategy.
According to Automotive News sources, and although GM has not officially made the announcement that they are building an electric van, GM and Ford will not pass up on this opportunity. In fact, trucks and commercial vehicles are the most profitable aspects of their business.
Using components from their already announced electric Hummer pickup and their Ultium batteries, the codenamed BV1 GM van should be headed for production at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant by the end of 2021.
GM has said that it is “committed to an all-electric future and is implementing a multi-segment, scalable EV strategy to get there. At this time, we do not have any announcements to make regarding electric commercial vehicles. ” Even so, it appears as though they’re already trying to decide if they will sell is as part of their usual truck brands, namely Chevrolet and GMC, or another brand.
One big difference in this segment is that buyers are motivated by efficiency, reliability, functionality, and not a logo. As such, there is money to be made by Ford, GM, and other start-ups. If you recall, the value of the Amazon and UPS contracts with Rivian and Arrival is $4 billion or more.
Amazon’s Rivian delivery van | Photo: Amazon
