Report: GMC Sierra EV and Chevy Silverado EV Production at Michigan Plant Delayed

• GM is delaying EV truck production at its Orion assembly plant.
• The delay comes as a result of stagnant EV demand, not because of the UAW strike.
• GM's Factory Zero plant in Detroit will continue to produce electric trucks.

Reuters reports that General Motors will delay production of its electric pickup trucks at its plant in Orion Township, Michigan. GM says the delay at this particular plant is due to waning electric car demand, a trend that has seen EV sales fall from their mid-pandemic high. The automaker's original plan was to start EV truck production at the Orion plant toward the end of 2024, and the start has now been pushed to late 2025.

The delay comes because GM wants "to better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand." Demand for EVs has not grown as quickly as forecasted, and this has caused a rethink in terms of production for GM. The plan now is to "retime the conversion" of the Orion plant and start producing the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV there by the end of 2025.

The Orion plant currently manufactures the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV, but both are due to halt production later this year. According to the Detroit Free Press, about 1,000 workers who currently work at the Orion plant will be transferred to other GM facilities in the state while the plant effectively lies in wait for GM to kickstart EV pickup truck production in earnest.

This is not a complete delay of Silverado EV production, however. The Work Truck version of the Silverado EV is currently manufactured at the Factory Zero plant alongside the GMC Hummer EV pickup and Hummer EV SUV. At this time it remains unclear whether production of other Silverado EV variants or the upcoming GMC Sierra EV will be affected by the delay to 2025. GM does expect to ramp up assembly at Factory Zero next year, but it hasn't detailed which models will see an uptick in production.

The Detroit Free Press also reported that the delay has nothing to do with the ongoing UAW strike, which has affected the Big Three automakers for nearly five weeks.

Edmunds says

More delays in the already troubled saga of GM's EVs could be bad news for those with orders already in place.