GM plans to return to Europe as an EV-only brand
General Motors has been building up its resources and capabilities for an all-electric future. With a vast lineup of fully electric vehicles, GM plans to spearhead its return to Europe as an EV-only brand.
After selling over 20,000 EVs for the first time in Q1, GM overtook Ford as the number two EV maker in the US and raised its expectations for the year.
GM is bracing for another breakout year in the US with several highly anticipated EV launches planned, including:
- Silverado EV: Deliveries begin in late Q2, with production ramping through the year
- Blazer EV: Launching the summer
- Equinox EV: Launching this fall
The models join an expanding list of EVs in different segments, including the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV (which are being discontinued later this year), the Cadillac Lyriq, and the GMC Hummer EV pickup.
GM’s Buick also launched its first electric SUV in China last month, the Electra E5, receiving 8,000 orders after 10 days on the market.
Now the automaker plans to expand its presence in Europe, with its first EV expected to launch this fall.
GM enters Europe with an all-EV lineup
According to Automotive News, GM will begin selling fully electric cars in Europe this autumn. The first markets are expected to be Nordic countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, says a source familiar with the matter.
EVs reached 80% of new car sales in Norway last year as the country sets an example for the rest of the world to follow. Better yet, by 2025, no internal combustion engine cars will be sold.
The source told Automotive News that the Cadilac Lyriq midsize luxury crossover will be the first model launched.
After selling Opel/Vauxhall to the PSA group (which later merged with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis) in 2017, GM abandoned the high-volume market in Europe.
Now the company will use its growing portfolio of EVs to reenter the region. GM has already set up an advanced design studio in the UK as part of its efforts to reestablish its presence in Europe.
Although the Chevy Bolt EV/EUV is not expected to make the trip, GM has several fully electric models that may fit the European market, including the $30,000 (27,358 euros) Chevy Equinox or the midsize electric Chevy Blazer crossover.
Electrek’s Take
Automakers are using the new electric era to redefine their brands. With a dedicated EV platform and expanding supply chain, GM is using the opportunity to reenter Europe, a region where it has watched its presence diminish over the years.
GM still sells several higher-end sports cars, like the Corvette, in Europe, but with the EU looking to ban ICE car sales in the region from 2035, automakers will have no choice but to make the switch or lose market share.
With a handful of EV models, and the resources to expand, GM is getting ahead of the curve as it looks to reestablish its position in Europe and regain market share.
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Environment
Tesla releases details about ‘Robotaxi’ launch: there’s a ‘safety monitor’ in front seat
Tesla has released the details about its planned ‘Robotaxi’ launch in Austin, Texas, this weekend, and it’s even worse than we thought. There’s going to be a “safety monitor” in the front seat.
Over the last few weeks, we have been discussing how Tesla’s planned launch of a “Robotaxi” service was a game of smoke and mirrors, meant to improve the optics of the automaker’s self-driving efforts as Waymo emerges as a clear leader.
The planned service is a geo-fenced and teleoperation-supported ride-hailing service operated by a small internal fleet, which is completely different from Tesla’s long-promised unsupervised self-driving in consumer vehicles through its “Full Self-Driving program.”
Furthermore, we have been reported on Tesla’s limited testing in Austin, which CEO Elon Musk claimed involved “no driver”, but test vehicles have all been spotted with Tesla employees in the front passenger seats with access to buttons to stop the car or have it pull over.
In comparison, Waymo tested its vehicles for 6 months with a safety driver in the car and 6 months without a safety driver in the car in Austin before launching its commercial service earlier this year.
Now, Tesla has sent invitations to some known pro-Tesla influencers, primarily on Musk’s X social media platform, to experience the launch of the Robotaxi service this weekend.
The invitations confirm extreme limitations in the service, with the most significant one being the presence of a “safety monitor” in the passenger seat.
Here are the other requirements listed:
- You must agree to Terms of Service, Rider Rules, Privacy Notice, and Service Animal Policy.
- You must have a credit/debit card on file.
- You can request a ride via the app from 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM, within the geofenced area (excluding airports).
- Operational hours and geofence details are available in the app and may change.
- Service may be limited or unavailable in inclement weather.
- Only the invited user may download and use the Robotaxi app.
- Participants must be courteous and respectful; unsafe or disrespectful behavior may lead to termination.
- Riders should provide a star rating and feedback in the app.
- Photos and videos of the experience are permitted.
- Smoking, vaping, consuming alcohol, and using drugs are not permitted inside the Robotaxi.
- Robotaxi may not be used in connection with any crime or to transport weapons or illegal/hazardous materials (e.g., flammable or combustible liquids).
- Surveillance, reverse engineering, or recording of proprietary Robotaxi components or features is strictly prohibited.
- Tesla may suspend or terminate access if:
- You violate any of these rules.
- You post or share content on social media that depicts misuse or violations inside the Robotaxi.
In short, Tesla’s “Robotaxi” service is going to launch with the supervision of Tesla employees in the front seat at all times. It’s limited to 6 am to 12 am and it doesn’t work in “inclement weather.
Electrek’s Take
Again, like I repeatedly said, this is all about optics. Tesla is just trying to get a win and say that it “launched its robotaxi on time in June” when this is basically Tesla’s public FSD with the supervising driver being moved to the passenger seat.
At least it’s going to be safer than if Tesla went without it, but it clearly shows that Tesla is falling far behind Waymo and the competition when it comes to self-driving.
The main thing that people like about Waymo and there are even willing to pay more than Uber is the fact that there’s no one else in the car.
This simply won’t scale. Tesla has yet to solve self-driving. It needs to focus on that instead of appearences.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the Tesla Robotaxi launch this weekend, the new Nissan Leaf, Ford’s upcoming low-cost EVs, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
Today, the episode is live at 8 a.m instead due to Fred’s travels in China.
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Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 8:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 9 a.m. ET):
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