GM vows to ramp-up new EV production this year despite battery supply crunch
Despite a disappointing start for General Motors’ electric vehicle sales, the automaker is vowing to build more this year. GM says it’s overcoming battery supply chain issues and expects “a lot more EVs being built in the second half of this year.”
Ultium battery production hurdles
After EV sales reached over 20K for the first time in a three-month period in Q1 2023, GM’s momentum slipped in the second quarter.
GM sold 15,652 EVs in the second quarter, down over 20% from Q1. To make matters worse, nearly 14K were Chevy Bolt EV or EUV models, which the automaker is discontinuing later this year (although a next-gen Bolt EV is still in play).
The slowdown comes as the automaker focuses on new electric models built on its Ultium EV platform. Although the flexible platform is designed to optimize production, GM is still working out the supply chain kinks.
Its first Ultium-based EV, the GMC Hummer EV, introduced in late 2021, had two sales in the first quarter of the year and another 47 in Q2 (-83% YOY).
The Cadillac Lyriq, GMs second Ultium EV, saw only modest progress. GM sold 968 in the first three months of the year and 1,348 in Q2.
Furthermore, due to the battery shortage, GM has shut down its CAMI assembly plant for the month, where the BrightDrop electric delivery van is built in Canada.
GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, explained during an interview last month that battery production was the bottleneck holding them back. She said as battery capacity comes online, “it will be dramatically different next year.” Now, another executive is echoing the leader’s statement.
GM plans to build more Ultium-based EVs this year
According to the Detroit Free Press, GM’s president of North America, Rory Harvey, said battery capacity will pick up in the second half of this year.
On a call with other GM executives, Harvey said the automaker is coming “up to speed on battery capacity and building momentum.” He added:
I anticipate a lot more EVs being built in the second half of this year than the first half of this year.
GM began building the 2023 Hummer EV at its Factory Zero EV assembly plant this spring. But, a source told the Detroit Free Press, although some have shipped, “some need updates on the software. It’s moving very slow.” The person, who asked to remain anonymous, said:
We’ve had supply issues — anything in the supply chain — could be the drive units, anything … you get one part and suddenly it’s a different one that’s needed.
Harvey acknowledged the slow EV ramp-up so far this year but suggested battery module capacity as the only supply chain hurdle.
GM gets its battery cells from its first battery plant in Warren, OH, which began manufacturing them last fall. With three more planned, one in TN, expected to come online later this year, another in Michigan in 2024, and a fourth in Indiana, GM expects over 160 GWh battery cell capacity when all plants are fully operational.
As the report notes, another hurdle GM is facing has been logistics; a shortage of rail cars is impacting the industry. On Monday, Chevrolet’s VP Scott Bell said it remains the company’s biggest challenge.
The company will need to figure the situation out soon with plans to launch three new high-volume Ultium EVs from Chevy by the end of the year, including the Silverado EV, Equinox EV, and Blazer EV.
Earlier this month, GM’s Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico announced the first Chevy Blazer EV left the facility and is on its way to the US.
Electrek’s Take
GM has failed to deliver on numerous promises over the past several years, so several executives vowing to build more EVs this year isn’t a guarantee.
On the other hand, the automaker is in the midst of building more battery capacity, but it can’t happen overnight. Until then, GM seems content with filling in the demand gap with its ICE vehicles.
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Following approval from Transport Canada, EV startup Workhorse will be bringing the W56 and W750 model electric delivery vans to commercial truck dealers in Canada as early as this spring.
Workhorse first showed its W56 medium-duty electric truck at Indiana’s Work Truck Week in 2023, and has sold the trucks to logistics and delivery companies like FedEx and Pride Group – which ordered more than six thousand of the electric vans in 2021, and continues to expand its fleet.
“This is a major step forward for Workhorse,” says Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer in a press statement. “Pre-clearance from Transport Canada opens up a large new market for our products throughout Canada, including with fleets that operate across borders in North America.”
As part of the approval process, Workhorse completed its registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G clearance program. Transport Canada confirmed the vans’ compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for both vehicles – but it remains to be seen if and how the latest tariff-driven trade war between the Trump Administration’s US and Canada will impact Workhorse’s plans to expand throughout North America.
Despite that uncertainty, Workhorse execs remain upbeat. “We’re excited that our electric step vans can now reach Canadian roads and highways, providing reliable, zero-emission solutions that customers can depend on,” added Anderson.
Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no other way to say it: the Trump/Musk co-presidency is disrupting a lot of companies’ plans – and that’s especially true across North American borders. But in all this chaos and turmoil there undoubtedly lies opportunity, and it will be interesting to see who ends up on top.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Workhorse, via Electric Autonomy Canada.
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![Liebherr developing giant, 140-ton Segway-style autonomous haulers [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/operational-area-earth-moving-copy.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The new Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton hauler is unlike any heavy haul truck currently on the market – primarily because the giant, self-propelled, single-axle autonomous bucket doesn’t look anything like any truck you’ve ever seen.
Liebherr says its latest heavy equipment concept was born from a desire to rethink truck design with a focus only on core functions. The resulting S1 Vision is primarily just a single axle with two powerful electric motors sending power to a pair of massive airless tires designed carry loads up to 131 tonnes (just over 140 tons).
The design enables rapid maintenance, as important components easily accessible for quick servicing. Wear parts can be replaced efficiently, and the electric drive significantly reduces maintenance work. This helps to minimise downtimes and increases operational efficiency.
LIEBHERR
Because of its versatility, durability, and ability to perform zero-turn maneuvers that other equipment simply can’t, the Liebherr S1 Vision can be adapted for various applications, including earthmoving, mining, and even agriculture. There’s also a nonzero chance of this technology finding applications supporting other on-site equipment through charging or fuel delivery.
The S1 accomplishes that trick safely with the help of an automatic load leveling system that ensures maximum stability, even on bumpy or rough terrain. The company says this technology significantly reduces the risk of tipping while providing smooth and secure operation across various environments.
Liebherr will show the S1 Vision at this year’s bauma equipment exhibition in Munich, Germany. The design has already been nominated for the bauma Innovation Award in the Mechanical Engineering category – and my money’s on it winning.
Electrek’s Take
This is such goofy, stupid fun that if it was wheelbarrow-sized I’d have three of them. I can’t imagine the insanity of watching one of these things roll across a job site with 100 tons of granite in the bucket – and will have nightmares about the kind of damage it could do if it flipped out like a poorly made Chinese hoverboard clone whipping a toddler across a living room … which, in fairness, would probably get a billion views on Instagram or TikTok or whatever.
I can’t wait.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
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The HD arm of Hyundai has just released the first official images of the new, battery-electric HX19e mini excavator – the first ever production electric excavator from the global South Korean manufacturer.
The HX19e will be the first all-electric asset to enter series production at Hyundai Construction Equipment, with manufacturing set to begin this April.
The new HX19e will be offered with either a 32 kWh or 40 kWh li-ion battery pack – which, according to Hyundai, is nearly double the capacity offered by its nearest competitor (pretty sure that’s not correct –Ed.). The 40kWh battery allows for up to 6 hours and 40 minutes of continuous operation between charges, with a break time top-up on delivering full shift usability.
Those batteries send power to a 13 kW (17.5 hp) electric motor that drives an open-center hydraulic system. Hyundai claims the system delivers job site performance that is at least equal to, if not better than, that of its diesel-powered HX19A mini excavator.
To that end, the Hyundai XH19e offers the same 16 kN bucket breakout force and a slightly higher 9.4 kN (just over 2100 lb-ft) dipper arm breakout force. The maximum digging depth is 7.6 feet, and the maximum digging reach is 12.9 feet. Hyundai will offer the new electric excavator with just four selectable options:
- enclosed cab vs. open canopy
- 32 or 40 kWh battery capacity
All HX19es will ship with a high standard specification that includes safety valves on the main boom, dipper arm, and dozer blade hydraulic cylinders, as well as two-way auxiliary hydraulic piping allows the machine to be used with a range of commercially available implements. The hydraulics needed to operate a quick coupler, LED booms lights, rotating beacons, an MP3 radio with USB connectivity, and an operator’s seat with mechanical suspension are also standard.
Like its counterparts at Volvo CE, the new Hyundai excavator uses automotive-style charging ports to take advantage of existing infrastructure at fleet depots and public charging stations. More detailed specifications, dimensions, and pricing should be announced by bauma.
Electrek’s Take
The ability to operate indoors, underground, or in environments like zoos and hospitals were keeping noise levels down is of critical importance to the success of an operation makes electric equipment assets like these coming from Hyundai a must-have for fleet operators and construction crews that hope to remain competitive in the face of ever-increasing noise regulations. The fact that these are cleaner, safer, and cheaper to operate is just icing on that cake.
SOURCE | IMAGES: HD Hyundai; via Construction Index, Equipment World.
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