GM’s joint venture in China, SAIC-GM, delivered over 100,000 EVs in 2023, more than doubling from the previous year.
GM’s China joint venture EV sales double in 2023
With 18,911 EVs handed over in December, GM’s China joint venture saw a 312% surge in deliveries over last year.
SAIC-GM sells EVs under GM’s Buick, Chevy, and Cadillac brands in China. The automaker currently builds and sells five electric models in the region.
The first Ultium-based Buick Electra E5 electric SUV was revealed in November 2022, followed by the Electra E4 two months later. Meanwhile, the brand launched its new Velite 6 last summer, starting at only $15,500 (112,800 yuan).
Cadillac introduced its first EV in China, the Lyriq, in December 2021. Between the Buick Velite, Electra E5, and Cadillac Lyriq, SAIC-GM sold over 86,000 EVs alone.
Sales of the Buick Velite reached 45,538, the Electra E5 had 35,129, and 5,400 Lyriqs were handed over last year.
Buick Electra E5 (Source: Buick)
The automaker plans to launch eight electrified vehicles (including PHEVs) over the next two years as it looks to build momentum. SAIC-GM has two dedicated EV plants in Shanghai and Wuhan, where it builds Ultium models. Its third factory, in Yantai, is set to come online in the first half of 2025.
Meanwhile, SAIC-Volkswagen has now sold over 10,000 ID electric models for six consecutive months, led by the VW ID.3 electric hatch. SAIC Group was China’s second-largest NEV maker (including PHEVs) behind BYD. That said, BYD overtook Tesla in EV volume in Q4.
Cadillac Lyriq (Source: GM)
SAIC introduced a three-year new energy action plan last year. It says joint venture brands have focused on “new tracks, moving forward and making strong efforts.” This year, the plan will accelerate as SAIC’s NEV business enters a “stage of rapid development.”
SAIC-GM was also the first automaker in China to gain access to Tesla’s EV charging network. Cadillac and Buick EV owners will have first access to the chargers.
Electrek’s Take
Although GM is picking up the pace in China, it’s scaling back EV plans in its home market. In the US, GM sold 75,883 EVs last year, up 93% over 2022. That includes its commercial Brightdrop electric delivery vans.
Although the Bolt EV and EUV models accounted for over 62,000, or nearly 82% of GM’s 2023 EV sales, the automaker ended production in December. The move comes as GM ramps up its Ultium-based electric models.
GM has already pushed back production of the Equinox EV, Silverado RST EV, and GMC Sierra Denali EV.
With the Bolt being phased out, GM risks falling further behind in the US as the market shifts to electric. The automaker was topped by rival Ford in EV sales last year, but both were far from Tesla’s over 1.8 million EVs delivered.
On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
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Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
The $5 billion Empire Wind is back in business. The Trump administration’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted its stop-work order for Empire Wind, a major offshore wind project off the coast of New York led by Empire Offshore Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Equinor. Construction is now allowed to resume.
Equinor CEO Anders Opedal welcomed the news, saying the restart reinforces Equinor’s commitment to delivering clean energy while supporting local economies and saving thousands of jobs. He also credited a wide coalition of officials for helping get the project back on track, including Trump, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and congressional leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Dan Goldman. Opedal also thanked the Norwegian prime minister and the minister of finance for raising the issue with the US administration.
Governor Hochul said in a statement that “countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials” had taken place.
Neither the BOEM nor the Department of the Interior has issued a comment.
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The Trump administration halted construction of the 54-turbine Empire Wind on April 16, but discussions between Equinor, regulators, and leaders at the federal, state, and city levels led to a reversal. That means Empire Wind can now push ahead with its goal of powering 500,000 New York homes with offshore wind energy.
“This project delivers on the energy ambitions shared by the US and New York by providing a vital new source of power to the region,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Wind US. She added that Empire Wind is boosting supply chain investments across the country, with activity in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and South Carolina.
Equinor plans to reassess the project’s financials in the second quarter. The goal is still to install turbines offshore in 2025 and hit full commercial operation by 2027. The company says it will work with suppliers and regulators to minimize any delays from the month-long pause.
Empire Wind was first awarded its offshore lease in 2017 after a competitive federal process. It received its final construction green light in early 2024 following an extensive environmental review. Construction kicked off shortly after, and the project is now over 30% complete.
The US is a major market for Equinor. The Norwegian energy giant says it has invested around $60 billion in US energy projects since the early 2000s, more recently in low-carbon solutions, critical minerals, and renewables. Empire Wind is one of its flagship projects in the US.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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