Chevrolet is making it clear to dealers: It has a foot firmly planted in both propulsion camps.
As the brand prepares to roll out a roster of electric vehicles, it is rapidly updating its most popular internal combustion vehicles.
Chevy plans to launch more than a dozen new or freshened models over the next two years, said Keith McCluskey, chairman of the Chevrolet National Dealer Council and CEO of McCluskey Chevrolet in Cincinnati.
“2022 and 2023 will fly by,” he said ahead of the make meeting. “If you do the math, about every eight weeks, we’ve got a new or refreshed model coming out for the next two years. And for the first time ever, [Chevy is] really moving into the mainstream on the EV side of things.”Today, Chevy sells the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, which are powered by General Motors’ previous-generation battery platform.
But the next group of EVs will be larger crossovers and pickups, and they will be powered by GM’s proprietary Ultium batteries.
This year, Chevy plans to launch freshened versions of two of its most popular nameplates: the Silverado pickup and Blazer crossover. Next year, the brand will launch electric versions of those models, along with an electric Equinox.
“When I talk to the dealers, I talk about Chevy being a big-box brand, and Chevy having a foot in both camps — both in ICE and in EV,” Steve Hill, vice president of Chevrolet, told Automotive News ahead of the make meeting. “I like our chances for growth.”
Hill also expressed confidence that Chevy will take a disciplined approach to volume as the global microchip shortage subsides and dealer stock eventually rises.