Photo: GM
Rumors had it that GM would try to reconquer the Old Continent with electric vehicles made under Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Hummer brands. Now, GM Europe boss Mahmoud Samara confirms they were true.
General Motors is in the midst of an uphill battle to surpass Tesla in the EV market. Unlike Tesla, GM doesn’t think building enough EVs would be the problem but finding customers for all of them. It is true that the Chevrolet Silverado only gathered around 150,000 reservations, whereas rival Ford had to stop taking more reservations for the F-150 Lightning when 200,000 of them were received. That’s why GM is trying to extend its client base by returning to Europe with a slew of electric vehicles.
The move was rumored since GM established a new European arm last year. More rumors came earlier this month after Bloomberg revealed talks inside GM to bring its electric vehicles to the continent. This is interesting, considering how the Detroit automaker left Europe in 2017 after selling Opel and Vauxhall to PSA. Nevertheless, GM is now ready to come clean with the comeback, as GM Europe boss Mahmoud Samara has confirmed to Autocar.
Samara is confident that GM will prove “a substantial player” in the market, considering its strong line of Ultium electric models. The European continent might even prove a better market for GM than the U.S., thanks to much rapid adoption of electric vehicles. This, again, assumes that GM would manufacture more EVs than it can sell in the U.S. Thus, the European market would come in handy.
Unlike previous GM efforts, where its European portfolio consisted of distinct European brands, the new push will involve its existing American brands. Cadillac will naturally lead the charge, thanks to the upscale image and the competitive technology of the Lyriq. But the more affordable Chevrolet models will probably make the bulk of sales in Europe.
“With what the customers need in Europe and what we’ve done to transform our company, we feel this is a unique opportunity for us,” said Samara. “Chevrolet is a global brand, Cadillac is a global brand, Hummer is a global brand, so we have global brands that are fit for purpose. What’s so beautiful about transitioning to EVs is the flexibility that we can deliver with those platforms. It will be fit for purpose in Europe.”
What General Motors will try to achieve in Europe is basically the same as what Volkswagen tried until it announced the Scout revival. Conquering a foreign market with a local brand is never easy, although Tesla proved it possible in China. GM has a slightly different strategy in Europe with a start-up approach. Without a legacy ICE luggage, GM will follow more streamlined models like Tesla, Polestar, and Genesis. This means an online-only retail model, with no dealers involved, significantly cutting on initial investments.
The move was rumored since GM established a new European arm last year. More rumors came earlier this month after Bloomberg revealed talks inside GM to bring its electric vehicles to the continent. This is interesting, considering how the Detroit automaker left Europe in 2017 after selling Opel and Vauxhall to PSA. Nevertheless, GM is now ready to come clean with the comeback, as GM Europe boss Mahmoud Samara has confirmed to Autocar.
Samara is confident that GM will prove “a substantial player” in the market, considering its strong line of Ultium electric models. The European continent might even prove a better market for GM than the U.S., thanks to much rapid adoption of electric vehicles. This, again, assumes that GM would manufacture more EVs than it can sell in the U.S. Thus, the European market would come in handy.
Unlike previous GM efforts, where its European portfolio consisted of distinct European brands, the new push will involve its existing American brands. Cadillac will naturally lead the charge, thanks to the upscale image and the competitive technology of the Lyriq. But the more affordable Chevrolet models will probably make the bulk of sales in Europe.
“With what the customers need in Europe and what we’ve done to transform our company, we feel this is a unique opportunity for us,” said Samara. “Chevrolet is a global brand, Cadillac is a global brand, Hummer is a global brand, so we have global brands that are fit for purpose. What’s so beautiful about transitioning to EVs is the flexibility that we can deliver with those platforms. It will be fit for purpose in Europe.”
What General Motors will try to achieve in Europe is basically the same as what Volkswagen tried until it announced the Scout revival. Conquering a foreign market with a local brand is never easy, although Tesla proved it possible in China. GM has a slightly different strategy in Europe with a start-up approach. Without a legacy ICE luggage, GM will follow more streamlined models like Tesla, Polestar, and Genesis. This means an online-only retail model, with no dealers involved, significantly cutting on initial investments.
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