General Motors has been rolling out an expansive range of vehicles using its new dedicated electric vehicle (EV) architectures and Ultium batteries, but most have been pickups and SUVs.
Some more variety is coming, however, as GM has teased unspecified “new Ultium-based coupes” in a video previewing the upcoming introduction of bi-directional charging.
“By 2026, vehicle to home technology will be available in new Ultium-based SUVs, sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, trucks,” the company says in the short video.
2020 teaser
GM confirmed last year a “fully electric version” of its iconic Corvette would follow the electrified E-Ray, which enters production this year.
It also confirmed earlier this year that, though it was retiring the Camaro once again – the pony car will exit production this year – this “is not the final chapter for the nameplate”.
This cryptic teaser potentially leaves the door open for an electric successor. A report from Car & Driver late last year suggested Chevrolet could launch an electric coupe, as well as crossovers wearing the long-running nameplate to establish a Camaro sub-brand.
2017 teaser
Coupes appear to have been in GM’s electric vehicle plans for some time. In 2020 it teased the rough silhouette of a coupe, while in 2017 it teased a room full of electric vehicles under silks, one of which had a Camaro-like body shape.
The company has focused on higher-volume SUVs and pickups in its initial rollout of new-generation electric vehicles (EVs).
Though it typically refers to its vehicles as riding the “Ultium platform”, GM is understood to have two new dedicated EV architectures.
Cadillac Celestiq
Body-on-frame vehicles use the BT1 platform, and comprise the GMC Hummer EV and upcoming Cadillac Escalade iQ, Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV.
Other vehicles use the BEV3 platform, and include the Buick Electra E4 and Electra E5, Cadillac Lyriq and Optiq, and Chevrolet Equinox EV and Blazer EV – all of which are crossovers. This platform will also be used by the upcoming Acura ZDX and Honda Prologue.
Looking more broadly at passenger cars (i.e. not SUVs or pickups), GM hasn’t confirmed many vehicles for its new EV architectures beyond the ultra-luxury Cadillac Celestiq liftback.
Chevrolet FNR-XE concept
It recently confirmed the Chevrolet Bolt, a small-but-tall wagon, would get a second generation that would use Ultium technology. The outgoing model uses an older platform referred to as BEV2.
A report from GM Authority last year indicated an electric Corvette-badged sedan is in the works, intended to battle the Porsche Taycan, while Automotive News reports an electric Cadillac sedan of some description is coming.
Chevrolet revealed an electric sedan concept – the FNR-XE – at the GM China Tech Day 2022. However, it didn’t reveal any specifications for this vehicle, nor did it confirm it previewed a production vehicle.
Buick Wildcat concept
It was potentially just a design exercise intended to show off some elements that may feature on production vehicles.
Likewise, the Buick Wildcat coupe revealed last year in China is a design study, intended to show the future of design for the stalwart GM brand.
There are no plans for it to enter production, though some of its design elements have already begun filtering onto production vehicles.
