The Tesla Model Y flubs in fit and finish—and reliability. And we digest what GM’s stepped-up electric vehicle investment means. This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
General Motors yesterday stepped up the amount of its expected investment on EVs and autonomous tech through 2025. The $27 billion plan now includes battery packs spanning to 450 miles of range and notes that affordable vehicles are on the way—with 20 of the 30 EVs arriving by mid-decade heading to the U.S.
As part of that, GM announced that the timing of the Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV has been pulled forward. Now, U.S. deliveries of the Lyriq will start in early 2022.
Perhaps the larger takeaway from yesterday’s announcements is that GM sees its years of development work on its latest Ultium propulsion tech as an enabler for very short development timelines. The warp-speed 26-month development for the GMC Hummer EV is a template for its future EVs, not an anomaly, a top executive said.
All the Tesla Model Y fit, finish, and assembly issues you’ve likely heard about might not be enough to strand owners; but they collectively drag Tesla down again in Consumer Reports reliability ratings and give the Y a “much worse than average” black dot.
And over at Motor Authority: Electric-truck startup Rivian is already planning to expand beyond North America—to Europe in 2022 and China after that. And it has some smaller models planned for those markets.
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