General Motors has had a rough first half of the year when it comes to the number of all-electric vehicles delivered throughout the U.S. The big GMC Hummer EV pickup that debuted in 2021 saw just 49 units delivered, while 2,316 of the more affordable Cadillac LYRIQ reached customers.
However, the American automotive powerhouse is keen to make up for lost time and churn out many more new EVs in this second half of the year. The Detroit Free Press reported GM is coming up to speed on battery capacity and building momentum, quoting GM North American President Rory Harvey, who spoke during the unveiling of the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse.
Per the source, Harvey admitted to a slow ramp-up for the LYRIQ and Hummer EV, pointing to a single supply part issue related to battery module availability. Both the Cadillac luxury SUV and GMC’s so-called supertruck are based on the firm’s Ultium platform and batteries are sourced from Ultium Cells LLC in Ohio, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution.
One other source, which wanted to remain anonymous, said the supply chain issues go deeper than just battery modules.
"We’ve had supply issues---anything in the supply chain---could be the drive units, anything ... you get one part and suddenly it’s a different one that's needed,” the person told the Detroit Free Press, adding the production of the GMC Hummer SUV, which started this spring, is moving slow.
Logistics are another problem that needs to be sorted out by GM, CEO Mary Barra said in June. Chevrolet Vice President Scott Bell said it’s still the biggest challenge for the automaker.
"The supply chain is not quite the topic it was six months ago, but it's still out there," Bell told the media at the launch of the Traverse. "Logistics is where we've spent a lot of time recently with the rails. Getting them from the plant to the customers is the problem."
The Free Press reported in June a shortage of rail cars is plaguing the entire auto industry, as roughly 70,000 new vehicles are waiting at factory parking lots to be delivered to dealerships.
"So it was always going to be a low volume in the early months," Harvey said. "All of the debut edition vehicles there are all built. If you look at our sales volume last month and the month before---they continue to increase. This month they will continue to increase. So we’ve got good, positive momentum now.”
