Ford Rival GM Rushing PHEV Chevy Silverado, Sierra To Market

With demand for EVs failing to meet expectations as of late, Ford has since pushed back some of its planned investments into that particular area, and is instead focusing on growing hybrid sales – which have increased dramatically. After taking the top two spots in terms of the best-selling hybrid pickups in 2023, Ford expects to significantly grow its hybrid sales in 2024, part of which will come from the fact that the refreshed Ford F-150 PowerBoost will be cheaper and more readily available, moves that stem from higher-than-expected demand for that model. However, it isn’t alone in that regard, as Ford’s cross-town rival – General Motors – is also somewhat ditching its ambitious EV plans by adding hybrids back to its own lineup – which may soon include a PHEV Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, according to GM Authority.

GM’s prior strategy was to put all of its chips into the pure EV segment, but now that consumer demand for those types of vehicles has stalled, it’s shifting gears and planning to bring plug-in hybrids back to North America. That will apparently include a PHEV Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, both of which are reportedly being rushed to market as quickly as possible.

While EV versions of both of these pickups are already on the way, it seems as if consumer concerns related to range and how it’s affected by hauling and towing heavy loads have made them less appealing to traditional pickup buyers, which is precisely why GM is rethinking its short-term strategy. PHEVs provide a bit of a stepping-stone in that regard, as they can typically travel short distances on electric power alone, but also have a gas engine when owners need to travel longer distances.

“Let me be clear, GM remains committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from our light-duty vehicles by 2035, but in the interim, deploying plug-in technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the environmental benefits of EVs as the nation continues to build its charging infrastructure,” GM CEO Mary Barra said during the automaker’s Q4 2023 earnings call with investors.” Barra also noted that “PHEV models will help GM “comply with the more stringent fuel economy and tailpipe emission standards that are being proposed,” though it’s possible that those standards may be relaxed somewhat, as Ford Authority reported earlier this week.

We’ll have more on everything Ford’s competition is up to soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for non-stop Ford news coverage.