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GM EV production targets deemed unlikely thanks to supply chain woes

The first 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup Edition 1 exits Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan. VIN 001 was auctioned in March 2021 at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction for $2.5 million to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. (Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for General Motors)

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According to a new analysis of General Motors’ (GM) EV production, its goal for 2025 may be overly-optimistic.

With the entrance of Ford into the electric pickup market just last year, it was more evident than ever that America’s largest domestic automaker had slid behind its traditional rival. However, with a bold plan to introduce numerous new electric models and ramp production to 1 million units annually by 2025, many saw a silver lining to GM’s predicament. Now, that ambitious production goal has been challenged by a new analysis from AutoForecast Solutions, published by Reuters, which alleges that the company will fall roughly 40% short of its target.

According to the new AFS analysis, GM is expected to have an annual EV production capacity of 600,000 units by 2025, a dramatic 40% shortfall from the General’s current ambitions. AFS states that this discrepancy will be caused mainly by a lack of battery production, which GM has been racing to establish through a joint venture with LG.

By the end of 2025, GM will be producing seven separate all-electric models, including the currently available GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq, as well as the Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Chevy Blazer EV, Chevy Equinox EV, and Cadillac Celestiq. Production of the current Chevy Bolt and Bolt EUV will end later this year.

The AFS analysis did not comment on the plausibility of GM’s mid-term goal of producing 400,000 EVs cumulatively by the end of the first half of 2024. GM began working toward that goal at the start of 2022, and according to comments recently made by GM CEO Mary Barra, the American automaker is on track to achieve it.

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GM is scheduled to construct three battery cell production facilities by the end of 2025, built in Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio, respectively. The production centers are planned to open between 2024 and the first half of 2025, with a maximum combined output of 135 GWh annually. While these substantial battery factories will undoubtedly be able to feed 1 million electric vehicles annually when at full capacity, AFS argues that the production ramp may not reach the level necessary to achieve GM’s 2025 goal.

It should be noted that not all analysts share the opinion of AFS. Well-known automotive industry analyst for Wedbush Securities, Dan Ives, commented to Reuters that he believes GM’s production ramp to be feasible: “We believe GM’s targets are hittable despite hurdles to get there,” Ives commented.

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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Tesla Semi frames stack up in Nevada as production nears

Tesla Semi frames are being spotted outside of the Nevada production facility ahead of initial high-volume manufacturing.

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Credit: Zanegler | X

Tesla is moving closer to the initial production of the Semi later this year, and outside of its dedicated factory in Nevada, which will be responsible for building the all-electric truck, frames, and other parts of the vehicle, are beginning to stack up.

The Semi production facility is located on the same property as Gigafactory Nevada, and is moving closer to completion as the construction crews on site have already enclosed walls.

Now, production is moving even closer as parts of the Semi were spotted outside of the Semi production facility in Nevada. The images were captured by Zanegler, a Tesla Semi enthusiast and Giga Nevada tracker:

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The Semi is already used by a handful of companies, including U.S. Foods, Frito-Lay, and PepsiCo. However, the vehicle is not up for public use quite yet, as Tesla is working with various companies to carry out pilot testing of the Semi to see how it performs during regional runs.

Tesla Semi fleet from Frito-Lay gets more charging at Bakersfield factory

The results have been very encouraging, with the Semi even completing a 1,000-mile run in a single day two years ago.

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Now, Tesla is truly focusing on the launch of the factory, which will put production into full swing moving into 2026. Earlier this year, Lars Moravy, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, gave an update on the Semi and the company’s current timeline for the product:

“So, we just closed out the Semi factory roof of walls last week in Reno, a schedule, which is great with the weather. In Reno, you never know what’s going to happen. But we’re prepping for mechanical installation of all the equipment in the coming months.

The first builds of the high volumes in design come late this year in 2025 and begin ramping early in 2026. But as we’ve said before, the Semi is a TCO, no-brainer. I think it’s really similar to Optimus. It’s going to be set by how much people pay and it has the total cost of ownership, it’s much, much cheaper than any other transportation you could have.”

Tesla also started ordering parts for the Semi and Cybercab after the tariff situation between the U.S. and China was alleviated.

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Tesla teases new color while testing refreshed Model S, X

Tesla teased a new color that could be coming to the United States with the new Model S and Model X.

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Credit: @supergeek18 | X

Tesla appears to be teasing a brand new color while it was testing the refreshed Model S and Model X, which was spotted last week in California.

Tesla currently offers six paint options in the United States, but they are all pretty basic. This has not been a problem for owners as wrapping the vehicles is a common practice, but some people would likely see more versatility from Tesla in terms of their standard paint colors.

This is especially relevant as Europe has been able to have both Midnight Cherry Red and Quicksilver, which were, at one time, exclusive to the market.

Quicksilver made its way to the United States, and Tesla did release a new Red last year with “Ultra Red,” but Midnight Cherry Red never made its way outside the walls of Gigafactory Berlin.

Last week, as the first spy images of the new Model S and Model X were taken and released by The Kilowatts, there was a very noticeable difference with the vehicle, as other changes seemed to be relatively underwhelming: a new paint color.

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Many believed this was simply a wrap, but Ryan Levenson of The Kilowatts, a former Tesla employee, dispelled that rumor after several questions about it.

He said that this is absolutely a factory paint color and not a wrap:

More images were shared by @supergeek18 on X:

Tesla released a new color earlier this year, but it was just a revision to Black, now called “Diamond Black,” featuring speckles that give a reflection and refraction of light as a diamond would.

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However, this new color is certainly quite different than anything Tesla has previously offered in the U.S. before. It is relatively similar to Glacier Blue, a color Tesla launched in Asia. Earlier this year, Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s Chief Designer, talked about bringing the color to the U.S.:

“Glacier Blue is just a color that we’ve been talking about with our team — the team is like right through that window by the way — and we were looking at the impact of silver, how do we get pigment into silver and really add a little bit of personality to it. If you look at our palette, you know it was either darks or white, and so we were looking for something in between. Blue is always a fairly popular color.”

It would be a refreshing addition to the options Tesla currently offers, and a breath of fresh air for those who have been wanting a different look altogether.

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Mark Cuban wants to sell his Tesla due to this polarizing feature

Mark Cuban said this simple Tesla feature will eventually lead to him selling the car.

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Credit: Tesla

Known Elon Musk critic Mark Cuban is ready to sell his Tesla because of a simple feature that is one of the more polarizing amongst community members.

Cuban and Musk have gone head-to-head in several back-and-forths on X, Musk’s social media platform, formerly Twitter. However, it is not the public spats that the two have shared that makes Cuban want to sell his car. In fact, it is something relatively trivial and a feature that many could easily adjust to in the matter of a few minutes of driving.

For the entrepreneur and former owner of the Dallas Mavericks, it is a feature that every driver must use, but Tesla temporarily changed it in the Model 3, Model S, and Model X: the turn signal.

With the refreshed versions of the S, 3, and X, Tesla chose to eliminate the turn signal stalk, instead opting for a turn signal button, which is located on the steering wheel. This was a change that was extremely polarizing among the Tesla community, with many requesting that the company reverse the change with the new Model Y.

Credit: Tesla

They listened, and the newest version of the all-electric crossover has a stalk. No turn signal haptics are available on the new Model Y.

This is one feature Cuban said he cannot get into, and instead chooses to drive his Kia EV6, which he said he is “comfortable with.”

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On the Your Mom’s House podcast, Cuban commented on the stalk and turn signal button dilemma within the vehicle:

“On the Tesla, you’ve got to find [the turn signal] and push the button…while you’re driving. You can’t pay attention to the road as much. [The Kia] doesn’t try to be too fancy. Your turn signal is like, a turn signal.”

It’s hard to imagine that someone’s attention is taken away from the road when pushing a button. In my test drive of the new Model 3 last year, I noted that the button was definitely an adjustment, but it only took a few minutes to adjust to:

“It only took me about three or four turns, or roughly ten minutes, to realize I needed to stop reaching for stalks. I feel like the buttons are super convenient, but there were times I would push the edges or corners, and the signal would not come on.”

I drove the new Tesla Model 3, here’s what got better

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At least to me, it’s not super believable that pushing a turn signal button takes your attention away from the road for more than a split second. Do I like the traditional stalk more? Yes. However, it would not make me sell a car I really enjoyed driving.

Cuban also said that his son called the EV6 “a nerd car,” to which he replied, “Exactly.”

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