In the month of September GM and Hyundai signed a Memorandum of Understanding to partner up on new vehicle development and manufacturing. According to GM CEO Mary Barrar, the partnership is designed to “unlock the scale and creativity of both companies.”
A new report from Korean media outlet Pulse claims that Barra has met with Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung earlier this month to discuss the partnership. The report also claims that Hyundai and GM aim to team up on the development of a new electric pickup truck.
There are top three-selling nameplates of pickup trucks, Hyundai and GM want a bigger slice of the pie. By teaming up and complementing each other’s strengths, the two could slash coasts and undercut competitors. This could also involve using each other’s sales networks.
The report notes that the jointly developed electric pickups will likely be aimed at the Latin American market. Although a smaller market than the US, Latin America has a significant share of pickup truck sales.
In Latin America Ford’s Ranger and the Toyota Hilux are some of the top-selling pickups. Meanwhile China’s BYD launched its first pickup truck, the Shark PHEV, in Mexico, Brazil, Panama and other countries as it expands overseas.
Hyundai’s upcoming next-generation EV platform, which will succeed the current E-GMP, is engineered to support a wider range of vehicle types beyond midsize SUVs.
CEO Jaehoon Chang said, “It encompasses nearly all vehicle classes, ranging from small and large SUVs to pickup trucks.” Could it serve as the platform for GM’s next EV pickup?
Would you consider buying an electric pickup jointly developed by Hyundai and GM? What features or specs would make it a must-have for you—long-range, fast charging, high towing capacity, or advanced tech? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
