GM Is Getting Into The Electric Bike Business

[Adam Varga + 123]

As a part of their EV strategy, General Motors said it plans to bring two new electric bikes to market next year, one folding and one compact, intended for "consumers around the globe," that will be available fro sale in 2019. So far GM has very little information about the bike, and almost nothing on the specs, just that this bikes will be “smart” and “connected” and somehow inspired by GM’s OnStar, the company’s subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security and emergency services feature found in cars.

GM is already shaping up to be second only to Tesla in blasting past the 200,000-vehicle ceiling for the federal EV tax credit; and it has plans to produce 20 new fully electric vehicles by 2023.

[DA? + 301]

3 minutes ago, Adam Varga said:

As a part of their EV strategy, General Motors said it plans to bring two new electric bikes to market next year, one folding and one compact, intended for "consumers around the globe," that will be available fro sale in 2019. So far GM has very little information about the bike, and almost nothing on the specs, just that this bikes will be “smart” and “connected” and somehow inspired by GM’s OnStar, the company’s subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security and emergency services feature found in cars.

GM is already shaping up to be second only to Tesla in blasting past the 200,000-vehicle ceiling for the federal EV tax credit; and it has plans to produce 20 new fully electric vehicles by 2023.

Don't get me wrong anything that increases sales of EV's I'm all for but ummm GM. It's hard to get excited about them and although they have sold a number of EV's the model 3 has cut into their market (although it's cut into the ICE market, kicking the arse even of the likes of BMW). Hopefully they will take their newer model EV's more seriously and actually build enough to fill the demand they have. 

[Vlad Kovalenko + 115]

12 minutes ago, Adam Varga said:

 this bikes will be “smart” and “connected” and somehow inspired by GM’s OnStar, the company’s subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security and emergency services feature found in cars.

 

Electric bikes are great idea. Just don't understand this OnStar for a bike. Why would you need one on the bike? We have phones nowadays. And this is only going to make them more expensive and charge us with a monthly fee. 

[Stormysaga + 62]

Not a GM  fan but this will be a big push into electrification and right move beyond its traditional business model. Finally a Detroit automaker is showing some brains. 

[Brian W + 78]

GM is hardly going to be made or broken on a low price, low margin and low volume product like an e-bike. For them, it's little more than a vanity project to show off their engineering and win some positive press.  They are making these not because they want to make a significant sale in the first place. They are doing it to  show  how they are forward-thinking and innovative. No like they are planning to become a serious competitor to Trek very soon.