GM and Hyundai Collaborate on Five Joint Models | Carscoops

      The collaboration will result in new trucks and an electric commercial van.

      GM and Hyundai are partnering to jointly create five new vehicles.

      Two trucks, a car, and a crossover will be introduced in South and Central America.

      The sole vehicle planned for North America is an electric commercial van.

      After months of speculation, General Motors and Hyundai have confirmed their intentions to co-develop five vehicles. However, most of these will be aimed at Central and South American markets.

      While the companies kept details under wraps, they indicated plans for a compact car, a compact crossover, and a compact truck, alongside a mid-size pickup that GM will spearhead. Hyundai is set to take charge of the other models, all of which will have the option to utilize either internal combustion engines or hybrid systems.

      More: GM and Hyundai Aim to Collaborate on Vehicle Development, Sign Agreement to Explore Opportunities.

      The only North American model will be an electric commercial van. There have been suggestions that GM may offer a version of the Hyundai ST1 or Kia PV5 to replace the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana.

      If all goes well, the companies could sell over 800,000 jointly developed vehicles each year. They noted that, while the vehicles will share many similarities, each will feature “distinct interiors and exteriors reflective of their respective brands.”

      Design and development are already in progress, with models for Central and South America expected to launch in 2028. The commercial van might debut as soon as 2028 and will be manufactured in the United States.

      In addition to new vehicles, the companies are planning "joint sourcing initiatives in North and South America for materials, transport, and logistics.” They are also exploring not only raw materials and components but also low-carbon emissions steel and “complex systems.”

      Hyundai CEO José Muñoz expressed that the "strategic collaboration with GM will enable us to continue providing value and choice to our customers across various vehicle segments and markets. Our combined scale in North and South America allows us to efficiently deliver more of what our customers desire – well-designed, high-quality, safety-focused vehicles with appreciated technology.”

      GM's senior vice president Shilpan Amin echoed these thoughts, stating, “By working together, GM and Hyundai will offer greater choices to our customers more quickly and at lower costs. These initial co-developed vehicles showcase how GM and Hyundai can leverage our respective strengths and combined scale.”

      In a more informal announcement, Amin described the commercial van as a “smaller sibling” to the Chevrolet BrightDrop EVs. He emphasized that this partnership is sensible because it allows the companies to reduce costs, streamline production, and accelerate the launch of new vehicles by collaborating.

      Amin further noted that this collaboration will help GM expand its lineup—an indirect suggestion that pursuing an electric commercial van independently wouldn’t be wise, particularly following BrightDrop’s lackluster performance.

      GM is familiar with van collaborations, having previously offered the Chevrolet City Express, which was essentially a rebadged Nissan NV200. This model saw low demand and was discontinued in 2018.