Hyundai and GM are moving ahead concretely with their cooperation. They plan an electric van and internal-combustion vehicles as well as hybrid models for Central and South America. The lineup includes a compact SUV, a passenger car that has so far only been described vaguely, and two pickups in different sizes. The market launch is planned from 2028 — so still a bit of a way off — and they are aiming for an ambitious 800,000 vehicles per year. Where exactly these volumes are supposed to come from remains unclear. They prefer to keep quiet about sales forecasts for the individual models or the electric transporter.
Who does what? The division of labor in the new dream team
The division of roles is predictable: GM handles the pickup platform, Hyundai takes
on the compact SUV for South America — and, surprise! — the electric transporter for North America. Hold on... is Hyundai building the E-transporter for GM? Didn't GM just recently found BrightDrop, its own electric-transporter brand with Ultium technology? Well, production there is currently on ice. According to GM manager Shilpan Amin, the new E-transporter will be a 'little brother' of the BrightDrop models. Will it also be better? We will see.
Made in the USA – somehow, somewhere, sometime
One thing is certain: The electric transporter is to be built in the USA starting in 2028. Where exactly? They are (still) not saying. Maybe at Hyundai in Georgia — there already is the Metaplant there, specializing in electric cars. Or perhaps at GM? Or both? Probably no one knows for
sure yet.
The goal is clear: lower costs, streamline production, deliver faster – buzzword bingo, greetings. GM wants it cheaper, Hyundai wants it more efficient – and both want to pull it off together.
In terms of electric transporters, Hyundai has not been a heavyweight so far and has rather ceded the lead here to Kia. There are considerations to electrify the van Staria, and a cooperation with Iveco – at least. The technology is basically available: And subsidiary Kia has already adapted the E-GMP platform (keyword: E-GMP.S) and with the PV5 already has an electric transporter in its lineup. So a start has been made.
What does the future bring? Cooperation, cooperation, cooperation
Following the framework agreement of September 2024, there is now vigorous examination of whether and where further
joint projects are possible: new vehicles, drive types from internal combustion to batteries to hydrogen, procurement of materials, logistics, even low-CO2 steel – the list is long, the ambitions also. Hyundai CEO José Muñoz is enthusiastic: The collaboration enables “stylish, high-quality and safety-oriented vehicles with technologies that customers value.” And GM manager Amin raves about “complementary strengths” and “a larger, faster and cheaper range.”
GM also needs this in the van segment: The transporters date back to 1995 – and have been built practically unchanged since then...
What does that mean?
The US auto industry is shrinking further: GM already 'needs' Hyundai's help to be able to manage more passenger-car programs. While Hyundai is happy to latch onto the 'niche program' Pick-Up, which is particularly strong in volume on the American
