[MandatoryOutsidePossum]

Because why change a great thing.

The van was originally scheduled to end in 2026 and be replaced with a new model offering an electrified powertrain.

The van may be redesigned, but will retain its current ICE-only powertrain beyond 2027.

Might get the next gen small block V8!

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2023/01/chevy-express-may-get-2027-model-year-redesign-keep-ice-powertrain/

 

[Iroczgirl]

I this going to become the longest produced american vehicle in history? How many do they sell annually?

 

[Senior Member]

Might get the next gen small block V8!

For Sundays and bingo night runs.

 

[worth_fixing]

that's pretty funny

we were planning a project with this as a base and were pretty bummed we'd have to redesign after 2023. oh well lol

but seriously, these things could probably still get hybrid powertrains, or even PHEV (tons of underbody room for a battery waffer) and still continue without a major redesign.

gotta love old vans.

 

[Air and water do mix]

but seriously, these things could probably still get hybrid powertrains, or even PHEV (tons of underbody room for a battery waffer) and still continue without a major redesign.

This. If I had to guess (which I've already done) I'd think the new V8s are coming about so they can have smaller displacement than they have now, turbos, all engines with next generation cylinder deactivation, and at the very least a mild hybrid setup.

 

[CraigH]

Probably wise for now. The trades and organizations using these vans may not be ready for the expense of current EV technology.

 

[Air and water do mix]

Probably wise for now. The trades and organizations using these vans may not be ready for the expense of current EV technology.

I don't even think it's the expense, but the limitations. EVs are better at lots of things, but long-haul duty, especially laden, is not one of them.

 

[Mike!]

I don't even think it's the expense, but the limitations. EVs are better at lots of things, but long-haul duty, especially laden, is not one of them.

Long haul though is far from the only use case. Ford's selling e-Transit alongside gas Transit (and Econoline!) and that should be fine for local FedEx / UPS / Amazon-type deliveries, or cable / fiber-optic fleets.

Kind of surprised e-Transit is only Cargo, Cutaway, and Cab-Chassis though. Seems like a passenger version could do airport hotel shuttling all day long and save a pile of wasted gas.

 

[Egz]

but seriously, these things could probably still get hybrid powertrains, or even PHEV (tons of underbody room for a battery waffer) and still continue without a major redesign.

Yea, but I think GM is almost all but out of the hybrid market. I think in the immediate future, the only hybrid they will have is the Corvette E-ray.

 

[bzcat]

I this going to become the longest produced american vehicle in history? How many do they sell annually?

Ford E-seies has got it beat by about 25 years so no, not even close.

 

[bzcat]

Long haul though is far from the only use case. Ford's selling e-Transit alongside gas Transit (and Econoline!) and that should be fine for local FedEx / UPS / Amazon-type deliveries, or cable / fiber-optic fleets.

Kind of surprised e-Transit is only Cargo, Cutaway, and Cab-Chassis though. Seems like a passenger version could do airport hotel shuttling all day long and save a pile of wasted gas.

Most shuttle are cutaway so they've got that covered. The factory finished pure passenger van sales are pretty small slice of overall Transit sales. Basically VIP transport and Utah family van. And Mercedes has those 2 markets cornered with Sprinter for the most part.

 

[Air and water do mix]

Long haul though is far from the only use case. Ford's selling e-Transit alongside gas Transit (and Econoline!) and that should be fine for local FedEx / UPS / Amazon-type deliveries, or cable / fiber-optic fleets.

Kind of surprised e-Transit is only Cargo, Cutaway, and Cab-Chassis though. Seems like a passenger version could do airport hotel shuttling all day long and save a pile of wasted gas.

Yeeeeees, I never said it was. I'm just saying there are things that electric vehicles are terrible at. Towing over long distances is the most egregious, but either towing or long distances by themselves is enough to bump the needle towards the liquid fueled column when considering a vehicle.

For me an electric is probably ideal. I commute and tend to rent if we go on long trips to drive. I like having a clean vehicle with no effort when we leave, the risk is on the rental rather than my car, I don't rack up miles on mine, and I can turn in a dirty car while mine is still clean at the end of the trip when I'm usually wiped-out.

 

[ValveCoverGasket]

I don't even think it's the expense, but the limitations. EVs are better at lots of things, but long-haul duty, especially laden, is not one of them.

belied by the fact that other oems are offering electrified vans already...
only gm knows the answer, but i wonder how few of these are really doing long hauls anyway. id assume the fact that other oems are moving to electrification suggests the market for these things skews much more toward in-town short distance work by the target audience

 

[Air and water do mix]

belied by the fact that other oems are offering electrified vans already...
only gm knows the answer, but i wonder how few of these are really doing long hauls anyway. id assume the fact that other oems are moving to electrification suggests the market for these things skews much more toward in-town short distance work by the target audience

True that, but they may have some other options with that new V8 and partial electrification. I guess we'll see in due time, but I could see a good market for a vehicle with lots of cargo capacity, cheap-to-run electric town use, and long haul capability. Whether there's enough of a market for multiple companies getting into that niche remains to be seen, but one company? I could see that.

On the other hand it could be them shooting themselves in the foot. We'll see! 🍺

 

[worth_fixing]

Yea, but I think GM is almost all but out of the hybrid market. I think in the immediate future, the only hybrid they will have is the Corvette E-ray.

i gotta say...I find that weird.

small batteries + gas engine might be the best of both worlds as people and seriously heavy users get used to electrification, all while not being a massive burden to the manufacturers AND battery material supply.
i do feel like full EVs might feel like shoving something down peoples' throats they aren't ready for, and consequently you get more pushback.

anyway.

 

[ValveCoverGasket]

i do feel like full EVs might feel like shoving something down peoples' throats they aren't ready for, and consequently you get more pushback.

im just looking for a faster horse, not a slow model t.


anyway, vans. amirite?

 

[dubdaze68]

U-Haul and small businesses, conversion van concerns still need the Express and E-Series. U-haul would never be able to turn and burn trucks if charging was part of the process.

 

[AZGolf]

I wonder if this is related to GM pulling out of the deal with LG to build a 4th battery factory? If the van was last on the list to go electric and would have used capacity from the 4th battery plant (which was just cancelled) then they will need to plan on running the van with existing powertrains until whatever date they have the battery capacity to take care of it. 2026 is only 3 years away, so no way could they select a new battery vendor (and thus a different battery design) and have time to build the battery plant, finalize battery form factor design, and build the van design with GM's standard 4-5 year lead times.

 

[Mike!]

I wonder if this is related to GM pulling out of the deal with LG to build a 4th battery factory? If the van was last on the list to go electric and would have used capacity from the 4th battery plant (which was just cancelled) then they will need to plan on running the van with existing powertrains until whatever date they have the battery capacity to take care of it. 2026 is only 3 years away, so no way could they select a new battery vendor (and thus a different battery design) and have time to build the battery plant, finalize battery form factor design, and build the van design with GM's standard 4-5 year lead times.

Very good point. Limited battery production capacity is arguably the big constraint right now on rolling out more EV models.

 

[Air and water do mix]

I wonder if this is related to GM pulling out of the deal with LG to build a 4th battery factory? If the van was last on the list to go electric and would have used capacity from the 4th battery plant (which was just cancelled) then they will need to plan on running the van with existing powertrains until whatever date they have the battery capacity to take care of it. 2026 is only 3 years away, so no way could they select a new battery vendor (and thus a different battery design) and have time to build the battery plant, finalize battery form factor design, and build the van design with GM's standard 4-5 year lead times.

I hadn't put those two together yet, but that does make sense. At least it does on the surface. Maybe when they ran the numbers they realized they needed more gassers and fewer full electrics and LG said "that isn't enough". Dunno. It's something to ponder, though.