• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

The new EV will be a smaller sibling to Chevrolet’s BrightDrop vans, above.

General Motors and Hyundai are detailing their plans for co-developed vehicles. 

The two automakers announced plans in September to collaborate on new vehicles, supply chains and technologies in a bid to cut costs and move faster.

Hyundai and GM will co-develop an electric commercial van for North America. It will be a smaller sibling to Chevrolet’s BrightDrop vans.

It will be manufactured in the U.S. as early as 2028 and will compete with the Ford E-Transit, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, Ram ProMaster EV and Rivian EDV.

(For example, the Rivian electric Amazon van is a custom-designed vehicle built for Amazon's delivery fleet. Amazon invested in Rivian and ordered 100,000 of these vans, aiming to convert its entire delivery fleet to renewable energy by 2030. Rivian is now also selling these vans to other commercial fleets.)

Hyundai and GM will also co-develop four vehicles for the Central and South American market, including a compact SUV, car and pick-up, as well as a mid-size pick-up, all with the flexibility to use either internal combustion or hybrid propulsion systems.

The two companies expect to sell more than 800,000 co-developed vehicles a year once production is fully scaled.

GM will lead the development of the mid-size truck platform, while Hyundai will lead on the compact vehicle and electric van. The two companies will share common platforms and develop unique interiors and exteriors consistent with their respective brands.

The two companies also plan joint sourcing initiatives in North and South America for materials, transport, and logistics. Further areas for potential joint operations include raw materials, components, and complex systems.

When GM CEO Mary Barra signed the agreement with Hyundai a year ago, she said: “GM and Hyundai have complementary strengths and talented teams. Our goal is to unlock the scale and creativity of both companies to deliver even more competitive vehicles to customers faster and more efficiently.”

Hyundai and GM also agreed to explore collaboration on low-carbon emissions steel as part of their commitment to sustainable manufacturing.