On May 8, General Motors announced that it would stop making the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Malibu later this year to focus on building new electric cars.
GM is demonstrating its commitment to the transition of EVs with a substantial financial investment. For example, the company is set to spend $390 million on its Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas, a move that will lead to the official halt of Malibu production in November 2024.
In recent years, GM has shifted its focus from producing sedans to producing more crossovers and sport utility vehicles. Besides the Corvette, the Malibu is the only Chevrolet vehicle still available in the U.S.
Moreover, GM’s production strategy extends beyond the Chevrolet Malibu. The automaker also announced the discontinuation of the Cadillac XT4 production in Kansas after January 2025. This decision will result in job losses on the production line until late 2025, when both the Bolt EV and XT4 will resume production on the same assembly line.
Despite Malibu’s historically proven durability, GM’s recent difficulties in introducing its new Ultium platform make the change somewhat surprising. In February, the company announced that it would reintroduce plug-in hybrid cars to the North American market after failing to achieve its target of selling 400,000 EVs between 2022 and mid-2024.
