BrightDrop production paused due to slow demand – it’s still the best EV deal going

A Unifor union rep on the Ontario manufacturing facility the place GM builds the all electrical Chevy BrightDrop van is briefly halting manufacturing of the business EV because of sluggish gross sales – however with huge reductions, Costco member packages, and state and utility incentives driving prices nicely beneath its diesel opponents, it’d nonetheless be the perfect EV deal you may get.

Donald Trump’s deliberate automotive tariffs could have been placed on maintain, however the uncertainty they triggered simply from being threatened has triggered waves of harm throughout a dozen industries – and that’s inflicting corporations like GM to count on extra ache within the close to time period.

To that finish, GM says it’s making, “operational and employment changes to stability stock and align manufacturing schedules with present demand,” on the CAMI Meeting plant in Ontario, Canada, the place it makes BrightDrop vans. The layoffs will start on April 14, in response to the union, when manufacturing will briefly stop till October 2025.

In the course of the downtime, GM says it plans to retool the plant to organize for manufacturing of the (presumably up to date) 2026 mannequin 12 months BrightDrop vans.

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“(The manufacturing pause is) a crushing blow to lots of of working households in Ingersoll and the encompassing area who rely upon this plant,” mentioned Unifor Nationwide President, Lana Payne, in a press release. “Basic Motors should do every thing in its energy to mitigate job loss throughout this downturn, and all ranges of presidency should step as much as assist Canadian auto employees and Canadian-made merchandise.”

GM reported gross sales of simply 274 BrightDrop vans within the first quarter of 2025. That’s up about 7% from the 256 bought in Q1 of 2024 – however nonetheless actually. Positively. Not. Rather a lot.

When manufacturing resumes in October, the plant will function on a single shift, which can end in lowered manufacturing fee for GM’s business vans and the indefinite layoff of practically 500 union manufacturing facility employees, in response to Unifor.

Electrek’s Take

We’ve coated the $30,000-plus reductions presently accessible for Chevy BrightDrop prospects. These reductions are already sufficient to take the $84,235 BrightDrop 400 eAWD EV all the best way all the way down to $52,985 – and that’s earlier than utility incentives like ComEd’s business EV rebates (which the Chevy van qualifies for) can deliver it down even additional.

ComEd is providing as much as $30,000 in rebates (per automobile) should you snap up the Class 3/11,000 GVWR model … which means Chicago space fleets can electrify their supply operations for a lot, a lot lower than they in all probability assume.

Examine your state and native rebates at this hyperlink to see what a BrightDrop may cost a little you in your state, then tell us should you can consider a greater EV deal within the feedback.

SOURCE: Unifor; by way of Reuters.