Latest news with #EscaladeiQ
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why GM is Investing Almost $1 Billion in Combustion Engines While Others Go Electric
Why GM is Investing Almost $1 Billion in Combustion Engines While Others Go Electric originally appeared on Autoblog. GM's been resolute, for the most part, on electrification. With the Silverado EV released and a mix of electric SUVs across the Chevy and Cadillac brands (Escalade iQ and Lyriq, Chevy Equinox and Blazer EV), the brand has committed harder than any other American automaker. That's not to say the automaker's commitment to internal combustion is gone, though. Tonawanda Propulsion, a GM-owned plant covering 190 acres and comprising three separate facilities, has received nearly $900 million in funding, securing over 850 jobs and production of GM's sixth-generation V8 engine. View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The investment is important to a lot of people. 'This investment marks an exciting new chapter for our plant,' said Tara Wasik, the plant's director. "This is a testament to the hard work of the membership of Local 774,' said Raymond Jensen Jr. in an interview with local news. 'It's extremely important to the community, to the surrounding areas, and to New York State itself." The impressive sum of $888 million will go towards new machinery, equipment, tools, and renovations as part of the more than $1.5 billion GM has invested in New York State in the last 15 years. It's also hardly the first time in recent memory that GM has extended the V8's lifespan. In 2023, GM invested $579 million in its Flint, Michigan production site. There, too, V8 production will continue to chug along. View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article However, it doesn't account for the $300 million commitment made two years ago in union negotiations to produce electric vehicles, specifically at Tonawanda. And it's not the first area where GM has had to pump the brakes on EV endorsements. The company has sold off its stake in a battery production facility to its partner, LG Energy. In other areas, GM has pushed back against California's 2035 plan to eliminate sales of gas-only vehicles, which is now, by the way, completely dead. On the other hand, GM pushed into the number two spot for April EV sales, capturing nearly 15% of EV sales. Getting mixed signals? Us too, but we blame the current political and economic climate, not necessarily GM. Outfitting the plant for V8 production is important for CEO Mary Barra, too. 'Our significant investments in GM's Tonawanda Propulsion plant show our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S.,' she said in a press release. She further emphasized the plant's importance to the brand, citing its 87 years of operation. The plant will finish production of GM's fifth-gen V8 before commencing work on the sixth-gen product. This $888 million investment marks the largest single investment GM has ever made in an engine-producing facility. The fact that it happens to make V8s is almost irrelevant; it implies the combustion engine at large still has several decades of work ahead of it. GM isn't faring poorly in the EV arena, either, so unlike other automakers that have rekindled V8 production, this isn't a crutch. GM's going where the money is, and that's just good business. Why GM is Investing Almost $1 Billion in Combustion Engines While Others Go Electric first appeared on Autoblog on May 29, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on May 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Why GM is Investing Almost $1 Billion in Combustion Engines While Others Go Electric
GM's been resolute, for the most part, on electrification. With the Silverado EV released and a mix of electric SUVs across the Chevy and Cadillac brands (Escalade iQ and Lyriq, Chevy Equinox and Blazer EV), the brand has committed harder than any other American automaker. That's not to say the automaker's commitment to internal combustion is gone, though. Tonawanda Propulsion, a GM-owned plant covering 190 acres and comprising three separate facilities, has received nearly $900 million in funding, securing over 850 jobs and production of GM's sixth-generation V8 engine. The investment is important to a lot of people. "This investment marks an exciting new chapter for our plant," said Tara Wasik, the plant's director. "This is a testament to the hard work of the membership of Local 774," said Raymond Jensen Jr. in an interview with local news. "It's extremely important to the community, to the surrounding areas, and to New York State itself." The impressive sum of $888 million will go towards new machinery, equipment, tools, and renovations as part of the more than $1.5 billion GM has invested in New York State in the last 15 years. It's also hardly the first time in recent memory that GM has extended the V8's lifespan. In 2023, GM invested $579 million in its Flint, Michigan production site. There, too, V8 production will continue to chug along. However, it doesn't account for the $300 million commitment made two years ago in union negotiations to produce electric vehicles, specifically at Tonawanda. And it's not the first area where GM has had to pump the brakes on EV endorsements. The company has sold off its stake in a battery production facility to its partner, LG Energy. In other areas, GM has pushed back against California's 2035 plan to eliminate sales of gas-only vehicles, which is now, by the way, completely dead. On the other hand, GM pushed into the number two spot for April EV sales, capturing nearly 15% of EV sales. Getting mixed signals? Us too, but we blame the current political and economic climate, not necessarily GM. Outfitting the plant for V8 production is important for CEO Mary Barra, too. "Our significant investments in GM's Tonawanda Propulsion plant show our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S.," she said in a press release. She further emphasized the plant's importance to the brand, citing its 87 years of operation. The plant will finish production of GM's fifth-gen V8 before commencing work on the sixth-gen product. This $888 million investment marks the largest single investment GM has ever made in an engine-producing facility. The fact that it happens to make V8s is almost irrelevant; it implies the combustion engine at large still has several decades of work ahead of it. GM isn't faring poorly in the EV arena, either, so unlike other automakers that have rekindled V8 production, this isn't a crutch. GM's going where the money is, and that's just good business. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Perth Now
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Why the Cadillac Escalade won't come to Australia
The Cadillac Escalade won't be released in Australia, as parent company General Motors instead doubles down on an electric-only model lineup for its luxury marque locally. In lieu of the combustion-powered extra-large SUV, GM Specialty Vehicles is launching the related GMC Yukon Denali, while it says it's still weighing the hefty electric Escalade iQ for our market. 'When you look at the Cadillac Escalade… we do already have a vehicle off that platform [and] we have announced that Cadillac will be an EV brand only, so that wouldn't mean that we would move forward with the current Escalade, being an ICE product,' said GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Escalade Credit: CarExpert While it isn't bringing the Escalade to our market, GM is effectively selling the next most premium full-size, combustion-powered SUV it produces. It's bringing the Yukon, GMC's restyled version of the Chevrolet Tahoe, here in Denali trim with various option boxes ticked – though technically there's an even fancier version of the Yukon overseas, the Denali Ultimate, which adds extra accoutrements like massaging front seats. The Yukon Denali is powered by the same 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 found under the bonnet of the Escalade, and offers a raft of high-end features such as adaptive air suspension and Magnetic Ride Control. It's built in left-hand drive in the US, but converted locally to right-hand drive (RHD) – the same arrangement a combustion-powered Escalade would have to have, given it's not manufactured in RHD in the factory. But while GM has confirmed it has closed the door on the combustion-powered Escalade, it's keeping it open for the electric Escalade iQ. Escalade iQ Credit: CarExpert The battery-powered body-on-frame SUV is far from a certainty for our market, however, with a number of obstacles that could prevent it from ever seeing a local showroom. 'IQ we will keep assessing, but right now our priority is the vehicles that we've announced,' said Ms Bala. 'We have said openly we'll keep analysing the iQ and where that fits and what could that be for us. Right now there are no plans. There are some complexities that come with that vehicle. 'That architecture doesn't have right-hand drive on it so we'd have to convert it here, plus there are some things we'd have to work through around the screen and how we do that for right-hand drive with software and things like that. Escalade iQL Credit: CarExpert 'Plus, when you look at what we're bringing in with Cadillac right now, having already got Lyriq on sale and we're delivering as of this month, adding in Optiq, Vistiq, Lyriq-V as well, we think that those vehicles are the bigger priority for our market. 'That's four cars… that we're doing in very quick succession, and we want to be able to launch and introduce them to the best of our ability and focus on the ones that we think have the greatest opportunity for our market.' The Escalade iQ and its extended iQL sibling – which is longer and wider than even the stretched, combustion-powered Escalade ESV – use an enormous 205kWh nickel manganese cobalt aluminium (NCMA) lithium-ion battery. These feature a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with outputs of up to 560kW of power and 1064Nm of torque in Velocity Max mode, with upwards of 724km of claimed range. MORE: Cadillac reveals its biggest, burliest EV yet
West Australian
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Why the Cadillac Escalade won't come to Australia
The Cadillac Escalade won't be released in Australia, as parent company General Motors instead doubles down on an electric-only model lineup for its luxury marque locally. In lieu of the combustion-powered extra-large SUV, GM Specialty Vehicles is launching the related GMC Yukon Denali , while it says it's still weighing the hefty electric Escalade iQ for our market. 'When you look at the Cadillac Escalade… we do already have a vehicle off that platform [and] we have announced that Cadillac will be an EV brand only, so that wouldn't mean that we would move forward with the current Escalade, being an ICE product,' said GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now . While it isn't bringing the Escalade to our market, GM is effectively selling the next most premium full-size, combustion-powered SUV it produces. It's bringing the Yukon, GMC's restyled version of the Chevrolet Tahoe, here in Denali trim with various option boxes ticked – though technically there's an even fancier version of the Yukon overseas, the Denali Ultimate, which adds extra accoutrements like massaging front seats. The Yukon Denali is powered by the same 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 found under the bonnet of the Escalade, and offers a raft of high-end features such as adaptive air suspension and Magnetic Ride Control. It's built in left-hand drive in the US, but converted locally to right-hand drive (RHD) – the same arrangement a combustion-powered Escalade would have to have, given it's not manufactured in RHD in the factory. But while GM has confirmed it has closed the door on the combustion-powered Escalade, it's keeping it open for the electric Escalade iQ. The battery-powered body-on-frame SUV is far from a certainty for our market, however, with a number of obstacles that could prevent it from ever seeing a local showroom. 'IQ we will keep assessing, but right now our priority is the vehicles that we've announced,' said Ms Bala. 'We have said openly we'll keep analysing the iQ and where that fits and what could that be for us. Right now there are no plans. There are some complexities that come with that vehicle. 'That architecture doesn't have right-hand drive on it so we'd have to convert it here, plus there are some things we'd have to work through around the screen and how we do that for right-hand drive with software and things like that. 'Plus, when you look at what we're bringing in with Cadillac right now, having already got Lyriq on sale and we're delivering as of this month, adding in Optiq, Vistiq, Lyriq-V as well, we think that those vehicles are the bigger priority for our market. 'That's four cars… that we're doing in very quick succession, and we want to be able to launch and introduce them to the best of our ability and focus on the ones that we think have the greatest opportunity for our market.' The Escalade iQ and its extended iQL sibling – which is longer and wider than even the stretched, combustion-powered Escalade ESV – use an enormous 205kWh nickel manganese cobalt aluminium (NCMA) lithium-ion battery. These feature a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with outputs of up to 560kW of power and 1064Nm of torque in Velocity Max mode, with upwards of 724km of claimed range. MORE: Cadillac reveals its biggest, burliest EV yet
7NEWS
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Why the Cadillac Escalade won't come to Australia
The Cadillac Escalade won't be released in Australia, as parent company General Motors instead doubles down on an electric-only model lineup for its luxury marque locally. In lieu of the combustion-powered extra-large SUV, GM Specialty Vehicles is launching the related GMC Yukon Denali, while it says it's still weighing the hefty electric Escalade iQ for our market. 'When you look at the Cadillac Escalade… we do already have a vehicle off that platform [and] we have announced that Cadillac will be an EV brand only, so that wouldn't mean that we would move forward with the current Escalade, being an ICE product,' said GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. While it isn't bringing the Escalade to our market, GM is effectively selling the next most premium full-size, combustion-powered SUV it produces. It's bringing the Yukon, GMC's restyled version of the Chevrolet Tahoe, here in Denali trim with various option boxes ticked – though technically there's an even fancier version of the Yukon overseas, the Denali Ultimate, which adds extra accoutrements like massaging front seats. The Yukon Denali is powered by the same 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 found under the bonnet of the Escalade, and offers a raft of high-end features such as adaptive air suspension and Magnetic Ride Control. It's built in left-hand drive in the US, but converted locally to right-hand drive (RHD) – the same arrangement a combustion-powered Escalade would have to have, given it's not manufactured in RHD in the factory. But while GM has confirmed it has closed the door on the combustion-powered Escalade, it's keeping it open for the electric Escalade iQ. The battery-powered body-on-frame SUV is far from a certainty for our market, however, with a number of obstacles that could prevent it from ever seeing a local showroom. 'IQ we will keep assessing, but right now our priority is the vehicles that we've announced,' said Ms Bala. 'We have said openly we'll keep analysing the iQ and where that fits and what could that be for us. Right now there are no plans. There are some complexities that come with that vehicle. 'That architecture doesn't have right-hand drive on it so we'd have to convert it here, plus there are some things we'd have to work through around the screen and how we do that for right-hand drive with software and things like that. 'Plus, when you look at what we're bringing in with Cadillac right now, having already got Lyriq on sale and we're delivering as of this month, adding in Optiq, Vistiq, Lyriq-V as well, we think that those vehicles are the bigger priority for our market. 'That's four cars… that we're doing in very quick succession, and we want to be able to launch and introduce them to the best of our ability and focus on the ones that we think have the greatest opportunity for our market.' The Escalade iQ and its extended iQL sibling – which is longer and wider than even the stretched, combustion-powered Escalade ESV – use an enormous 205kWh nickel manganese cobalt aluminium (NCMA) lithium-ion battery. These feature a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with outputs of up to 560kW of power and 1064Nm of torque in Velocity Max mode, with upwards of 724km of claimed range.
