The companies are zeroing in at the heart of the U.S. auto market: The compact SUV.
The 2024 Chevrolet SS EV is shown in Warren, Mich., Tuesday, July 12, 2022. – In their first rollouts of electric vehicles, America's automakers targeted people who value short-range economy cars. Then came EVs for luxury buyers and drivers of pickups and delivery vans.
Some are so far proving quite popular. Ford’s $45,000-plus Mustang Mach E is sold out for the model year. On Monday night, General Motors’ Chevrolet brand introduced an electric version of its Blazer, also starting around $45,000, when it goes on sale next summer. The new models, which can get about 300 miles per electric charge, are aimed at the largest segment of the U.S. market: Modest-size SUVs, representing about 20% of new-vehicle sales. Industry experts say entering the smaller SUV segment, with its reach into a broader demographic of buyers, is sure to boost electric vehicle sales nationally.
Brinley noted that the small and midsize SUV segments meet many people’s needs, something that previous electric vehicles did not.“If it’s a price you can reach but it’s a product that you can’t put your kids and your dog in, you’re not going to buy it,” she said.