GM came out swinging in the electric vehicle fight with the Ultium platform, promising to use the new architecture to make a great leap forward towards an all-EV future. However, that rollout has not gone as smoothly as anticipated. EV demand has been tapering off in recent months, prompting many analysts and enthusiasts to predict the end of the electric vehicle trend. And reportedly, GM may be changing tack to hybrids in the truck segment — after pushing hard to electric pickups.
Here’s what we know so far.
GM is reportedly fast-tracking plug-in hybrid pickup trucks
According to an Autoweek report, GM has begun a “crash program” to get Silverado and Sierra plug-in hybrids to market. These would be the first PHEVs in the full-size segment. The Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra employ conventional hybrids.
Ram’s 1500 Ramcharger — by Stellantis’s measure — is an electric truck, not a PHEV, as only the electric motors power the wheels. Ford has been developing a PHEV for the Ranger, which has not been confirmed for the American market.
Autoweek says a planned GM Ultium van for 2026 and a Maverick-sized EV pickup truck have both been canceled.

It’s not immediately clear where GM’s PHEV technology would come from
GM once had a leg up on hybrid technology. Chevy debuted the Volt, a 50-plus mile EV range PHEV, back in 2011. Chevy also had a hybrid Tahoe in the lineup back in the 2000s. But those development platforms were nipped in the bud. The only hybrid GM currently sells in America is the Corvette E-Ray, which is not a plug-in and costs more than $100,000.
As Car and Driver notes, GM has PHEV technology in other markets. But it seems a long way from the Buick Velite 6’s 1.5-liter PHEV with 181 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque to a viable full-size truck engine.
Does this mean electric trucks are dead?
No. Unlike the PHEV trucks, GM’s electric trucks currently exist; the Silverado EV is heading to non-fleet customers this summer. And GM has not scaled back its public pledge to be 100 percent electric by 2035.
As for the haters — well, pundits predicting the inevitable demise of electric vehicles may be doing just as much wish-casting as early EV adopters who were championing their immediate and inevitable uptake.

Chevrolet Silverado EV
Pros
- Ample range and performance
Cons
- Initial RST trim costs more than $100,000