Auto manufacturing giant, Magna International (MGA), has announced that it will expand its partnership with General Motors (GM) to supply battery enclosures for the new 2024 Chevy Silverado EV. The production of this vehicle is scheduled to begin later this year.
Magna, which was founded over 65 years ago, has a significant presence in the automotive industry, with 345 manufacturing facilities and 90 product development, engineering, and sales centers in 29 countries. As a major auto supplier, Magna produces a wide range of products for electric vehicles, including electric powertrains, driver assist functions, connectivity tech, and electric vehicles like the Jaguar I-Pace and Fisker Ocean SUV.
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Magna’s St Clair, Michigan facility currently produces EV battery enclosures for the GMC Hummer EV, and after investing $500 million in a 740,000 square-foot expansion, the facility is now ready to take on the production of enclosures for another GM electric vehicle. The Magna Electric Vehicle Structures facility, which opened in 2021, will be used to produce battery enclosures for the new 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV.
“The accelerating shift toward vehicle electrification opens up exciting growth opportunities for Magna beyond powertrain,” said John O’Hara, President of Magna’s body and chassis group. “We have been able to leverage our expertise to supply battery enclosures – a product for which we see strong potential going forward. We have our eye on the future and are proud to play such a critical role in GM’s next generation of electric trucks.”
General Motors has announced that the much-anticipated all-electric Chevrolet Silverado EV is finally going to start production this year. The automaker has been teasing the release of this “category-defining” truck for over a year now, and it is expected to hit the market with several variations at different price points.
See also: Everything You should know about Chevrolet Silverado EV specifications
Chevy has unveiled two models of the Silverado EV so far – the Work Truck (WT) and RST editions – with more variations to follow, including a Trail Boss edition that is expected to be a fan favorite. The first to hit the market will be the Silverado EV WT in the spring. Priced at $39,900 + $1,695 DFC (totalling $41,595), this vehicle is built on GM’s Ultium EV platform and will feature a 510 hp engine with an 8,000 lbs towing capacity. Optional features for the WT edition include up to 20,000 lbs, but this will not be available until 2025.
According to Chevy, future variants of the Silverado EV will cost around $50,000 to $80,000, and may come with additional features like Multi-Flex Midgate, panoramic sunroof, and Wide Open Watts Mode.
See also: The difference beetwen Chevrolet Silverado EV with Chevrolet Gas-Powered
GM is hopeful that the Silverado EV will compete with other electric trucks already in the market, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T, and the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck and RAM 1500 REV, as it aims to gain a bigger market share. With the production of the Silverado EV set to start soon, customers will soon be able to experience the impressive capabilities of this electric truck.
