A Chevy Malibu EV Sedan?
This past decade, we’ve seen a significant surge in the popularity of SUVs and crossovers, ultimately leading to the slow downfall of Chevrolet’s previous fan-favorite, the Malibu sedan. For the past few years, this mid-sizer has been showing its age regarding its gradual fade into obscurity. However, all hope is not lost because there is the future of the Malibu car; according to General Motors president Mark Reuss, the automaker will have another electric revamp. During a recent Investor Day presentation in China, Reuss revealed that Chevrolet is toling with a “low-roof” EV that will have sedan-like proportions.
The upcoming electric sedan has just moved into the early stages of development. Still, according to Reuss, the design is quite “dramatic,” saying that the EV will take up the same mid-size segment as the current-gen Malibu. This possible successor has already been approved for the Chinese market, as sedans are still a hot commodity there, but the company may eventually offer this car in North America. Reuss seemed to entertain the thought of the EV’s availability in the U.S., saying at the function, “… we’ll see the desirability as we clinic this.”
Chevrolet recently introduced an electric sedan concept in China dubbed the FNR-XE. Its design gives us a taste of the EV that Reuss suggested. On top of this, the concept is derived from the Ultium battery platform. The overall shape resembles the Honda e:N2 concept, which was revealed for China last month. Honda and GM are already joining forces for the electric crossovers, with the Chevy Blazer EV and Honda Prologue acting as bunkmates for the same platform.
GM introduced four new EV models derived from the platform, but the other three that have been introduced include the Cadillac Lyriq, GMC Hummer EV, and the Buick Electra-X.
GM said at the function:
“From fuel to electric, from horsepower to computing power, new technology has become a new engine to drive the upgrading of automobile products and promote the leapfrog development of the automobile industry.”
The Malibu’s possible fully-electrified successor will be introduced to the Chinese market toward the end of 2024. Therefore, if GM decided to bring it to the U.S., it likely wouldn’t begin until at least 2025.
While various customers have been captivated by SUVs in recent years, the Malibu sedan still represents a good chunk of Chevy’s sales. After seeing a significant decline in 2021, specifically a drop of 102,651 units in 2020 to just 39,376 units, the Malibu bounced back this year, with nearly 80,000 units sold through the third quarter.
While there is still a market for sedans in North America, an electric version of the Malibu may be what the company needs to bring a full-on resurgence to the car, especially as we shy away from gas-powered vehicles.
Miami Lakes Chevy
When the time comes for you to purchase the production version of the Malibu EV or any other vehicle from Chevrolet, be sure to do it at Miami Lakes Automall. We sell a wide variety of cars from the brand that ranges in several shapes and sizes.
Simply view our new car inventory online to see what we offer. Once you find something that suits your interest, chat with one of our representatives for more information.
Photo Source/Copyright: General Motors