GM

Forget Holden versus Ford, there’s a new battle brewing between Chevrolet and Ram in the US pick-up market in Australia, with the announcement of the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss for Australia. After the runaway success of Ram Trucks – selling more than 8000 pick-ups since the brand was established locally – arch rival General Motors is about to shift into gear having set up shop as General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) in the wake of Holden’s demise.

The long-anticipated arrival of the Chevrolet Corvette to Australian shores is one step closer with a right-hand-drive (RHD) prototype spotted testing in Detroit. Originally earmarked to be a 'halo' model for Holden, the changing winds of time will now see the Corvette sold through the replacement HSV outfit, General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV). GMSV teased a RHD cockpit of the Corvette in September 2020, but this is the first time we've seen the car as a whole.

The Chevrolet Corvette will be fully-electric by 2035, dropping the petrol V8 engine which has powered the sports car since 1955. The revelation comes as parent company General Motors announced overnight its entire passenger car fleet would be battery-powered by the mid-2030s. While GM's all-electric push will exclude 'medium-' and 'heavy-duty' models within the Chevrolet and GMC pick-up range, it's understood the announcement includes future generations of the Corvette sports car.

General Motors will launch 30 all-new electric vehicle models by the end of the decade, with the Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick marques all confirmed to take part in the range expansion. The manufacturing conglomerate – which was, until last week, working with the Trump administration to roll back a spate of environmental protections in the United States – says it now intends to invest $27 billion into its zero-emission development program.

The all-electric 2021 Hummer EV has been officially launched by GMC, and the vehicle could be a game-changer. While it may not be planned for Australia at this stage, the Hummer EV marks a massive shift in one of the world’s biggest automotive segments by bringing pure electric power to a category traditionally dominated by petrol and diesel V8s. Available in both dual-cab pick-up or SUV configurations, GMC claims the flagship models will produce a mammoth 735kW and 2033Nm.