Collaboration Between General Motors and Hyundai Leads to Introduction of Five New Automobiles
General Motors (GM) and Hyundai Motor Company have announced a collaboration to co-develop five vehicles, including an electric commercial van targeted for the North American market. The partnership, which began in September 2024, formalised its plans in August 2025 [1][2][3].
The lineup includes four vehicles for the Central and South American markets—a compact SUV, car, compact pickup, and mid-size pickup—and the electric commercial van for North America. While sharing common platforms, both companies will create distinct brand-specific interior and exterior designs. The Central and South American vehicles are scheduled to launch in 2028, alongside the electric van production [1][2][3].
Hyundai will oversee the development of the compact car and electric van, while GM will lead the development of the mid-size truck. This collaboration aims to provide customers with beautifully designed, high-quality, safety-focused vehicles with appreciated technology, as stated by Hyundai Motor Company's president and CEO, José Muñoz [3].
Shilpan Amin, GM senior vice president and global chief procurement and supply chain officer, mentioned that the partnership will bring more choice to customers faster, and at lower cost [3]. For Hyundai, this electric commercial van will mark a rare foray into the North American commercial-vehicles market.
The electric van is expected to be manufactured in the U.S. as early as 2028. This move comes at a time when the segment of electric commercial vans hasn't been bountiful for any player, in particular for GM, whose BrightDrop van has faced high supply and low demand, causing production delays and a shift from two shifts to one at the Ingersoll, ON, Canada, plant assembling the van [4].
With this partnership, both companies aim to sell more than 800,000 of the new vehicles each year once production is fully scaled [3]. This collaboration is part of a broader strategic partnership covering multiple propulsion systems, including internal combustion, hybrid, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies [2].
It's worth noting that the U.S. commercial sector is currently dominated by Ford, which retails electric commercial vans, along with GM and electric startup Rivian [5]. The partnership between GM and Hyundai is expected to deliver value and choice to customers across multiple vehicle segments and markets.
References:
[1] Hyundai-GM Collaboration Announced. (2025, August 1). Retrieved from https://www.hyundaiusa.com/news/press-releases/hyundai-gm-collaboration-announced
[2] General Motors and Hyundai Motor to Collaborate on Future Vehicles. (2025, August 1). Retrieved from https://www.gm.com/news/general-motors-and-hyundai-motor-to-collaborate-on-future-vehicles
[3] GM and Hyundai to Co-develop Electric Commercial Van for North America. (2025, August 1). Retrieved from https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1133875_gm-and-hyundai-to-co-develop-electric-commercial-van-for-north-america
[4] BrightDrop Production Delays and Shift Changes. (2023, March 1). Retrieved from https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2023/03/01/brightdrop-production-delays-and-shift-changes/68360285007/
[5] U.S. Commercial Sector Market Share. (2023, June 1). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1122379/us-commercial-vehicle-market-share-by-brand/
- The partnership between General Motors (GM) and Hyundai Motor Company aims to deliver value and choice to customers across multiple vehicle segments and markets, expanding beyond the automotive industry into segments such as electric-vehicles and commercial vehicles.
- Shilpan Amin, GM's senior vice president and global chief procurement and supply chain officer, believes the collaboration will bring more choice to customers faster, and at lower cost, particularly in areas like electric-vehicles and commercial vans.
- For Hyundai, the electric commercial van development is a rare foray into the North American commercial-vehicles market, marking an expansion of their supply chain into previously uncharted territories.
- Despite the challenges faced by General Motors' BrightDrop electric commercial van, such as high supply and low demand, the company is moving forward with the production of a new electric commercial van in partnership with Hyundai, scheduled to launch in 2028 and manufactured in the U.S.
