Today, General Motors (GM) Middle East has outlined its 2021 and beyond regional business and growth strategy, further reinforcing the Middle East as a critical piece of GM’s past, present and future in leading towards its current and future mobility goals.
GM continues to revolutionize the industry by changing the face of mobility, as the company drives towards its vision of Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion, while continuing to grow its Truck and SUVs franchises.
GM Middle East will be focused on two distinct strategic business pillars: growing and expanding its core business of delivering world-class cars, trucks and SUVs, while accelerating its future mobility agenda across electrification, autonomy and connectivity.
GM Middle East’s 2021 Future Mobility strategy is today headlined by the all-new, all electric Chevrolet Bolt EUV.
Through this ambidextrous approach to today and tomorrow’s mobility solutions, GM will drive its regional Enterprise Growth Strategy, reinforcing leadership in strategic truck and SUV segments, while innovating fearlessly to future-proof the business. With the introduction of world-class technologies such the diverse all-electric portfolio and by re-imagining the customer experience in and outside of the vehicle, GM aims to lead the automotive industry.
“We have been in this region for 90 years and plan to be leaders for the next 90 years to come,” said Luay Al Shurafa, President and Managing Director, General Motors Africa and Middle East. “GM is flexing its size, scale and expertise like never before, both globally and right here in the region. We already hold a winning position in our core business which has always been to build outstanding vehicles that resonate with our customers. The opportunity for us, as we look towards the future, is to translate this success into electric vehicles, too. With the reveal of the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, we are taking another step toward achieving this.”
“While we are focused on growing our core business, we are keenly building for the future. The Bolt EUV builds on other recent announcements including the GMC HUMMER EV Super Truck launching in the region next year, and that our pioneering connectivity and safety brand, OnStar, will launch here very soon – and be available across our Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands. This is game-changing technology,” said Al Shurafa.
The all-new, all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EUV confirmed for Middle East
In December 2020, GM announced a $27B investment in autonomous and electric vehicles as well as a plan to launch 30 new EVs globally by 2025. Just weeks later, GM delivers on that promise in the Middle East with the all-new Chevrolet Bolt EUV. The first all-electric SUV from Chevrolet, the Bolt EUV adds a new dynamic to the brand’s award-winning line-up, building on what customers loved about the Bolt EV but packaged with SUV-like proportions.
Propelled by the proven battery technology that has democratized electric vehicles, the Bolt EUV boasts a range of 402 KM1, meaning it only needs to be recharged about as often as a petrol car needs to re-fuel. The integration of these battery advancements demonstrates how the Bolt EUV and all future EVs from GM will be a viable everyday vehicle.
“As we celebrate our strong SUV line-up this year, we are delighted to welcome our first Electric Utility Vehicle to our regional portfolio,” said Kelly MacDonald, Chief Marketing Officer General Motors Africa and Middle East. “We continue to see high consumer demand for SUVs in the Middle East and as a pioneer in this space, the natural step for us was to bring an electric SUV to the region. GM is planning for an all-electric future and we want everybody in. With the all-new Chevrolet Bolt EUV, we have unlocked a new offering, ensuring we provide an EV suitable for all people and all lifestyles.”
The core offering will remain a priority throughout 2021
GM has a long and successful history of launching world-beating vehicles and will continue to invest in key performing sectors in 2021. Currently, in the compact SUV segment, GM holds spots in the top five across the three biggest markets – the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait – driven by key launches such as the Chevrolet Captiva which has broken records within GM, at 171% growth.
Already number one in Saudi Arabia in the full-size SUV segment, GM has bolstered its position regionwide with the launch of the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. Just 60 days after launch the sales figures are strong with demand for all three vehicles outstripping supply. Built with more regional feedback than ever before, including the decision to build the Z71 trim for the Chevrolet Tahoe and the AT4 trim for the GMC Yukon as standalone models, these full-size SUVs are attracting a younger demographic to the brands.
“We have demonstrated that we know how to win in this segment, and we are uniquely positioned to build on this success in 2021 with the strong portfolio we have across Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac,” said Sajed Sbeih, Managing Director for Commercial Operations Africa and Middle East. “Despite market headwinds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we maintain a strong commercial position and, in fact, have just celebrated our 2 millionth sale since 2000, a milestone we are particularly proud of. Fittingly, the 2 millionth sale was of the Chevrolet Captiva, one of our most successful SUVs in 2020. We will continue to listen to our customers and bring vehicles to market that suit their needs both for today, tomorrow and beyond.”
Re-imagining the in-vehicle customer experience
Over the last century, GM has been an innovator across the automotive industry, transforming how the world moved. By actively working across all key pillars of future mobility – autonomous, electric and connectivity – GM has the ambition, the talent and the technology to redefine mobility and solve societal challenges.
Building on the announcement of the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, GM also announced that its pioneering in-vehicle safety and security technology, OnStar, will launch in select GCC markets soon. Built into most Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac vehicles, GM is leading the way with the Connected Car, ensuring that customers are driving a vehicle that can protect them from danger and connect them to the world. Through quality and tech advancements backed by human interaction, OnStar subscribers will elevate their ownership experience and be able to plan for peace of mind, and for certainty.
Gary D. West, Managing Director, OnStar Middle East Operations and Future Mobility, General Motors Africa and Middle East said “The convergence of all-electric propulsion and cutting-edge in-vehicle connectivity, is a testament to how we are working to make our vision of a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion a reality, not just in the US but right here in the Middle East too. With over 20 years’ experience in delivering Connected Car Services, GM is re-imagining the customer experience both in-vehicle and out.”
With a clear directive for 2021, GM will continue to invest and grow their core petrol-powered offering while strengthening the foundations for the next wave of technology. As the industry faces a crucial inflection point, GM has the will, the skill and the scale to transform the face of mobility.
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