DETROIT – Normal Motors plans to cease manufacturing of its electrical Chevrolet Bolt fashions by the top of this yr, CEO Mary Barra instructed buyers Tuesday when discussing the corporate’s first-quarter earnings.

The Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, a bigger model of the automotive, make up the overwhelming majority of the corporate’s electrical car gross sales so far. Nonetheless, the battery cells within the vehicles are an older design and chemistry than the automaker’s newer electrical automobiles such because the GMC Hummer and Cadillac Lyriq, which make the most of GM’s Ultium structure.

Barra stated a suburban Detroit plant that has produced Chevy Bolts since 2016 will likely be retooled in preparation for manufacturing of electrical Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles scheduled for subsequent yr.

There’s irony within the timing of the Bolt getting axed. It comes amid report manufacturing and gross sales of the car for mass-market customers, which was GM’s preliminary aim.

The corporate plans to provide greater than 70,000 Bolt fashions this yr, because it targets to promote over 400,000 EVs from early 2022 by means of mid-next yr in North America.

GM pushed the Bolt out forward of the Tesla Mannequin 3 in 2016. The 2 have been thought-about to be the primary long-range EVs designed for mainstream drivers, beginning at round $35,000.

However Bolt gross sales by no means caught on in addition to many executives hoped, as EV gross sales total remained minuscule outdoors of Tesla. The Bolt additionally suffered a serious setback extra just lately, as GM recalled all the Bolts ever produced as a consequence of a supplier-related battery situation that brought on a number of fires.

“When the Chevrolet Bolt EV launched, it was an enormous technical achievement and the primary reasonably priced EV, which set in movement GM’s all-electric future,” Chevy spokesman Cody Williams stated in an announcement. “Chevrolet will launch a number of new EVs later this yr primarily based on the Ultium platform in key segments, together with the Silverado EV, Blazer EV and Equinox EV. “

GM expects to launch its upcoming EVs far sooner than it has its high-end Hummer fashions and Cadillac Lyriq, which have been rolling out at a snail’s tempo in contrast with its conventional automobiles.

Barra stated when the Orion, Michigan, plant, which at the moment produces the Bolts, reopens and reaches full manufacturing, employment will practically triple, and the corporate may have capability to construct 600,000 electrical vehicles yearly.

GM has set a goal to succeed in manufacturing capability of 1 million EVs yearly within the U.S. and in China, every, because it makes an attempt to catch as much as trade chief Tesla.

The Bolt fashions, beginning beneath $30,000, are the least costly new electrical automobiles on sale within the U.S. GM’s upcoming Equinox EV is predicted to have an analogous beginning value when it arrives this fall.