GM to End Production of Chevrolet Malibu Sedan, Shift Focus to Electric Bolt and XT4 in Kansas City Facility

General Motors (GM) has announced its decision to discontinue the production of its renowned Chevrolet Malibu sedan, effective from November 2024. This move follows GM’s plan to renovate the manufacturing facility in Kansas City, where the Malibu is currently being assembled, to manufacture the upcoming electric Chevrolet Bolt model instead. Additionally, GM will halt the production of the Cadillac XT4 after January 2025 at the same facility. GM intends to invest approximately $390 million in the Kansas City site to prepare it for producing the new Bolt, which is part of its broader initiative to adapt the facility. As GM has been phasing out automotive models in favour of building more crossovers and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in recent times, the Malibu becomes the sole Chevrolet car still available in the US market, beside the Corvette. In 2023 alone, GM sold over 130,300 Malibu units. Since the introduction of the Malibu in the 1960s, more than ten million individuals worldwide have purchased the vehicle. When production reconvenes in late 2025, the Kansas City site will commence producing both the electric Bolt EV and XT4 on the same assembly line, providing GM with greater flexibility to manage consumer demands. Last summer, the automaker announced its intentions to introduce a new edition of the Bolt, featuring various Ultium and Ultifi technological advancements. The original Bolt debuted seven years ago. This news comes amidst a trend in the US automobile sector, where traditional vehicles – i.e., automobiles that are not SUVs, trucks, or vans – account for less than 20% of sales, according to Cox Automotive.