HSV plans to electrify

HSV has confirmed an electric vehicle is on its agenda and the most likely target would be one of the many EVs General Motors has under development including a full-size truck or SUV.

This is public confirmation of a change of direction for HSV, which previously talked about using electric boosting for orthodox vehicles.

HSV already converts – or remanufactures as it likes to term it – the Chevrolet Camaro V8 coupe and heavy-duty Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks at Walkinshaw Park in Melbourne.

The Walkinshaw Group, the parent of HSV, also converts RAM trucks to right-hand drive for American Special Vehicles.

“When we look at electric the most likely first foray into that space is going to be a left-to-right [conversion],” confirmed Walkinshaw Group and HSV managing director Tim Jackson.

“To bring an existing vehicle that’s not available in right-hand drive into the market is more likely … than trying to change something from one to thing to another.”

General Motors has announced ambitious EV expansion plans, declaring it wants 20 EVs on-sale by 2023.

It recently confirmed plans for an electrified heavy-duty pick-up and will have a Cadillac SUV EV on-sale in 2022.

Both of these models are logical for HSV to scrutinise as it needs to go to the more expensive end of the market so it can make a profit after ‘remanufacturing’ costs are taken into account.

In other words, don’t expect HSV to be converting any entry-level EVs like the Chevrolet Bolt or its EUV SUV spin-off any time soon.

Jackson didn’t put any time frame on the arrival of an HSV EV, or even that a vehicle had been selected to tackle the project with.

“If we do it and when we do it and however that might look, if I was a betting man I’d say it’s most likely going to be a … a pre-existing vehicle where we say ‘hey there’s an opportunity in the Australian marketplace for a vehicle of that calibre of performance or nature … rather than changing something from petrol to electric and have to manage the supply chain to do that. That is going to be very, very complex.”

Jackson admitted the group’s own development of electric powertrains had been constrained by the amount of activity happening in the sector globally.

“Part of the handbrake – among other things – is that whole supply base is getting ready for the absolute tsunami growth in their own supply chains.

“The OEs (car manufacturers) are driving that, suppliers are driving that. Their ability to take some air time and go ‘can we help you [Walkinshaw Group] with this niche program’ is just not there.”