Chevrolet Astro.
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A new Ultium-based Chevrolet Astro minivan seems like it would be an obvious choice to expand Chevy‘s new EV lineup. The illustration above shows what such a beast could look like.
The original Chevrolet Astro was produced from 1985 to 2005. With a major facelift in 1995. It was of course GM’s answer to Chrysler‘s super popular first-generation Minivan. However, the Astro was based on a RWD platform with AWD as an option. The Astro was also sold as a GMC minivan called the Safari.
These were never as popular as the Chrysler minivans but with RWD and AWD options they did offer something quite different. They ended up getting quite a following after their production run. They also had a classic square look that still looks fine today, after all these years.
As expected, they were quite popular at first, with over 125,000 units sold in 1996. However, that came down to around 19,000 in 2005. That same year, Chrysler was still selling over 180,000 units of the Town & Country minivan.
As we know, Minivans aren’t as popular as they used to be. But it’s good to see VW trying hard with the new ID. Buzz. (Although they really messed up with pricing and range). And even Toyota is working on the new Previa. GM already has an EV platform they can use. They’ve already shown they can get a much better range in their larger EVs than VW can dream of. (I’m also pretty sure they could do better than a $61,000 base price).
An EV minivan would also be quite popular in the Chinese market these days. But I am pretty sure a new road trip/camper-friendly American minivan could find an audience in North America.
The minivan segment is a tough one to survive in. It has to be decently luxurious, but have tons of gadgets for every coked-out Starbucks soccer mom needing her latest BS amenity fix. GM could own this segment if they design it well AND include gasoline range extension capability. Range for trips, long and short, is MORE important in a minivan full of screaming kids. So I’m thinking a stellar hybrid is best. Afterall, gas prices have and will only continue to go up under New-Hitler. You didn’t think he actually meant to keep any of his promises, did you?