The Chevrolet Express van has been unchanged since 1996. It may get a redesign in four years, but not a dramatic one.
The website GM Authority reports that “GM plans to overhaul the Chevy Express for the 2027 model year” and is likely to keep it as an internal combustion engine van. The next Express will reportedly ride on a revised platform. But GM has no current plans to make it electric or even hybrid.
We’ve reached out to GM for comment, but have not heard back.
An automaker can change plans dramatically in four years. So, we wouldn’t make any significant bets based on the report. But the move makes sense. The cargo van market changes incredibly slowly, but rivals have announced plans for major changes. A company that stays the course and offers a proven product will find buyers.
Ford has already opened orders for its lineup of E-Transit electric vans. Meanwhile, Ford and Ram have discontinued smaller van options in recent years. The compact cargo van is essentially dead in America for the foreseeable future.
But the Express soldiers on.
Fleet buyers look for predictability above all else. And many areas of the country will likely remain best accessed by gas-powered vehicles for many years as the country builds electric vehicle infrastructure. It may take many years before building contractors and delivery professionals in more remote parts of the country can depend on electricity to reach every customer.
So minimal changes to keep the Express relevant could be just the right formula.
GM won’t stay out of the electric van market. Its BrightDrop subsidiary builds the all-electric Zevo 600 van, already used by FedEx for some delivery routes.
