General Motors and PSA Group jointly surprised the market, media as well as Opel senior management when both automakers verified a possible acquisition of the Opel/Vauxhall brands by PSA remained in play.
However, Opel CEO, Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, has been preparing a monumental shift at the blitz brand for some time. A new report states Neumann has actually been hard at work developing a strategy to turn Opel into a totally electrified automaker in Europe.
The strategy has supposedly been in development for months to make sure Opel’s survival in the market. The strategies were most likely pertaining to a tipping point, too, with General Motors’ board set up to vote on the matter in May this year. Opel would use the architecture underpinning the Chevrolet Bolt EV to most likely develop a multitude of battery electric vehicles.
Gasoline powered lorries would be phased out by 2030 and the division would be divided into an “old” and “new” Opel until then.
Although top Opel management was surprised to discover of the brand’s possible sale to PSA Group, and the report specifies only Neumann himself may have learnt about the discussions prior to the French and U.S. car manufacturers confirming the conversations.
Amidst the reports, the possible merger and sales talk asks much more questions than it responds to. Though, it might open a door once again for Chevrolet to finally end up being GM’s worldwide brand.
