Automakers and brands, from mass market to luxury to exotic, grappled with slowing electric vehicle adoption in 2024, prompting program delays and suspensions that are already spilling over into 2025.
Some brands walked back ambitious EV product targets set years ago. Others altered EV production schedules in the near term. Donald Trump’s reelection in November’s U.S. presidential election has also created political and policy headwinds. His transition team reportedly wants to eliminate the $7,500 federal tax credit used to spur EV demand.
Trump’s transition team is also recommending sweeping changes to cut off support for EVs and charging stations and to strengthen measures blocking cars, components and battery materials from China, Reuters has reported.
For some of the world’s biggest suppliers, the change in EV timing will weigh heavily on future earnings as they make fewer parts for EVs than they were banking on.
Here is a collection of EV product delays and pauses, as well as production-related delays that were announced in 2024 and 2025.
The U.K. automaker has pushed back the debut of its first battery-electric vehicle to 2026 from 2025 because of a lack of consumer demand. Aston Martin, which announced the delay in early 2024, is using EV technology from Lucid Motors for several planned battery-electric vehicles.
The British ultraluxury brand launched a strategic plan in 2020 named Beyond 100, which called for a rush of new EVs and to go all-electric by 2030. But Bentley in November 2024 pivoted and rebranded the plan Beyond 100+, which now calls to go all-electric in 2035. Bentley’s first EV will be what it calls a “luxury urban” SUV and will be unveiled in 2026, with sales starting in 2027. Bentley first planned to launch its first EV in 2025 followed by four other electric models spaced a year apart before going all-electric by 2030.
Ford Motor Co. in August cancelled long-planned three-row electric crossovers and delayed its next-generation full-size electric pickup by 18 months. The launch of the pickup, codenamed “T3,” was pushed back by more than a year to late 2027. While vehicle output has been delayed, Ford said a battery plant at its Blue Oval City complex in Tennessee remains on track to begin producing cells in 2025.
General Motors in early December said it no longer needed four U.S. battery plants to support EV output and will sell its stake in one of the facilities to joint-venture partner LG Energy Solution. The Ultium Cells plant under construction near Lansing, Mich., will become wholly owned by LG and supply an automaker other than GM.
GM in July said it would delay production of electric pickups at its Orion Assembly plant in Michigan until mid-2026, pushing back the start date six months. The automaker also said it would delay Buick’s first U.S.-bound EV, which CEO Mary Barra said had been planned for 2024, though the company has not provided an a new timeline for its showroom debut.
The relatively new British automaker in July delayed the Fusilier battery-electric SUV, citing waning consumer demand for EVs and uncertainty around tariffs. Production of the Fusilier had been expected to begin in 2027.
Lamborghini’s first EV, based off the 2023 Lanzador concept, was slated to launch in 2028. But Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann told reporters in December the EV’s launch will be pushed back to 2029, Reuters reported.
Porsche’s electric Cayenne planned for 2026 could be delayed, as will battery-only variants of the 718 Cayman and Boxster sports cars, according to Automobilwoche, an affiliate of Automotive News in Germany.
VW-backed startup Scout Motors in October revealed the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup as production-intent concepts but with significant changes. Scout now plans to offer an optional extended-range EV energy system, something CEO Scott Keogh previously ruled out, alongside all-electric models. Scout also said output at a plant under construction in South Carolina will begin in 2027, and not late 2026, as previously planned.
Ram was slated to begin sales of the 1500 REV, its first electric pickup, in early 2025 but the brand on Dec. 18 said the launch would be pushed back to 2026, citing “slowing industry demand.” Ram will instead launch the extended-range 1500 Ramcharger first, which will be available to order in the first half of 2025.
Chrysler’s electric crossover that was slotted for a 2026 release has been put on hold until further notice, the company told suppliers in an email obtained by Mopar Insiders. Chrysler parent Stellantis told suppliers in the memo that any spending associated with the program, code-named C6X (CA), should be “suspended immediately.” Chrysler brand CEO Chris Feuell later said the brand is assessing the EV market and “our customers’ needs and wants.”
CEO Elon Musk killed plans in early 2024 for an all-new affordable EV that would serve as a mass-market, global entry model for the brand. Rather, Musk shifted Tesla’s efforts to use an existing compact vehicle platform, with some upgrades, for more affordable models the company has yet to reveal. Tesla is still developing the new platform, using less expensive manufacturing methods, for the Cybercab, a dedicated robotaxi model without human controls such as a steering wheel and pedals.
Toyota Motor Corp., citing “production preparation issues,” has delayed the start of EV output in North America until the first half of 2026. Toyota originally planned to begin manufacturing its first locally built EV, a three-row crossover, at a Georgetown, Ky., assembly plant in the second half of 2025, for delivery to dealerships this year or early 2026, depending on production. The plant was also going to manufacture a three-row EV crossover for partner Subaru, which has also been delayed.
Volkswagen of America in May 2024 said the U.S. launch of the ID7 electric sedan would be delayed for an unspecified amount of time. VW previously said the midsize model would launch in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2024. In October, Pablo Di Si, then CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said the U.S. launch could happen as soon as 2025. However, Di Si left the automaker in November.
The Swedish luxury brand had been steadfast in its vow to become EV-only by 2030. But in September, Volvo said it would expand its lineup with new longer-range plug-in hybrids. Volvo now aims for PHEVs and battery-only models to account for at least 90 percent of its global sales in 2030.
