GMSV high-ups keeping mum about any electric inclusions, but happy to talk about old school ZO6.

HEAVY-hitting Chevrolets will weather the storm of Clean Car legislation, no matter how tough that regime might prove, with distributor confidence customers will stay true.

This sentiment about New Zealand’s emissions standards, which are ramping up to align with the world’s toughest, comes from General Motors Speciality Vehicles’ regional top brass.

CO2 counts have been under the spotlight since the Clean Car Discount (and penalty) scheme introduced on April 1, but become more imperative under the Clean Car Standard, in effect on January 1. The standard draws distributors directly into the penalty and rewards zone, bringing CO2 fleet average caps for cars and commercials. The aim is to wean Kiwis out of vehicles with unconscionable thirsts and emissions.

America’s epic heavy metalists Chevrolet and RAM are in target group, though they’re hardly tall poppies - it has many more members, across all automotive classes.

Chevrolet conceivably has battery-compelled solutions for the two models it sells here.

The Corvette is set to produce in plug-in hybrid from next year and a full electric version is said to be under development. The brand has already shown off the Silverado EV, a breakthrough battery-driven cousin to the fossil fuel-swilling 6.2-litre V8 petrol and 6.6-litre V8 turbodiesel editions Kiwis are enjoying.

Both could play a handy Green card. But will they come?

Comment from the bosses was sought when they dropped by at an event at Pukekohe race circuit that enabled motoring media to experience the $169,990 Corvette C8 Stingray 3LT coupe at speed (see video).

Australians Marc Ebolo, who after being the last boss of Holden New Zealand is now the managing director of General Motors in New Zealand and Australia, and Joanne Stogiannis, Director of GMSV, also based in Melbourne, are likely in the know about long-term planning. But they’re not sharing.

Corvette and the Chevrolet Silverado truck in present form attract a big CO2 penalty added to their retail prices, which buyers must address. But both lines are cited for big change in the next few years, with electricity in the air.

However, the visitors were steering clear of discussing the battery-included fare and were also cagey about offering opinion on the legislation’s potential impact, except to say they were keeping a close eye on developments.

As matters stand, an importer's car and SUV fleet will need to have average CO2 emissions no greater than 145 grams per kilometre from next year but the target will keep reducing; by 2025 it’ll be sub-100g for cars. The CO2 count for Corvette cited by RightCar is 349g/km.

The emissions average expected for the light commercial vehicle sector into which Silverado falls – though barely, due to its weight – appears set to cap at 218.3g/km from next year.

Silverado’s emissions for the 1500 petrol V8 are 320g/km; a figure for the diesel 2500 HD seems elusive. Distributors are steeling to cop penalties for every gram exceeded per vehicle sold and, ultimately, these costs could well run into thousands of dollars per vehicle.

Government’s hope is that the penalties will become too prohibitive and that distributors will simply pull the miscreants or bring them into line with technology improvement.

Ebolo (above) suggests the standard is better addressed by the industry as a whole rather than by any individual operator, but he agrees it’s likely every brand is giving the impending changes close consideration.

“I think the entire industry is looking at the legislation at the moment. Like every other manufacturer, it’s something we’re working through at the moment.”

However, he shook his head when asked if Chevrolet was contemplating upping sticks because of it. “We believe there is a very bright future for GM in the region.”

The only Corvette he and Stogiannis were keen to discuss is one that might likely add fuel to the fire – the Z06.

An even hotter version of the 369kW/637Nm 6.2-litre V8 car that walloped out more than 200kmh on Puke’s back straight with MotoringNZ.com is confirmed as a local market starter, though quite when and for how much remains under wraps.

Ironically, the model that takes a 500kW 5.5-litre flat-plane-crank V8 isn’t the most sizzling on the roster. It’s to be overshadowed in the longer term, for sheer punch, by another edition of Corvette that has confirmed for production.

That’s the hybrid, whose twin turbo version of the same engine will, with battery boost, reputedly have a whopping 745kW, and all-wheel-drive to cope with that. That derivative could, in turn, be knocked off the top step by a fully electric Corvette that could follow by 2025. That car is said to use GM's Ultium batteries and could be called E-Ray.

Technical detail about the electric Silverado remains scarce, but the brand has said it can tow up to 3629kg (braked) in single motor Work Truck guise with a payload figure of 544kg, while the dual motor RST First Edition offers a slightly higher payload of 590kg – well shy of the 875-975kg claimed for the current editions – and an improved towing capacity of 4536kg (braked).

That’s still short of the muscularity of the massive 2500 HD GMSV laid on yesterday. The biggest Silverado’s ability to tow between 4.5 and 5.5 tonnes with appropriate fixtures was put to the test with the demo rig hooked to a 4.5 tonne fishing boat atop a triple axle trailer. The rig will star in the latest series of a popular TVNZ fishing show, starting this Sunday.

The RST version makes almost as much torque as the diesel Heavy Duty, however, and a 0-100kmh time of just 4.5 seconds makes it much quicker off the line than any current offer. Plus it avoids drinking fuel; the 2500 under load was gulping at 20 litres per kilometre.

What’s the chance of these being built in right hand drive and rushed to NZ, perhaps ahead of Australia which is considered a conjoined market though it operates to increasingly different legislative requirements?

Ebolo says he cannot speculate. “We don’t have any future product announcements to make at the moment.”

However, he said GMSV was dedicated to the NZ market, where it has seen good growth and found plenty of support.

While just 20 Corvettes have so far been delivered – the flow rate that started last year being hurt by delays affecting the Bowling Green, Kentucky, plant – the Silverado has become a solid performer, with no lapse since it was whacked with a $5175 penalty.

Says Ebolo: “GMSV has shown fantastic growth since its launch in November of 2020, with demand for the Silverado range … showing no signs of slowing down.”

Stogiannis (above) agrees, saying the biggest version of the mega-ute, the 2500 HD, has been doing well and stands as a good alternate to the 1500 range.

“We are really excited around the growth in this segment of the market, here and in Australia,” she said.

“There’s real excitement around larger trucks.”

Updates coming to the range next year, announced recently, have been well received. “Our upgrade Model 2023 due in the second quarter brings some significant changes to the interior and the ZR2 joining the ever-popular LTZ is something we’re looking forward to.”

Meantime, GMSV will be back at Pukekohe for the ITM Auckland Supersprint V8 Supercars meeting on September 10-11, the last chance for Kiwis to see the Holden brand racing.