The maintenance and operational costs are going to crush operators if fuel stays high. I’ve seen fleets delay purchases specifically because of fuel concerns. GM might be overestimating demand here.
Another angle: maybe GM is using this heavy truck production ramp as a way to fund R&D for electric and hybrid alternatives. Profits from heavy trucks could subsidize the transition to cleaner technologies.
Updated thoughts after reading more coverage: GM apparently has strong order backlogs for heavy trucks. This isn’t speculative production – they have confirmed demand. That changes the picture considerably. Makes the decision much more defensible.