Sales of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler were separated by just three vehicles in January, and the 4x4 SUVs won't have a third competitor to worry about anytime soon.
General Motors president Mark Reuss has confirmed that the automaker isn't working on a direct rival to the trucks, at least not one with a gasoline engine.
"I'm not gonna do a Bronco," Reuss told The Drive on the sidelines of the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Reuss said GM doesn't want to be "late to the party" and that adding another gas guzzler to the lineup would hurt its corporate average fuel economy rating.
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Due to the resistance created by their boxy designs, high ride heights and wide tires, the Bronco and Wrangler are far from the most efficient vehicles on sale, although the Jeep is available as a plug-in hybrid with 22 miles of all-electric range.
GM currently doesn't offer a model that's close to either of them in the United States, relying instead on its Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups to provide serious off-road capability in a midsize package.
GM is aiming to transition its entire light duty lineup to electric power by 2035, but hasn't completely given up on internal combustion. It recently announced the development of a new generation of V8 engines that will be used in its large trucks in the coming years.
When asked if an electric competitor to the Bronco and Wangler was also out of the question, Reuss told The Drive, "I didn't say that."
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GMC is launching the full-size Hummer EV SUV this year, which has a tri-motor drivetrain rated at 830 horsepower, four-wheel-steering and an adjustable air suspension that make it formidable off-roader that can keep up with the Bronco and Raptor on many trails, but won't fit on the narrowest ones.
However, Automotive News reports that it is working on a midsize electric pickup, which could form the basis for a smaller SUV.
What's not likely to happen is the return of an off-road Chevrolet Blazer or Trailblazer, which were nameplates that matched up against the Bronco and Jeep in prior generations.
The current versions are crossover SUVs and the all-electric Blazer EV that goes on sale this year is very much positioned as a street-smart machine.
