General Motors is preparing to exit a niche but important corner of the commercial truck market. The automaker will officially end production of its Chevrolet Silverado 4500 HD, 5500 HD, and 6500 HD medium-duty trucks later this year, closing the chapter on a partnership that helped GM re-enter the heavy work truck segment nearly a decade ago.
According to industry reports, production of the Silverado MD lineup will stop on September 30, 2026. The move follows GM’s decision not to renew its manufacturing and development agreement with International Motors, the company responsible for building the trucks at its Springfield, Ohio, facility.
The Silverado MD trucks shared their underpinnings with International’s CV Series, making them essentially corporate cousins wearing different badges. But now, both trucks are heading for retirement.
A Partnership That Quietly Powered GM’s Work Truck Strategy
The collaboration between GM and International dates back to 2015, when the two companies signed a deal to jointly develop medium-duty commercial trucks. The Silverado MD range eventually debuted at the 2018 Work Truck Show, giving Chevrolet a stronger foothold in the chassis cab and vocational truck market.
Unlike the standard consumer-focused Silverado pickups, these trucks were built for tougher commercial duties. Think utility fleets, tow operations, delivery services, construction, and municipal work.
Under the hood sat a 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8 producing 350 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque, paired with an Allison six-speed automatic transmission. Buyers could choose between regular cab and crew cab layouts, along with multiple wheelbase options and available four-wheel drive.
The trucks covered a broad spectrum of capability. The Silverado 4500 HD offered a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 16,500 pounds, while the larger 6500 HD stretched that figure to 23,500 pounds.
Sales Slump Likely Played a Major Role
Here’s the thing: medium-duty trucks are a highly competitive business, and GM’s numbers were heading in the wrong direction.
Chevrolet reportedly sold just 1,273 Silverado MD trucks during the first quarter of 2026, representing a steep 37.4 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Company continues to hold a stronger position in the segment with its F-650 and F-750 lineup, selling more than 2,300 units in the same quarter.
There was also growing overlap inside International’s own portfolio. The company already sells the MV Series in similar Class 6 configurations, reducing the need for a nearly identical Chevrolet-badged alternative.
Ohio Factory Enters a New Era
The end of Silverado MD production also signals a major transition for the Springfield, Ohio, manufacturing plant where the trucks were assembled.
International recently sold the facility to Canadian defense company Roshel. The site includes around two million square feet of industrial space spread across 500 acres and has been building trucks and buses since 1961.
While the Silverado MD program is ending, the plant itself avoids closure thanks to Roshel’s acquisition, potentially opening the door for new military and specialty vehicle production in the future.
GM Still Has One Commercial Truck Left
GM is not completely abandoning the commercial truck space. The automaker is expected to continue offering the Isuzu-based LCF low-cab-forward truck lineup for the 2027 model year.
Still, with the Silverado MD range disappearing, GM is officially stepping away from the large medium-duty chassis cab market, leaving rivals like Ford with one less competitor in the segment.
For commercial buyers who relied on Chevrolet’s bigger workhorses, the countdown has officially begun.
