It’s the end of an era in the HD truck segment. General Motors and Allison Transmission will end their partnership at the end of 2025, after decades of collaboration. Starting January 1, 2026, the Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD will no longer wear the famed Allison Transmission badge.
A licensing divorce, not a mechanical one
According to GM, the split stems from a disagreement over the renewal of the license to use the Allison name. This change, however, will not affect the products themselves: the 10-speed automatic transmissions equipping the auto giant’s 2500 and 3500 trucks will remain the same.
In reality, GM has been manufacturing the transmissions itself since 2018. The Allison name was merely a brand licensing agreement, as the design and production came from GM, even if Allison had validated the design at the time. In other words, the logo is leaving, but the mechanics remain identical.
End of the Allison logo in GM trucks
An internal letter obtained by outlet TFL Truck explains the next steps for GM dealerships. After December 31, 2025, they will have 180 days — until June 29, 2026 — to sell off vehicles still bearing the Allison logo. After that deadline, GM requires all references to Allison to be removed. Trucks still in inventory must even have their logo replaced with a non-Allison badge before June 29, 2026, which represents a considerable logistical operation across the network.
No impact on performance
The transmission and performance of the trucks are not changing, since as mentioned, they will have the same 10-speed auto transmission as before - only the branding is changing. Owners and future buyers of the Silverado HD or Sierra HD will notice no difference on the road.
A decades-long collaboration
The partnership between GM and Allison dates back to the mid-20th century, but it was in 2001 that the first Allison transmissions were offered in Duramax diesel pickups. The robust transmissions helped build the reputation of GM trucks among workers and towers.
From 2001 to 2018, the Duramax LB7, LBZ, LLY, LMM, LML and L5P (generation 1) engines were all delivered with an Allison transmission designed and assembled by the specialized firm. Since 2019, the Duramax L5P Gen 2 engines have used the 10-speed transmission developed by GM, but still sold under the Allison name — until today.
A symbol of robustness takes its bow
Even if the Allison logo disappears from the fenders of the Silverado and Sierra HD, the technology and reliability that built this reputation remain. For heavy-duty enthusiasts, it is, above all, the end of a symbol, rather than a technical change.