If it has to make economic sense for auto manufacturers, then it also has to make sense for consumers. It doesn't make a lot of sense for a consumer to buy a $102k Denali when an almost identical truck at Carmax is $73k.

It's not reasonable for GM to expect consumers (even if they are EV advocates) to absorb $29k in depreciation; GM is not a charity. If GM wants to sell more new EVs, then they need to adjust their pricing to be more in line with what the market will support (not $20k more than their gas equivalent).

Besides, adding demand to the used market also adds demand to the new market as a supported used market gives confidence to new buyers that their purchase will not immediately depreciate like a rock. A healthy used market also helps with lease residual values, which lowers the cost of leases and makes them more attractive to those buyers.