• General Motors is bringing back plug-in hybrids to its North American lineups.
General Motors' (GM) decision to bring back plug-in hybrids to its lineup is a change of direction that seems surprising at first glance.
Why? Because in 2019, when the company decided to end production of the Chevrolet Volt, it committed publicly to focusing solely on all-electric technology going forward. Now, as it sees the pace of BEV sales slowing, GM is having a change of heart.
But given that the company's primary mission is to sell vehicles, the move doesn’t come as a shock.
GM’s future product strategy for North America will include plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), as confirmed by GM's CEO, Mary Barra:
“Let me be clear: GM remains committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from our light-duty vehicles by 2035. But in the interim, deploying plug-in technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the environmental benefits of EVs as the nation continues to build its charging infrastructure. We are timing the launches to help us comply with the more stringent fuel economy and tailpipe emission standards that are being proposed.”
- Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
Barra provided no further details, other than that the PHEV models will help the company meet the stringent requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“We plan to implement the program cost-effectively and without investment, as the technology is already in production in other markets,” she added.
The Chevrolet Volt was produced from 2010 to 2019, with a new generation introduced in 2016 that offered up to 80 km of electric range.
At this point it’s not known in which segments GM will reintroduce PHEV technology.
At the same time, the rollout of electric vehicles built on the Ultium platform continues, including at Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC, with Buick about to join the parade.