GM Plans To Bring Plug-in Hybrid Models To North American Market

Buick Velite 6 PHEV. (Doc. General Motors)

JAKARTA - General Motors (GM) will bring a plug-in hybrid model to the North American market, although it remains committed to delivering pure electric vehicles until 2035.

This was revealed by GM CEO Mary Barra, she noted that the sales rate of electric vehicles (EVs) has slowed for the company. The automaker maintains expectations that its electric vehicles will achieve profitability by 2025, although they say that the hybrid will play an increasingly important role in achieving strict emission standards.

It is currently unclear which segment is expected to get a hybrid vehicle, and the statement comes ahead of GM's plan to launch six new electric vehicles this year for the Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC brands.

"Our future plans include bringing plug-in hybrid technology to certain vehicles in North America," Barra said, quoted from the Teslarati website, Wednesday, January 31.

He further emphasized that GM remains committed to eliminating exhaust emissions from light vehicles by 2035. However, in the meantime, the application of plug-in technology in strategic segments will provide some benefits to the environment.

"Vehicles with plug-in technology will provide benefits to the environment, from electric vehicles along with the ongoing development of the country such as its charging infrastructure," he added.

On the same occasion, Barra alluded to the standards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which mandates that vehicles to the 2032 model will require a 13 percent annual emission reduction, in addition to a 56 percent average reduction in emissions levels starting from the 2026 model..

"We will present [hybrids] when we need them from a compliance point of view," Barra added.

If enforced, this rule means electric vehicles must account for two-thirds of new vehicle sales in the US by 2032. Meanwhile, according to him, the launch of hybrid vehicles is expected to help GM comply with the more stringent fuel-saving and exhaust emissions standards being proposed.

"And we plan to implement this program in a cost-effective way because the technology has been produced in other markets," he concluded.