According to Reuters, on December 13, General Motors CEO Mary Barra stated that despite the recent postponement of some electric vehicle production plans, the company still intends to sell only electric vehicles by 2035.
On that day, Barra, speaking to the media after appearing at the Washington Economic Club, said, "Our plan is to only sell electric vehicles and light electric vehicles by then, but of course, we will respond to consumer demand."
In October of this year, General Motors announced that it would abandon the goal of producing 400,000 electric vehicles from 2022 to mid-2024, as the company's factory in Orion Township, Michigan, delayed the production of electric pickups by one year. In addition, General Motors also canceled plans to collaborate with Honda on developing affordable electric vehicles.
As the U.S. government is actively implementing stringent automotive emission regulations, Barra stated that these regulations must be achievable. She noted, "I think, given the number of electric vehicles we are about to launch, we are in a favorable position."
Previously, the American Automotive Policy Council, representing General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, urged regulators to halve the annual increase in truck fuel economy from 4% to 2%, stating that the proposal "will have a significant impact on truck fleets."
U.S. automakers also warned that fines for fuel economy would cost General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford $6.5 billion, $1 billion, and $1 billion, respectively. According to Reuters in June, General Motors paid $128.2 million in fines in 2016 and 2017, marking the first time the company paid fines for fuel economy.
