After reporting a profitable 2023 that exceeded their own expectations, GM officials revealed they’re deploying plug-in hybrid vehicles — for certain models — to the North American market. It was a decision made after reviewing and tweaking its EV production plans and feedback from dealers.
The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is currently the only hybrid model offered by General Motors.
The campaign for the switch to an all-electric vehicle was long and loud, but ultimately reality set in — and dealers made their feelings known — and GM agreed to offer some plug-in hybrids as the public grows comfortable with electric vehicles and the problems with charging these vehicles gets closer to being resolved.
“Let me be clear: GM remains committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from our light-duty vehicles by 2035,” Barra told analysts. “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.”
Headlight.News reported in late November GM officials were rethinking the role of hybrids in its conversion to an all-electric lineup.
Other benefits
The use of PHEVs isn’t just because GM’s a sensitive company. Plug-ins help the company meet the ever-toughening federal emissions mandates. Barra didn’t offer a timeline or which vehicle lines will get a PHEV option.
The Chevy Volt was GM’s original hybrid and put the company at the forefront of the technology before it gave way to the all-electric Chevy Bolt.
The company currently offers one hybrid — a pretty high-profile one: the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. The company’s operations in China also produce a number of plug-in models. And sales are growing for both conventional hybrids and, to a lesser degree, plug-ins in South America.
“I’ll have more to share on the hybrid capacity,” Barra said. “We’ll adjust the capacity because we have the technology, we know the targeted segments we’re going to apply it to, so we’ll have the ability to flex and do what we need to from a hybrid perspective. For calendar year 2024, EV is our focus.”
Not alone
GM isn’t the only automaker thinking about slowing down its rollout of new EVs, instead addressing strict new emissions regulations by expanding the use of gas-electric technology, a number of sources have told Headlight.News.
“The transition to EVs is going to take longer than the industry expected,” said Sam Fiorani, chief analyst with AutoForecast Solutions. “In the meantime, we’re going to need hybrids to keep up with (federal and state) emissions standards.”
For its part, Ford recently signaled it will also accelerate the roll-out of both HEVs and PHEV. And Fiorani said he expects Stellantis to adopt a similar strategy. That would come as no surprise in light of comments the chief executive of that Euro-American automaker has made of late. CEO Carlos Tavares told Headlight.News earlier this year that he saw greater opportunities for a mix of hybrids and battery-electric vehicles than for just EVs.
Notably, Stellantis will bring out the Ram 1500 Ramcharger, a gas and electric, range-extended version of its all-electric Ram 1500 REV to address concerns about range and public charging.
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