GM CEO Mary Barra Expresses Surprise Over Politicization of EVs, Discusses Future Strategies and Competitiveness Amidst Shifting Electric Vehicle Landscape

The chief executive officer of General Motors expresses astonishment at the politicization of electric vehicles, which have unexpectedly turned into a contentious issue.

GM CEO Mary Barra expressed her astonishment during a conversation with Kris Van Cleave on CBS Sunday Morning, saying, "I was taken aback; I couldn't imagine that a vehicle's propulsion system could become (a political topic)."

In 2021, General Motors announced their goal to halt the sale of vehicles that have exhaust pipes by the year 2035, with aims to achieve a net-zero carbon emission standing by 2040.

The commitment to a fully electric future remains in place, in a manner of speaking. In conversation with Van Cleave, Barra confirmed that by the target year of 2035, GM anticipates its light-duty vehicles, excluding its heavy-duty pickups, to be exclusively electric. However, Barra emphasized that customer demand will steer their course, though she assured that their current strategies are set to achieve this goal.

Upcoming 2025 Model of the Cadillac Esc

In 2022, General Motors declared their objective to manufacture one million electric vehicles each year in North America by the year 2025, with 600,000 of those being electric trucks. However, this goal is no longer feasible. In July, CEO Mary Barra retracted the EV production goal, citing a decrease in consumer interest.

Responding to worries regarding a decline in electric vehicle purchases, Barra pointed out that the company had not anticipated a straightforward shift to EVs. Despite a drop in EV market share in California, the state still sees a rise in total electric vehicle sales, maintaining its position as the top EV market in the United States.

Van Cleave questioned Barra on whether traditional car manufacturers have the speed to stand up to Chinese car producers on a global scale. "I'm confident we do, without a doubt, and in fact, we already are. We have a notably youthful workforce," Barra responded.

Barra observed that a majority of GM's skilled workforce has been onboard for under five years. She mentioned, "around 40% of these fresh, younger workers are coming on board at GM due to their desire to contribute to a firm that's poised to transform and pioneer the transition towards electric vehicles."

Preview clip for the hybrid version of the C8 Chevrolet Corvette

Van Cleave had a discussion with Tony Roma, who is the head engineer for the Corvette sports car at the executive level. In their conversation about the possibility of an electric version of the Corvette, Roma shared with Van Cleave that General Motors is not interested in electrifying the model simply to follow a trend. He emphasized that any introduction of electric technology would need to enhance the vehicle's performance and appeal to their clientele, stating, "It has to earn its way in and make the cars better in a way our

In 2022, GM's leader, Mark Reuss, made it known that a Corvette with electric capabilities is being developed. The initial release would be the hybrid version, known as the Corvette E-Ray, which hit the market in 2023. While there's no specific schedule for the fully electric Corvette's launch, Reuss mentioned that it would utilize the Ultium platform, suggesting it wouldn't share the current C8 Corvette's structure.

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