(January 31, 2024) General  Motors CEO Mary Barra said on Tuesday the automaker would continue to focus in 2024 on growing its EV portfolio, but that plug-in hybrids would play a role in helping GM meet tightening emissions standards. She did not disclose which segments GM will target with plug-in technology or when, Automotive News reported.

"Our forward plans include bringing our plug-in hybrid technology to select vehicles in North America," Barra said on GM's fourth-quarter earnings call. "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."

GM will time the launches "to help us comply with the more stringent fuel economy and tailpipe emissions standards that are being proposed," she said, "and we plan to deliver the program in a capital- and cost-efficient way because the technology is already in production in other markets."

The EPA has proposed a fuel economy rule through the 2032 model year that would require an average annual fleet-wide emissions reduction of 13 percent and a 56 percent cut in average emissions target levels from the 2026 model year. To meet those targets, EVs might need to account for as much as two-thirds of U.S. new-vehicle sales by 2032.

GM has been working to electrify its light-duty lineup using its Ultium EV architecture, with Cadillac and Buick aiming to go all-electric by 2030. It's adding capacity to build 1 million EVs per year in North America by 2025.

But unlike other automakers that have added plug-in hybrid and conventional hybrid models to their lineups to reduce carbon emissions and act as a bridge for consumers not yet ready to switch to full battery-electrics, GM has emphasized EVs in North America. It's scaling up production of EVs while preparing to launch several new models this year, including the Chevrolet Equinox EV compact crossover and a retail-oriented trim of the Silverado EV full-size pickup.

Source: Automotive News