General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced on November 19 that the company will offer 30 all-electric models, globally, by mid-decade.
In the U.S., 40 per cent of the OEM’s entries will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025. GM will also increase its financial commitment to EVs and AVs to $27 billion during the same period, which is up $7 billion from their original pre-COVID plan.
“Climate change is real, and we want to be part of the solution by putting everyone in an electric vehicle,” said Barra. “We are transitioning to an all-electric portfolio from a position of strength and we’re focused on growth.”
Barra said the move was possible because they are “rapidly building a competitive advantage in batteries, software, vehicle integration, manufacturing and customer experience.”
The plan to launch 30 EVs globally by 2025 will see more than two-thirds of the models available in North America — models such as Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick. GM’s Ultium technology is also expected to bring EVs pricing closer to gas-powered vehicles.
“GM’s EV development times are speeding up and costs are going down rapidly, so we expect our Ultium EV programs to be profitable from the first generation on,” said Doug Parks, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.
He said how they integrate EV components with other advanced systems like the company’s Vehicle Intelligence Platform (Super Cruise) and other technologies will give them a competitive advantage.
The company is hiring 3,000 electrical systems, infotainment software and controls engineers, in addition to developers for Java, Android, iOS and other platforms.
