General Motors to eliminate gasoline and diesel cars and SUVs by 2035

Big U.S. automaker says it will invest heavily in electric vehicles and become carbon neutral by 2040

By  Steven Mufson Jan. 28, 2021 washingtonpost.com

General Motors said Thursday that it will end the sale of all gasoline and diesel powered passenger cars and sports utility vehicles by 2035, marking an historic turning point for the big U.S.-based carmaker and a future full of new electric vehicles for American motorists.

GM chief executive Mary Barra, who antagonized many climate experts by embracing President Donald Trump’s relaxation of fuel efficiency targets, said the company was eliminating all tailpipe emissions from light duty vehicles by that date. "As one of the world’s largest automakers, we hope to set an example of responsible leadership in a world that is faced with climate change,” she said on LinkedIn.

A GM executive, who asked for anonymity to describe details of the GM shift, said that the company would spend $27 billion on electric vehicles and associated products between 2020 and 2025, outstripping spending on conventional gasoline and diesel cars. That figure includes refurbishing factories and investing in battery production in conjunction with LG Chem, a South Korean battery maker.

The move won’t affect medium and heavy duty trucks, but it will include everything from cars and crossovers to full-size trucks and SUVs, such as the light-duty Silverado and Yukon.