GM recently discontinued the Cadillac CT6 plug-in hybrid
Photo: Cadillac
Don’t expect any more hybrid vehicles from General Motors. The automaker says it’s done manufacturing cars that run on combined electric and gas power. Instead, it’s going all-in on fully electrified rides.
GM has already announced plans to introduce up to 20 electric vehicles around the world over the next four years, including an all-electric Cadillac Escalade. Ruling out the development of more hybrid models could allow GM to pursue that goal with a sharper focus.
“If I had a dollar more to invest, would I spend it on a hybrid? Or would I spend it on the answer that we all know is going to happen, and get there faster and better than anybody else?” GM President Mark Reuss told the Wall Street Journal.
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The Chevrolet Volt has been discontinued, too
Photo: Chevrolet
As part of its intensified efforts to build battery-only vehicles, GM has already phased out its existing hybrid vehicles. These include the plug-in hybrid Cadillac CT6 sedan and the once-futuristic Chevrolet Volt.
Hybrid vehicles could still help GM meet targets for cutting emissions and improving fuel economy in the short term, but the automaker has chosen to think farther ahead.
A bet on electric vehicles isn’t a sure thing. Some automakers are sticking with hybrids as a way to ease buyers into the idea.
Last year, about 5 million electric vehicles were sold around the world — only about 1.4 percent of all sales.
To raise that number, automakers will have to continue to make electric vehicles more affordable, improve their range, and push for more widespread and convenient charging infrastructure.
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News Sources: The Detroit News, International Business Times
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