GM’s Mary Barra Says US Will Take 20 Years to Shift to EVs
Photo: © General Motors
No one knows exactly when more Americans will come around to electric vehicle adoption. But some auto industry experts have their own estimates of when this will happen. According to GM CEO Mary Barra, the transition will take longer than some people think.
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A long road ahead
In a recent interview with Bloomberg TV’s David Rubenstein, Barra said that it will take a while before the majority of U.S. vehicles are battery-powered rather than gas-powered. “It will happen in a little bit longer period [than 20 years], but it will happen,” she commented.
Though Barra estimated a long timeline for a widespread shift to EVs, she predicts a much shorter timeline for driverless cars to hit public streets. She expressed confidence in her company’s subsidiary Cruise LLC to release a fully-driverless vehicle in the near future. “I definitely think it will happen within [the] next five years,” said Barra.
GM’s current electrification efforts
Earlier this spring, GM focused on manufacturing face masks to help fight coronavirus, which led to production delays. Despite this, the brand is still moving steadily toward a more electric future.
Photo: General Motors
For one thing, the company is currently stepping up its battery technology to increase the range of its future electric models. Per GM Authority, the automaker’s new battery plant in Lordstown will partner with South Korea’s LG Chem to produce Ultium lithium-ion battery packs. The biggest battery pack will have an estimated 400-mile driving range.
GM is also turning its attention to the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq, two electric models poised to debut next fall. It also has a Chevy Bolt EUV in the works, as well as other models, for a total of 20 electric vehicles.
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Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.