General Motors has said it will phase out gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2035 and only sell zero-emission vehicles.
This is a major shift in the policies of one of the world’s largest automakers, which today makes billions of dollars from gas-consuming pickups and SUVs.
GM’s announcement will likely spur automakers around the world to make similar commitments.
The company explained that the move to electric vehicles is part of a larger plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
“General Motors is joining governments and companies around the world to create a safer, greener world,” said GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra.
“We encourage others to follow our example and make a significant contribution to the development of our industry and the economy as a whole,” she added.
The company sold 2.55 million vehicles in the US last year, but only about 20,000 of them were electric cars – the Chevy Bolt.
In November, the company announced that it will invest $ 27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles over the next five years. Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was planned to spend $ 20 billion on this.
