GM’s Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles Won’t Return To U.S. Until 2027
If you want an “electrified” General Motors product soon, you’ll have to buy an electric car.
GM CEO Mary Barra announced in January that the automaker would be bringing plug-in hybrids back into the mix, and has now put a date on it.
Barra told The Detroit News that the first new vehicles would be coming to market in 2017.
GM last sold a plug-in hybrid in 2019, when the Chevrolet Volt went out of production, but it continues to make them in China for other markets.
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“Deploying plug-in technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the environmental benefits of EVs ad the nation continues to build its charging infrastructure,†Barra said in January.
Plug-in hybrids have battery packs that are big enough to provide a typical day’s driving in all-electric mode (around 20 to 40 miles, depending on the model) and gasoline motors that kick in for longer trips.
GM abandoned plug-in technology to focus on fully electric vehicles, with the goal of becoming an all-electric automaker by 2035, but times have changed since that plan was announced. The rapid pace of EV adoption has slowed, but regulations allow automakers to meet requirements by offering plug-in hybrids, which can also qualify for generous federal tax credits.
GM’s only hybrid offering today is the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, which is not a plug-in and is aimed primarily at providing performance, rather than being an ultra efficient model.
Barra didn’t confirm what plug-in models would be launching first, but the new 2024 Chevrolet Equinox is available as a plug-in hybrid in China.
Ford currently sells a plug-in hybrid version of the Escape, which is an Equinox competitor, and the similarly sized Dodge Hornet R/T also features a plug-in powertrain. Kia, Hyundai and Mitsubishi also sell plug-in hybrids in the segment.
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The Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe were the two best-selling plug-in hybrids in the U.S. in 2023, and the Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid the fourth best-seller, behind the Toyota Rav4 Prime.
GM continues to roll out new all-electric vehicle models in the meantime, including the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV.
