Over the past few years, virtually every automaker has made massive investments in electrification, all while announcing plans to – in many cases – completely ditch internal combustion-powered vehicles for EVs at different points in the future. It was essentially assumed that consumers would flock to EVs en masse, at least, until just a few months ago, when demand for those vehicles began to fall behind expected levels of growth. As a result, some automakers are now ditching their EV transition timelines – including Ford, and now, GM.
Ford’s cross-town rival is now reportedly poised to revise its target of expanding its EV production capacity to one million units by 2025, according to GM Authority, news that comes on the heels of its decision to bring plug-in hybrids back to North America. During a recent event, GM CEO Mary Barra stated that “We won’t get to a million just because the market is not developing, but it will get there. We’re going to be guided by the customer,” seemingly confirming that this will be the case.
This particular target is the last one remaining that GM hasn’t yet altered when it comes to EVs, though it is worth noting that this pertains only to production capacity – not the number of EVs the automaker actually plans to build. Regardless, its desire for flexibility in this regard mimics Ford, which has also stated time and time again recently that it will build and sell what the market wants – including traditional gas- and hybrid-powered vehicles.
FoMoCo will offer a hybrid powertrain across its entire ICE-focused Ford Blue lineup by 2030, in fact, and recently delayed the production start dates of multiple EVs. Ford even ditched its admittedly “ambitious” plan of selling nothing but EVs across its European passenger vehicle lineup by 2030, and its luxury arm – Lincoln – is no longer focused on EVs, nor does it plan to follow a previous timeline of adding those models to its lineup, either.
We’ll have more on everything Ford’s competition is up to soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
And neither will Ford nor anyone.
You are wrong about “nor anyone”.
As always, the free market will decide.
The customer is always right.