According to a recent announcement, General Motors (GM) plans to go 100 percent electric in the future. According to Mark Reuss, Executive VP, GM currently offers one extended-range electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt EV, but it will add two others within 18 months, with at least 20 to be in the line-up by 2023. “General Motors believes in an all-electric future,” Reuss said.
In addition, the company is developing a Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure (SURUS) a new truck platform powered by hydrogen fuel cells. GM was a pioneer in both battery and hydrogen technology four decades ago. GM's goal is to abandon the internal combustion engine entirely. At some point in the future, all of its products will draw power either from batteries or hydrogen. Fuel cells are sometimes referred to as “refillable batteries.”
Government mandates are contributing to the industry player’s decision. In the US, Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards (CAFES) and California’s new ZEV mandate will require automakers to collectively transfer sells to millions of battery or hydrogen vehicles. In 2016, all forms of electrified vehicles, from hybrids to battery-electric vehicles accounted for only 3 percent of the US new vehicle market, hence, large market potential. Internationally, countries such as Norway, India, UK, Germany and China, are discussing the potential of banning internal combustion engines.