General MotorsThe company’s goal of producing 1 million all-electric vehicles in North America by the end of 2025 has been thrown into major doubt following comments from CEO Mary Barra on Monday.
The capacity target for next year was one of the last EV targets that automakers didn’t lower or reverse, as demand for EVs didn’t materialize as quickly as many companies, including GM, had previously expected.
“We’re not going to get to 1 million units because the market isn’t developed, but we will get there,” Barra said Monday at CNBC’s virtual CEO Council event. “We’re going to follow the lead of our customers.”
For more than two years, GM has said it would have production capacity for 1 million EVs each in China and North America by 2025. Even after changing or withdrawing some of its EV goals and product plans last year, the company continued to say it would set up EV production capacity in North America.
A GM spokesperson said the company’s goal was about production capacity, and the question was about whether it would actually produce 1 million EVs in 2025. Barra did not specify whether he was referring to production or capacity.
A spokesperson later said the company would not further reiterate its EV production capacity plans for 2025. The company has repeatedly said its EV plans are flexible and depend on demand.
More details about GM’s EV plans may be revealed when the company reports its second-quarter results on July 23.
