Demand Management, Energy Storage, GHG Emissions, Industrial  -  October 4, 2017

GM reveals plans for all-electric, zero-emissions future

General Motors Co. rolled out plans Oct. 2 for how it plans to achieve a "zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion" vision for the future in an eventual transition of its fleet to electric vehicles.

In the next 18 months, GM said it will introduce two new all-electric vehicles based off learnings from the Chevrolet Bolt EV. They will be the first of at least 20 new all-electric vehicles that will launch by 2023.

The New York Times noted that GM's announcement came a day before a long-scheduled investor presentation from Ford Motor Co. that was also expected to focus on electric vehicle plans; and that after GM, Ford "let loose its own plan," which calls for the addition of 13 electric models in the next several years. 

"Given customers' various needs, getting to a zero-emissions future will require more than just battery electric technology," the company said in a news release. "It will require a two-pronged approach to electrification — battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric depending on the unique requirements."

Greentech Media reported Oct. 3 that GM, in partnership with Honda, has been developing fuel-cell technology from a number of years without launching a production vehicle. 

Automakers have long touted the long range and fast-fueling benefits of hydrogen over battery power. But although Honda, Toyota and Hyundai each offer a fuel-cell vehicle in California, those sales numbers barely register. Plus, hydrogen infrastructure has proven to be very expensive and time-consuming to build.

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