In an effort to go green and bring environment friendly vehicles, General Motors has adopted electrification technology as a part of their global strategy. The company plans to make 500,000 vehicles by 2017 with some form of electrification like hybrid drive system and eAssist System. The company made this announcement at a time when General Motors is showcasing its electric-vehicle strategy at an event in San Francisco.
GM usually do not provide estimates about its annual production; however, the company said that it would deliver 500,000 electrified vehicles in the next five year. This statement by the company gives a clear picture of GM's electric powertrain progress in the coming years. The company this year has already sold more than 50,000 electric vehicles in the US this year.
GM believes that its Chevrolet Volt would play a major role in meeting the electrification targets. Chevrolet Volt houses a powerful lithium-ion battery and can travel a distance of 60 km on a single charge before its other engine comes into use. The company managed to sell 19,309 units of Volt until October this year.
The company has many electric vehicles lined up in the next few years, of which Cadillac ELR, which is a luxury electric coupe, would be the first to be unveiled and it would be in 2013. GM motors will also showcase the production version of the Chevrolet Spark EV at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 30, 2012.
The company plans to reach the 500,000 figure by taking into consideration vehicles that integrate eAssist technology. At present Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Malibu and the 2014 Chevrolet Impala use this technology. According to the company, eAssist is an electric vehicle that also houses a traditional gas-powered engine. The car with this technology is 25 per more fuel efficient compared to traditional vehicles.
However, GM made it clear that plug-in electric vehicles would be its key electrification focus. “The plug-in offers a unique opportunity to change the way people commute,” said Mary Barra, senior vice president of global product development at an event in San Francisco. “Plug-based solutions will play a significant role in our technology portfolio going forward.”
