First it was Volvo this spring, announcing its intention to transition to electric cars (with some hedging including mild hybrids). Then China, the world’s largest vehicle market, generated incredible buzz with that government’s decision to institute mandatory plug-in electric car sales starting in 2019. Now, General Motors kicks off the first work week of October with big news: Mark Reuss, the company’s head of product, told Wired, “General Motors believes the future is all-electric.”
Wired also notes the movement afoot in Europe:
To be sure, GM’s sudden jolt of electricity is planned with its shareholders in mind. The Drumpf Administration may be moving to roll back fuel efficiency requirements in the US, but the rest of the world is insisting on an electric age. France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Norway have all said they plan to ban the sale of gas and diesel cars in the coming decades. More importantly, China—the world’s largest car market—and India, a rising star, plan to join them. No automaker can compete globally without a compelling stable of electric cars.
The momentum is clear: vehicle electrification is no longer just some squishy goal the future. The future is now.
