The automaker has reaffirmed its hybrid plans just as its EV lineup finds its footing. A history of killing promising tech has me worried.
A General Motors executive this week reaffirmed the automaker’s plans to bring hybrid cars to its lineup, sparking discussion across the web. It makes sense, as hybrids are having a moment, driven by Americans’ hesitancy toward adopting EVs and surging fuel prices. Many automakers are rushing to join the feeding frenzy with their own upcoming hybrid models. So why does hearing that GM, specifically, is shifting gears to hybrids seem different? It’s because I feel like GM’s been here many times before, and it didn’t end well.
Mike Anderson, GM’s vice president of propulsion engineering, reconfirmed the automaker’s hybrid plans with CNBC. The Detroit-based automaker said in 2024 that it was working to add hybrid models to its lineup, but hasn’t made any concrete announcements or updated its timeline since. Today, GM has only one hybrid in its lineup — the Corvette Grand Sport X, which replaces the E-Ray that debuted in 2023 — as it has largely focused on full-electric cars.
I’ve been following the automotive landscape for 30 years and covering the space professionally for nearly two decades, and I’ve watched GM make more than a few baffling decisions in that time. If there were an award for “most golden geese killed” or “coldest feet,” I’d give it to GM. Time and again, the automaker has brought truly innovative cars and powertrain technology to market just ahead of its time, only to back out before it reaches its stride and retreats to the familiar.
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