Published

October 14, 2020

Share

GM logo

Ambitions

  • General Motors committed to an overarching vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. This includes the company’s commitment to an all-electric, zero emissions future.
  • GM will invest $20 billion over the next five years in electric and autonomous vehicle development, committing to 20 new electric vehicles by 2023 across a range of segments and product brands.
  • The company announced an absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target for operations in 2019. It met its Scope 1 and 2 GHG 2020 operations goal in 2017 and developed an absolute reduction goal of 31% from 2010 levels by 2030, in line with the science to limit the global temperature rise to below 2°C above preindustrial levels. Energy efficiency in its operations and investment in renewable energy procurement provide the methods to meet its long-term goal.
  • In early 2020, the company accelerated its original RE100 commitment of using 100% renewables to power its global operations by 2050 by 10 years. GM will source 100% of its facilities’ electricity from renewables globally by 2040 and in the U.S. by 2030. In five years, GM will be 60% of the way toward its global goal.
  • The company set a goal of sourcing at least 50% sustainable material content in its vehicles by 2030 and is working with key suppliers to achieve this goal and increase its transparency.
  • GM is a founding member of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance, an association dedicated to expanding procurement opportunities for large-scale energy buyers of renewable energy and a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council, a broad coalition advocating for an economywide price on carbon.
  • GM is the only automaker to call for a National Zero Emission Vehicle (NZEV) program, modeled after the existing California ZEV program, to help drive EV deployment across the country.

Investments

  • In September 2020, Nikola Corporation and General Motors launched a strategic partnership that begins with the Nikola Badger and carries cost reductions through Nikola’s programs, including Nikola Badger, Nikola Tre, Nikola One, Nikola Two, and NZT. As part of the agreement, Nikola will utilize General Motors’ Ultium battery system and Hydrotec fuel cell technology, representing a key commercialization milestone for General Motors.
  • In July 2020, GM and EVgo reported plans to triple the size of the nation’s largest DC fast charging network over the next five years.
  • In May 2020, the company announced the execution of a green tariff agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority to provide 100% solar power to GM’s Spring Hill Manufacturing facility beginning in late 2022. Spring Hill is GM’s largest facility in North America and will bring GM’s renewable energy use to more than 50% in the U.S. by 2023.
  • In April 2020, GM, in partnership with DTE Energy, announced the largest renewable energy investment in the state of Michigan to source solar energy as part of DTE’s MIGreenPower program. GM’s investment in MIGreenPower should deliver enough clean energy to supply GM’s Southeast Michigan facilities by 2023, including the company’s global headquarters in Detroit and the all-electric Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant.
  • In March 2020, GM indicated its plans to greatly expand employee workplace charging with the addition of 3,500 new plugs at GM facilities in the U.S. and Canada.
  • Earlier in 2020, GM announced a $2.2 billion investment in the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant and that it will be the company’s first plant that is 100% devoted to electric vehicles, including a variety of all-electric trucks and SUVs. In fall 2021, GM’s first all-electric truck, the new GMC HUMMER EV, will go in to production.
  • In December 2019, GM and LG Chem announced the creation of Ultium Cells LLC, an equally owned joint venture with plans to build a $2.3 billion plant in Lordstown, Ohio, to mass produce battery cells for electric vehicles, which will create more than 1,100 new, good-paying jobs.
  • In 2019, GM announced it is investing $300 million in its Orion Township, Michigan, assembly plant to produce the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, adding 400 jobs.
  • In 2018, GM announced a $28 million expansion of its battery testing lab in Warren, Michigan. It is the largest, most advanced battery test lab in America.

Innovation

  • The heart of GM’s strategy is a modular propulsion system and a highly flexible global EV platform powered by proprietary Ultium batteries, enabling the company to compete for nearly all customers in the market today, whether they are looking for affordable transportation, a luxury experience, work trucks, or a high-performance machine.
  • GM’s Ultium battery cells feature a state-of-the-art Nickel Cobalt Manganese Aluminum (NCMA) chemistry, which was designed to reduce the cobalt content in its batteries more than 70%.
  • In September 2020, GM announced it is teaming up with Uber to help accelerate the rideshare industry’s transition to an all-electric, zero-emissions future by offering drivers on Uber’s platform special pricing on the purchase of a new electric vehicle and charging accessories.
  • In September 2020, General Motors and Honda announced they have signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding following extensive preliminary discussions toward establishing a North American automotive alliance. The scope of the proposed alliance includes a range of vehicles to be sold under each company’s distinct brands, as well as cooperation in purchasing, research and development, and connected services.
  • In August 2020, the Cadillac LYRIQ show car, the luxury brand’s first fully electric vehicle, was revealed, representing the future of electrification at Cadillac. Through uncompromising performance, range, and charging capabilities, LYRIQ plants the cornerstone for the brand’s electric future.
  • The Cruise Origin was unveiled in January 2020, the first production vehicle from the General Motors, Cruise, and Honda partnership. The Cruise Origin is a self-driving EV with modular design developed for a million miles of 24-hour service.
  • GM R&D has filed more than 3,000 global patents related to electrification.
  • GM achieved the U.S. EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence in Energy Management Award for nine years in a row.
  • The company achieved the U.S. EPA Greenpower Project of Distinction Award in 2019 and is ranked 12th on the U.S. EPA’s National Top 100 List of the largest green power users from its Green Power Partnership program.
  • GM is exploring energy storage and electric reliability solutions, including electric vehicles (EVs) as storage, reuse of EV batteries, and vehicle to grid applications.
  • GM launched the first mass-market, long-range EV, the Chevrolet Bolt, in 2016 and has offered 10% more EPA-estimated range for the 2020 model year. GM has 12 global models with some form of electrification across the company’s vehicle portfolio.

For more information, visit www.generalmotors.green or www.gmsustainability.com.