• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

GM Is Planning Electric Cars That Won’t Give Buyers Sticker Shock, General Motors President Says

By
David Welch
David Welch
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Welch
David Welch
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 5, 2019, 5:14 PM ET

General Motors Co. is making a big claim about its future electric cars: The automaker will be able to sell them at “very average transaction prices” and be profitable, GM President Mark Reuss said in a presentation Wednesday.

GM announced in October 2017 that it plans to sell 20 electric-vehicle models globally by 2023. At the time, Reuss said the company’s EV technology is engineered to be low cost and make money. He went a step further today, saying GM’s program will make money without luxury-vehicle prices.

GM and most carmakers currently lose money selling electric cars. Tesla has put up a few profitable quarters, but even with its Model 3 selling for about $45,000 or more and the Models S and X often going out the door at more than $100,000, it struggles to make money. To boost revenue, it sells clean-air regulatory credits to companies that market far more gas guzzlers than EVs.

The cost to build an electric car is coming down, Reuss said, while the cost to add technology to conventional gas burners and make them meet regulations is going up.

“We’ll reach parity a lot sooner than people think,” he said at the UBS Global Industrials and Transportation Conference. “We’re driving down the cost of batteries and the whole EV in general.”

The average price of a new vehicle today is about $37,000. That’s also the sticker price of a Chevrolet Bolt, GM’s current electric car, which loses thousands of dollars for the company on each sale.

Today, battery packs from electric cars cost about $150 per kilowatt hour, according to a recent study from consulting firm McKinsey & Co. Reuss said to make a profit, this needs to drop well below $100.

“We’re on our way,” he said.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—After rejection, this unicorn is eyeing an IPO to raise $1 billion

—This recession predictor just hit levels not seen since 2007

—Now NYC commuters can set up Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Fitbit Pay

—AT&T has become a new kind of media giant

—Listen to our new audio briefing, Fortune 500 Daily

Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.

About the Authors
By David Welch
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

UN
Middle EastMiddle East
Israel, U.S. stiff-arm U.N. during emergency Security Council meeting
By Edith M. Lederer, Farnoush Amiri and The Associated PressFebruary 28, 2026
4 hours ago
massie
PoliticsCongress
Thomas Massie among few Republicans to criticize Trump over war powers: ‘This is not ‘America First”
By Lisa Mascaro and The Associated PressFebruary 28, 2026
4 hours ago
protest
Middle EastMiddle East
A month before Iran strikes, Trump told Iranian protesters help was on the way amid a government crackdown
By Aamer Madhani, Josh Boak and The Associated PressFebruary 28, 2026
4 hours ago
trump
PoliticsWhite House
Marjorie Taylor Greene rips Iran strikes as Trump betraying America First: ‘It’s always a lie and it’s always America Last’
By Steven Sloan and The Associated PressFebruary 28, 2026
4 hours ago
lavrov
Middle EastMiddle East
Russia accuses America of ‘pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression’ against Iran
By Claudia Ciobanu, Sam McNeil, Sam Metz and The Associated PressFebruary 28, 2026
4 hours ago
iran
Middle EastMiddle East
American, Israeli strike on Iran came 2 days after latest talks, as theocracy struggled with nationwide protests
By Brian Melley and The Associated PressFebruary 28, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
Japanese companies are paying older workers to sit by a window and do nothing—while Western CEOs demand super-AI productivity just to keep your job
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 27, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Middle East
Iran is now on 'death ground' amid existential threat from U.S. attacks and could 'go big' in retaliation, former NATO commander warns
By Jason MaFebruary 28, 2026
13 hours ago
placeholder alt text
AI
The week the AI scare turned real and America realized maybe it isn't ready for what's coming
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 28, 2026
21 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Walmart exec says U.S. workforces needs to take inspiration from China where ‘5 year-olds are learning DeepSeek’
By Preston ForeFebruary 27, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of February 27, 2026
By Danny BakstFebruary 27, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Middle East
Dubai’s worst nightmare unfolds as Iran strikes Gulf neighbors
By Dana Khraiche, Fiona MacDonald and BloombergFebruary 28, 2026
9 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.