General Motors believes millions of electric vehicles could hit the road by 2030 if a new credit-based program is instituted across the U.S.
The automaker will soon present a plan to the U.S. government that would establish a National Zero Emissions Vehicle (NZEV) program across the country. If all were to go well and the program is fully supported by the government and automakers, GM believes more than 7 million long-range electric vehicles could be on the road by 2030. That would mean eliminating 375 million tons of CO2 emissions between 2021 and 2030, according to the company.
“We believe in a policy approach that better promotes U.S. innovation and starts a much-needed national discussion on electric vehicle development and deployment in this country,” GM EVP and president of the Global Product Group and Cadillac Mark Reuss said in a statement.
GM is one of the leading automakers in pushing for electric vehicles. The company already sells an all-electric Chevrolet Volt and has said publicly that it wants to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon emissions from its vehicles by transitioning to electric.
Still, some of its competitors have been slow to adopt electric vehicles. And GM says this initiative would help everyone work together to make the shift.
Under its proposed framework, credits to automakers to help them defray the cost of building EVs would start at 7% of a company’s electric vehicle fleet in 2021 and increase by two percentage points each year thereafter. By 2030, tax credits would reach 25%. Credits would be determined based on the vehicle and its range, among other factors. GM also proposes established a Zero Emissions Task Force to bring the program to fruition.
For now, the NZEV is just a proposal that GM will submit in its comments to the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. The U.S. government would ultimately determine whether it becomes official.
