General Motors calls for establishment of National Zero Emission Vehicle programme in US
November 1, 2018
Chevrolet Bolt EV autonomous test vehicles are assembled at General Motors Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Michigan, USA. (Photo © Jeffrey Sauger / Courtesy General Motors)
General Motors (GM), Detroit, Michigan, USA, has issued a statement calling for the establishment of a National Zero Emission Vehicle (NZEV) programme in the United States to help drive the automotive industry toward achieving zero emissions in the future. According to GM, the US is in a position to lead the transformation of the automotive industry, particularly in regard to electric and self-driving vehicles, but will require the cooperation of the private and public sectors, supported by comprehensive Federal policies, to do so.
GM expressed its belief that a single, fifty-state solution to the development of zero emission vehicles is the most effective way to position the US in a leadership position in the global automotive market. It also suggested that the establishment of such a project would create jobs, through the expansion of battery and electric vehicle research and development and production, while also making electric vehicles more affordable.
The company estimates that such a programme could potentially result in the registration of more than seven million long-range electric vehicles by 2030, yielding a cumulative incremental reduction of 375 million tons of CO2 emissions between 2021 and 2030. To further encourage widespread acceptance of electric vehicles in the US, the following complementary initiatives were proposed:
- Infrastructural investments to accelerate accessible, convenient electric charging – i.e., an increased number of electric vehicle charging stations across the US
- Renewing and enhancing federal incentives for US customers to purchase electric vehicles. As electrification reaches its tipping point, GM stated that the currently scheduled expiration of incentives, will stifle market growth.
- The provision of regulatory incentives to support US battery suppliers, who can contribute to domestic job growth with advanced battery development and production.
Concluding its statement, GM explained, “The stakes are high, and time is short. As US companies like General Motors develop and deploy these technologies, governments and industries in Asia and Europe are working together to enact policies now to accelerate the shift to an all-electric future. We need further government and industry cooperation here in the U.S. It’s simple: America has the opportunity to lead. Now is the time.”
