Chevrolet Parent Company GM says it will phase out all gasoline- and diesel-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035

Big changes are always a nervous proposition, but with the threat of climate change becoming an issue that threatens both America and the planet, it’s going to be up to smart people to pull together, make bold moves and fix this problem so we can pass on a cleaner and prosperous world to the next generation.

Chevrolet’s parent company General Motors — the largest vehicle manufacturer in the U.S. — recently took a bold public step toward finding those solutions. On January 28, GM CEO Mary Barra announced that GM plans to become “carbon neutral” by 2040, a plan that includes phasing out all gasoline- and diesel-powered light duty vehicles made by General Motors by 2035. They hope by taking this step, they will inspire other companies in the global automotive manufacturing community to do the same.

“General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world,” said Mary Barra, GM Chairman and CEO. “We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole.”

While the move would allow heavy-duty models like the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD to continue production with gas and diesel power, other popular models sold at Landers Chevrolet of Norman and Landers Chevrolet Cadillac of Joplin — including iconic names like the Chevy Suburban, Corvette, Camaro, Impala and Silverado 1500 and the Cadillac Escalade would be sold solely with alternative fuel sources like all-electric power, power from hydrogen or other gasses, or a technology that hasn’t been developed far enough to reach production yet.

“GM will offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade and 40 percent of the company’s U.S. models offered will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025,” a press release about the plan states. “GM is investing $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles in the next five years – up from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In addition to phasing out all light-duty gas and diesel vehicles by 2035, GM hopes to make all their production facilities in the world “carbon neutral” by 2040, which means that their manufacturing plants would release the equivalent of zero greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Investments to help GM get there include continuing the development of GM’s next-gen Ultium battery technology, updating facilities to build electric vehicles, and investing in new partnerships like the one with Ultium Cells LLC in Ohio, creating the jobs of tomorrow. More than half of GM’s planned spending and product development in the next five years will be devoted to creating electric vehicles, GM said.

There’s big changes on the way for General Motors, Chevrolet, and Landers Chevrolet dealerships in Norman, Oklahoma and Joplin, Missouri in the next few years. But we know from experience that by utilizing the same great American ingenuity and drive that built the first incredible century of Chevrolet, General Motors can build the next generation of cleaner, greener Chevys that are even more reliable, dependable, hardworking and safe than today’s gasoline- and diesel-powered Chevys.

Are you ready to drive the Chevrolets of Tomorrow that you can own right now? Then stop by Landers Chevrolet of Norman or Landers Chevrolet Cadillac of Joplin today, or check out our full selection of advanced Chevy models at our website right now.