GM was the first major US automaker to make the promise to go all-electric by 2035, just four years ago. Those promises have since turned into rough estimates under the second Donald Trump presidency, with the company softening language about its electrification goals. But GM is riding high on EV sales, and as CEO Mary Barra puts it, EVs are still the future — just on a delayed (and very flexible) timeline.
“We still believe in an all-electric future,” Barra told The Verge in an exclusive interview at the Le Mans race in France. “The regulations were getting in front of where the consumer demand was, largely because of charging infrastructure, which hasn’t happened as fast as anybody expected.” She continued, “We do believe in an all-EV future, but the customer is going to guide us there.”
GM is no stranger to political and financial headwinds, but this time is different. Although the company successfully navigated the massive auto bailouts in 2008, Barra faces new challenges due to shifting tariff policies, the elimination of pro-EV incentives thanks to Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, a shifting global economic picture, and a mercurial president who’s not afraid to single out companies that don’t kiss the ring.
A changing environment
Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup trucks at a GMC Chevrolet dealership in Laval, Quebec, Canada, on Thursday, April 3rd, 2025. Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images
GM has been quietly scaling back its ambitious EV plans in response to these pressures, even as the company has seen growing profits from EV sales.
GM recently became the number two seller of EVs in the world, surpassing Ford, and closing the gap with Tesla amid that company’s spectacular fall from grace. Chevrolet became the fastest-growing US EV brand in the first quarter of 2025.
If Tesla continues on its downward spiral, it’s entirely possible that GM could soon become number one. Last week, during GM’s earnings, the company announced that it had increased EV sales by more than 111 percent, selling nearly 50,000 vehicles in the first quarter. It stands to reason that the elimination of the EV tax credit could throw a wrench in that progress.
There’s also the ongoing issue of looming tariffs. Barra recently came out in support of Trump’s automotive tariffs, thanking the president for his support of the US automotive industry, despite it costing her company an estimated $5 billion.
If Tesla continues on its downward spiral, it’s entirely possible that GM could soon become number one
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