GM against California environmental regulations
General Motors opposes California’s initiative to introduce its own environmental standards for vehicles. The company claims that such rules harm businesses and limit consumer choice. California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035, and other states have already joined this idea. However, the transition to electric vehicles is progressing slower than expected.
In a letter to employees, GM urged them to support the fight against California’s regulations:
“Emission standards that do not align with market realities pose a serious threat to our business, undermining consumer choice and vehicle affordability”
. Currently, 11 states support California’s plan, but GM and a number of politicians are trying to strip the state of its right to set its own rules.
Challenges in transitioning to electric vehicles
Official data shows that electric vehicle sales in the U.S. are falling short of projected targets. California aimed for 35% of sales to be electric vehicles by 2026, but currently, this figure stands at only 20%. National rates of transitioning to electric vehicles are also slowing, indicating that a large-scale market shift will occur later than anticipated.
GM representatives emphasize that the company adheres to the principle of customer choice by offering a variety of models. However, their stance contradicts their previous support for California’s initiatives. It is likely that automakers are interested in uniform national standards to avoid varying requirements across different regions. The government believes California’s regulations are too ambitious and do not account for current market conditions.