GM’s American Plug-In Hybrids Won’t Arrive Until 2027

With electric vehicle adoption slowing, GM is bringing back plug-in hybrids

Dreams of a quick and painless electric revolution quickly ran out of juice, which has left a handful of automakers scrambling to come up with a plan B. General Motors is among them as the company recently announced they’ll offer plug-in hybrids in America.

GM CEO Mary Barra recently revealed more about their plug-in hybrid plans during an interview with the Detroit News. In it, the executive said “hybrids will be part of the solution” and “plug-in hybrids are an important part of meeting the regulatory space and giving consumers more options.”

More: After Going All In On EVs, GM Is Bringing Back Hybrids To North America

While GM had previously envisioned a zero-emissions future, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Barra suggested this wasn’t due to lackluster EV demand, but rather changes in the “regulatory space” which pushed them to reassess their strategy.

As a result, the automaker is now aiming to offer plug-in hybrids in 2027. There’s no word on which models will receive electrified powertrains, but previous reports have suggested the company wants to introduce plug-in hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra as quickly as possible.

While GM doesn’t currently offer plug-in hybrids in the United States, the automaker has a handful in China. The Buick GL8 PHEV was introduced last month, while the Chevrolet Equinox PHEV is also new.

The latter features a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, an electric motor, and a 16.5 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack. Thanks to this setup, the crossover has a combined output of 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS) and 417 lb-ft (565 Nm) of torque. This enables the model to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 6.8 seconds, hit a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h), and travel 63.4 miles (102 km) in the CLTC cycle on electricity alone.

While Barra now sees room for plug-in hybrids, the company believes EVs will eventually win out. In particular, she said “How long hybrids will be part of the solution depends on how quickly we get a robust charging infrastructure.”