(Green Car Reports) — General Motors on Wednesday said it would have difficulty complying with proposed emissions rules that would require a significantly higher number of EV sales over the next decade.
As reported by Reuters, GM stated in comments to the EPA that there are six state and federal regulations that “could require each automaker to exceed 50% EVs in at least a dozen vehicle averaging sets in the approximate 2030 timeframe.”
The EPA announced in April that proposed federal emissions rules would effectively mandate 60% EV sales by 2030, reaching a maximum of 67% EV sales by 2032. The agency estimates that these rules would reduce emissions by 56% compared to the current regulations, which are in effect until 2026. However, the proposal does not make EV technology mandatory. The public comment period for the proposal ended this week (source).
GM expressed concerns that a lack of clarity or coordination among agencies may make it difficult for automakers to remain in compliance with each of these regulatory programs while meeting the EPA’s overall EV targets.
Despite these concerns, GM, which previously announced its aspirations to make its light-duty vehicle lineup fully electric by 2035, stated that it supports the “original goals” outlined in President Biden’s executive order of August 2021, which calls for 50% of new car sales to be EVs or plug-in hybrids by 2030. This is still a higher target than what some other automakers are aiming for.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing many legacy automakers, previously supported the rules but has since tried to mitigate their impact. The organization has also expressed concerns that the stricter rules may affect vehicle availability. In a recent executive summary of comments submitted to the EPA, the Alliance argued that the limits set in the proposed rules “are neither reasonable nor achievable in the time frame covered.”
Meanwhile, ZETA, an organization representing EV manufacturers and suppliers, pointed out that companies like Stellantis, GM, and Toyota have accumulated a significant number of emissions credits, which will facilitate their transition to EVs. GM and Stellantis recently paid record fines for missing earlier emissions targets, but their stockpiles of credits could prevent similar penalties in the future.
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GM CEO Mary Barra has stated that about 75% of the company’s carbon impact comes from the vehicles it sells. However, GM has been actively working to transition its manufacturing facilities to renewable energy ahead of schedule.