General Motors sets sights on overtaking Tesla sales in the US

General Motors is the latest established mainstream auto giant to take aim at Tesla, boldly declaring a plan to overtake the pioneer’s electric-car sales in the US by 2025.

The car giant already outsells Tesla when all types of vehicles are counted. 

Last year, GM sold 6.3 million cars worldwide, behind Toyota (10 million) and the Volkswagen Group (8.9 million).

In the US, General Motors reported as sold 2.2 million new vehicles across all types last year, compared to 352,000 Tesla cars.

However, Tesla leads the world – and the United States – when it comes to electric vehicle sales, reporting 936,000 vehicle deliveries globally, including the 352,000 in the US.

By contrast, GM sold fewer than 25,000 electric cars in the US, equivalent to just seven per cent of Tesla’s tally.

In an interview with news agency Associated Press, GM CEO Mary Barra outlined the company’s plans to sell more electric cars in the US than Tesla within two-and-a-half years.

Barra believes selling cheap electric cars will help GM to topple Tesla in North America, and increase the proportion of electric vehicle sales on US roads compared to petrol and diesel models.

“To really get to 30, 40, 50 per cent EVs (electric vehicles) being sold, you have to appeal to people that are in that $US30,000 ($AU43,000) to $US35,000 ($AU50,000) price range,” Barra told the Associated Press.

At present, electric cars account for roughly five per cent of all new vehicle sales in the US. GM has previously said it plans for all of its new passenger cars to be electric by 2035.

While GM has announced long-term plans to introduce 30 electric models by 2025, GM’s short-term plans are based around making electric vehicles more affordable.

This will be led by the Chevrolet Bolt, a Holden Barina-sized hatchback which currently starts at $US26,000 ($AU37,500). 

GM has hinted at implementing an 18 per cent price cut to the Bolt, dropping the car to just over $US21,000 ($AU30,000) – roughly $US27,000 ($AU39,000) less than the cheapest Tesla Model 3.

However, it’s not just the small-car segment which GM is targeting. This week it launched the mid-size Chevrolet Blazer electric SUV, while the GMC Hummer EV was revealed last year as its full-size off-road option.