Here's when GM's plug-in hybrids will arrive in our country

Announced last January, the return of plug-in hybrid models to General Motors' extensive catalog is becoming clearer. We now know that the first plug-in hybrids will arrive on the market in 2027.

GM CEO Mary Barra confirmed the news this week in an interview with The Detroit News.

The year was not chosen at random, of course. That's when new, more stringent vehicle emission standards are due to come into force in the United States. GM intends to rely on various plug-in hybrids to offset the emissions of its more polluting vehicles.

Then, from a commercial point of view, it's a way of better meeting market needs until electric vehicle charging infrastructure becomes more widespread and efficient, range improves and prices come down.

That said, Barra has yet to give any clues as to which models will offer plug-in hybrid powertrains, other than to say that they will be in “strategic segments” (there's still a good three years to 2027). She had previously hinted that the technology will be derived from that currently employed by GM in other markets around the world.

The strategic segments alluded to by Barra may include compact and mid-size SUVs, as well as full-size pickup trucks. The Chevrolet Equinox/GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Silverado 1500/GMC Sierra 1500 thus appear as potential candidates. An Equinox Plus plug-in hybrid was recently unveiled for China.

On the electric-vehicle front, GM has just begun delivering its first Chevrolet Equinox EVs in the United States and producing Chevrolet Silverado EVs for private customers. For the full year 2024, the American giant aims to manufacture and sell between 200,000 and 300,000 electric vehicles in North America, which promises to be a big challenge given the current slowdown in demand.

GM is still clinging to its goal of no longer selling light vehicles with combustion engines from 2035, as announced in January 2021.