Tesla’s mounting authority in the electric automobile market is set to be challenged by General Motors’s Bolt Electric Vehicle platform. Most automobile companies have announced their self-driving cars in the recent time, but the relatively cheap Bolt EV has provided GM something of a head start. The automobile giant is thinking of releasing a range of electric vehicles based on the Bolt platform, and its announcements could be made sooner than expected.
In a conversation with CNET’s RoadShow, Mary Barra, CEO GM, revealed the company’s foundational plans for the platform.
The Bolt is our platform that we’re going to continue on and have a huge range of vehicles. We haven’t announced them yet, but you’re going to see more coming.
Other automobile companies that are planning multiple models in a range of different categories include Ford. The electrified Mustang and F-150 are planned to be showcased in 2020. Ford has also announced a whole new range of EV and hybrid vehicles for its customers.
Barra also related Bolt with her company’s autonomous program. She said that EV is the sole way to make the autonomous vehicles truly work. Bolt however, has the potential of revolutionizing the automobile industry.
She said;
We believe we have the right vehicle platform for AV, we think the only long -term sustainable path for autonomous vehicle is fully electric and we are obviously in a leadership position with the Bolt and all of our AV development that’s going on is based on the Bolt platform.
In case you remember, GM acquired the self-driving tech startup Cruise last year and is also in alliance with ride-sharing company Lyft. So, an on demand self driving car service could be envisioned in the future.
General Motors latest venture has created an interesting competition in the EV market and Bolt’s future will be worth keeping an eye on. A large range of vehicles have been planed on the platform, which describes their confidence in the platform.
