General Motors will launch its first new plug-in-hybrid model in years in North America in 2027. That’s according to GM CEO Marra Barra, who in an interview last week with The Detroit News, confirmed the new PHEV’s expected arrival date. The Chevy Volt, which was discontinued after the 2019 model year, was GM’s last plug-in hybrid.
GM’s New PHEV Plans
While 2027 might be a little longer than some of us were expecting, Barra said the timing has a lot to do with the EPA’s recently updated rules regarding federal emissions standards. Along with aiming to cut tailpipe emissions in half by 2055, the government mandate will affect cars and trucks starting with the 2027 model year through 2032.
Barra also told The News that GM changed its position from focusing solely on EVs to bringing some PHEV models to the U.S. market because of the new regulatory standards. She said, “… plug-in hybrids are an important part of meeting the regulatory space and giving consumers more options, so as the regulatory space evolved, it made sense for us to assess our strategy.”
Equinox PHEV Coming to America?
Of course, the question on most peoples’ mind is what GM model will get the plug-in-hybrid treatment? As Car and Driver speculated earlier this year, we think it could very well be the Chevy Equinox. Why? Well, Barra herself has provided an important clue, saying earlier this year that GM has already deployed the technology in other markets. Then, during her interview last week with The News, she’s quoted as saying, “As we’ve said, we’ve got the technology. We’re deploying it today in China.”
Currently, General Motors sells two plug-in hybrids in the Chinese market: the Buick Velite 6 and the new Chevy Equinox Plus PHEV. The latter marks the debut of GM’s next-gen plug-in-hybrid powertrain, according to GM Authority. The setup combines an electric motor and a 177-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter gas engine with a 188-hp electric motor. While it’s still a few years out, we expect to see a similar 2027 Chevy Equinox PHEV on our shores.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.