General Motors continues to flex is green credibility. This follows the announcement the automaker plans to be powered solely by renewable energy by 2050, and its latest mass-market EV, the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, earned a 238-mile range from the EPA.
But a clean grid is the ultimate goal, according to Britta Gross, GM’s director of advanced vehicle commercialization policy. That starts with vehicles to reduce local emissions to improve energy security for future generations.
“The cleaner the grid, the cleaner our vehicles are to produce and to drive,” said Gross. “And one day plug-in electric vehicles can be used to help manage the intermittency of wind and solar energy on the grid.”
A small example of this strategy is the usage of used Chevrolet Volt batteries to power offices at the Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan. 80-percent of the battery’s life may still be tapped into even after being decommissioned for road use.
GM’s array of solar panels at Milford also have produced more energy than consumed, providing a net-zero usage. The batteries work in concert, knowing the sun isn’t always shining.
These are just a few small steps towards a greener tomorrow, but GM is confident the change starts now.
“GM’s pledge to use 100 percent renewable electricity is nothing short of remarkable,” said Herve Touati, managing director for the Business Renewables Center. “As the auto industry moves toward a global transformation from oil to electricity, this pledge is a clear indication of GM’s vision of a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy future.”
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