“We need your help!” GM said as it called on thousands of employees to join forces against plans to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars by 2035.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said that GM was once one of the companies that actively focused on developing the electric vehicle industry after the success of Tesla. However, the gloomy market situation caused GM to turn around when it focused all its efforts on reversing the decision to ban the sale of gasoline cars in the US by 2035.

“We need your help! Emissions standards that are out of step with market realities pose a serious threat to our business by undermining consumer choice and car affordability,” GM said in an email to its thousands of office workers last week.

As one of the largest automakers in the US, employing a large number of workers, GM is encouraging employees to discuss and lobby Congress to nullify the plan to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 in California.

The plan has been passed by 11 other states, but the US Senate is about to vote to revoke the order, which sets stricter tailpipe emissions standards to favor electric vehicles.

Turn around

GM initially announced that it would stop producing gasoline vehicles by 2035 and support California’s environmental protection regulations.

But Tesla’s success passed too quickly, along with the gloomy market, forcing GM to change its mind.

If 3 years ago, the demand for electric cars was higher than the supply, now the sales of these clean energy cars are starting to slow down.

The benefits of government rebates and tax credits are drying up, car buyers are looking for lower-priced alternatives, and the White House is looking to eliminate tax credits that have boosted electric vehicle sales for years.

Even in California, the top US electric vehicle market, electric car sales are much slower than the state had planned.

By 2026, zero-emission vehicle sales are expected to account for 35% of all vehicle sales in California, but currently they account for just 20% of the state’s auto market.

Worse, data from research firm Motor Intelligence shows that electric vehicle sales fell 5% by April 2025 while the overall US auto market grew 10%.

As of now, electric vehicles account for only 7% of the US market, a very modest number after 4 years of receiving support from the government as well as when compared to other markets such as China and Europe.

It should be recalled that it was Elon Musk and Tesla who pioneered the electric car wave in the US, promoting a dream of an “automotive revolution”, pushing the total capitalization of electric car companies to equal that of technology corporations.

But now, sales and market share of electric vehicles in the very place that started this trend are struggling.

Back at GM, the company has abandoned its self-imposed goal of producing 400,000 electric vehicles by mid-2024. Last year, the company even said it would postpone plans to produce a new Buick electric car and delay the opening of an electric truck plant.

A number of major brands such as Ford have also scaled back similar plans.

Change voice

The WSJ reported that although GM continues to invest in electric vehicles and launch a series of new electric models, a GM spokesman said the company has long argued that the US should have an emissions regulation that takes into account market demand.

This statement is a stark departure from GM’s previous stance on electric vehicles.

A GM spokesperson said emails calling for action have been sent to workers in Michigan and other affected states. In Michigan, several lawmakers reported receiving calls from GM employees.

Not only GM, the “Alliance for Automotive Innovation” (AAI) in the US, representing major brands such as Stellantis, Ford and Toyota, has called on the US Congress to “block” regulations that could affect the car manufacturing industry and impact millions of jobs.

In response, Tesla and Rivian executives said electric vehicles are an inevitable trend that cannot be reversed.

“You can’t stop electric cars. It’s going to happen,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk told investors in January 2025 when asked about his ambitions to reverse California regulations.

In contrast, Senator John Barrasso said the tough emissions regulations were an attempt to “eliminate every gasoline-powered vehicle in America.”

“It’s completely unrealistic. It’s too expensive for most families to afford,” said Senator John Barrasso, criticizing regulations that support the development of electric vehicles.

Similarly, Rep. Laura Gillen of New York, one of the states that passed the order, said she supported the emissions reduction target but that the timeline was “unrealistic” and an undue burden on consumers facing a cost-of-living crisis.

“If everyone in my area went out and bought an EV, the grid couldn’t handle it,” Gillen worries.

It’s not just senators. Car dealership owners like Barry Stoler in New York say electric cars are a tough sell even with generous federal tax credits, which the White House is phasing out.

“If automakers don’t offer incentives and governments don’t subsidize them, consumers won’t be able to afford electric cars,” Stoler said.

The dealership owner said automakers are unlikely to meet California’s requirements to stop selling gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, and are concerned about not having enough cars to sell.

“There aren’t many customers buying electric cars,” Mr. Stoler warned.