GM Pulls Support From Trump Attack on California Auto Power
- CEO Barra says company in sync with Biden’s electric car goals
- Reversal is latest twist in battle that fractured industry
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg
General Motors Co. will withdraw from the legal battle between the Trump administration and California officials over the state’s authority to set automobile emissions rules, a major shift in a contentious fight that has fractured the industry.
The decision is a significant reversal by the largest U.S. automaker after it supported the Trump administration’s legal defense of a 2019 federal rule revoking California’s authority to set tougher tailpipe greenhouse gas requirements than the federal government. GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said in a letter to environmental groups Monday that the company’s goal of speeding adoption of electric vehicles is aligned with President-elect Joe Biden’s support of cleaner cars.