GM boosts electrification commitment in China

General Motors Co. is upping its electric vehicle commitment in China with 10 more electrified vehicles in the heavily regulated market from 2021 through 2023. 

That's on top of the the 10 electrified vehicles GM and its Chinese joint ventures have already planned for 2016 through 2020.

President of GM China Matt Tsien announced the plan for more "new energy vehicles," which includes battery-electric, fuel-cell and hybrid vehicles, Tuesday in Shanghai. It's part of GM's push to meet increasingly stricter low-emission vehicle production quotas taking effect in China next year.

GM promised 20 fully zero-emissions vehicles globally by 2023 and China, the world's largest automotive market, is a key piece of that plan. 

A GM spokeswoman said the company does not yet have a breakdown of zero-emission vehicles vs. hybrids in, now, 20 new vehicles planned for the Chinese market, but said it would add to the global number of EVs targeted by GM in October.

It's also unclear how many of the vehicles would carry new nameplates, and which would be electrified options of existing vehicles in the Chinese market.

GM's 2016-2020 electrification push is already underway. The automaker's premium Buick brand debuted the Velite 6 plug-in hybrid and accompanying EV at the Beijing auto show in April. The plug-in hybrid launches in China later this year while the EV will come "at a later date," the automaker said.

The Velite 6 is made exclusively for the Chinese market, and will not come to the U.S.

Buick also showed an all-electric Enspire SUV in Beijing.

nnaughton@detroitnews.com

@noranaughton