As a lot of the EV media hailed the choice by Ford, GM and different automakers to hitch their charging wagons to the Tesla prepare, a couple of contrarians questioned, “What had been they considering?” Properly, in a brand new interview, GM CEO Mary Barra explains simply what she and her engineering workforce had been considering.

Talking with NBC Information President Rebecca Blumenstein on the Aspen Concepts Competition, Barra stated that GM appeared on the problem from a buyer perspective (round 15:50 within the video). GM’s technical workforce discovered that “the sturdiness, reliability and price” of Tesla’s NACS had been superior to these of CCS. The latter is “more cost effective and higher,” she stated.

GM drivers will quickly have entry to Tesla Superchargers, along with the chargers belonging to numerous different networks that they will already use. “Beginning subsequent yr, as a substitute of getting 13,000 chargers throughout this nation obtainable, we’ll have 25,000,” stated Barra. “It was a choice that was not that onerous to make, and we did it fairly quick.”

Ms. Blumenstein famous that GM was one of many first advertisers to “again off” from Twitter when Tesla’s controversial CEO took over the platform, and requested Barra if GM will return to promoting on Twitter. Barra famous that Twitter now has a brand new chief, and stated there’s “a dialog available.”

When Blumenstein requested Barra if she feels she will belief Elon Musk, the CEO’s solely reply was a kind of half-smile and eye roll, which acquired amusing from the viewers. Barra reiterated that partnering with Tesla was in each firms’ greatest pursuits, and can be “higher for the patron.” GM’s workforce “labored very seamlessly with the workforce at Tesla.”

“After all we’re going to compete” with Tesla, Barra stated, including that “in lots of industries, you compete and also you accomplice.” Noting that GM has additionally partnered with Honda and Ford, she added that the auto trade would profit from extra partnerships.

Supply: NBC Information