DETROIT—General Motors CEO Mary Barra attempted to address any concerns that the auto maker could be behind on the development and deployment of an all-electric pickup.
Barra, while discussing GM's first quarter earnings, said the auto maker has an "industry-leading" truck franchise as well as EV capability. The company, she said, "will not cede our leadership on either front."
"We intend to create an all-electric future that includes a complete range of EVs, including full-size pickups," she said on a conference call. GM, she said, will share additional information on its plans "when competitively appropriate."
Ford Motor Co. said it would invest $500 million in electric vehicle startup Rivian with plans to build a battery EV using Rivian's flexible skateboard platform.
The Ford-Rivian tie-up came weeks after talks between Rivian and GM reportedly broke down. GM reportedly was interested in becoming an equity investor in Rivian, much like Amazon, which led a $700 million investment round in the startup in February.
Barra did not mention Rivian or Ford in her comments, but said she wanted to address "various industry partnerships around battery-electric vehicles and trucks."
While Ford is the long-standing industry sales leader in full-size pickups in the U.S. with the F-series, GM's overall truck deliveries, including midsize and medium-duty, make it the top seller.
An EV pickup likely would be part of GM's plans for its next-generation all-electric vehicle platform, which the company expects to introduce in 2021 while launching at least 20 all-electric or fuel cell-powered vehicles globally by 2023.