General Motors made a major bet on electric vehicles, and even though people are tired of paying high prices at the pump, many drivers are steering toward hybrid models.
That mismatch may be sending shoppers elsewhere, according to The Detroit News. Florida dealer Bill Wallace said customers are increasingly asking about hybrids as fuel prices stay high, yet GM offers just one hybrid model: the Corvette sports car.
Here's what to know
Wallace, who owns 16 dealerships, said interest in hybrids has climbed as customers look for relief from high gas prices.
At the Hyundai, Kia, and Mazda stores he owns, sales staff can point shoppers to several hybrid choices. At his GM dealerships, that largely is not possible.
That shortfall stands out as hybrids keep gaining ground. The Detroit News reported that hybrids made up 19% of U.S. retail sales in August, versus about 16% before the war that began in late February 2026.
The segment was even stronger in May 2026, when hybrids accounted for 20% of sales. The Detroit News, citing JD Power, also said hybrids moved off dealer lots in the second quarter at more than twice the rate of non-hybrid gas vehicles.
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For years, GM's position was that hybrids were not the right route. The Detroit News cited remarks from CEO Mary Barra at a 2019 Barclays conference, where she called hybrids an "interim solution" and said, "Customers generally aren't interested in hybrids."
More background
GM centered its strategy on the idea that EVs would take over the market. That shift has slowed under anti-EV policies from the Trump administration, even as many consumers keep looking for something more efficient than a gas-only vehicle.
Toyota Motor Corp. said electrified vehicles represented more than half of its U.S. sales in the first half of 2026, per The Detroit News. Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. have also expanded their hybrid efforts, especially in compact SUVs.
In that segment, GM sells gas-only models such as the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Envista, while rivals offer hybrid versions like Toyota's RAV4 and Honda's CR-V. JD Power vice president Srini Rajagopalan, who focuses on OEM customer success, described the trend, saying, "Everybody's coming up with a hybrid in that space. This is becoming a little bit more than just a phase or a fad," per The Detroit News.
The Detroit News reported that GM's U.S. share slipped to 16.8% in the first half of 2026 from 17.6% in the first half of 2025, while Toyota and Honda posted gains.
What's being done?
By late 2024, Barra was saying GM expected to have plug-in hybrids for the North American market by 2027, The Detroit News reported. In September 2026, she told Fortune the company would add hybrids in key segments, but she did not give a timeline.
Nissan is speeding up the launch of a new hybrid Rogue compact SUV by several months and plans to introduce it "in response to growing consumer demand for hybrid SUVs."
Dealers frustrated with GM's lineup say customers want lower-cost vehicles that cut fuel use without forcing them to go fully electric. New Jersey GM dealer David Ferraez highlighted that pressure, The Detroit News reported, saying, "I'm hoping that GM can adapt and come up with a way to build hybrids."
Where can I learn more?
Whether or not GM is making the right bet on EVs, it's clear consumers are ready to distance themselves at least a little bit from the volatile prices of gas. These stories look at GM's gas car investments, rising fuel prices, and EV ownership costs.
• GM is putting $340 million into its gas car operations in Romulus and Toledo.
• With gas near $4.50, 56,000 U.S. households switched from gas cars to hybrids and EVs.
• Experts say EVs can cost less to own and operate than gas cars.
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