GM Will Double Its 40-MPG Vehicles by 2017

Expect the number of fuel efficient vehicles offered by General Motors grow in the next four years.

Today, GM announced goals to better its position in offering more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Among the promises, it said that by 2017 it will double the models with 40 mpg on the highway or better. The company also said it will have 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification by the same year. Those include cars like the Chevrolet Malibu Eco, which uses the brand’s widely panned eAssist mild hybrid system.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Named ‘Most Disliked Car of 2012′

“Our long-term approach to sustainability enables us to increase efficiency and reimagine personal mobility to best meet customer needs and lifestyles,” GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson said.

There are currently four vehicles that meet General Motor’s fuel efficiency criteria: the Volt, Cruze Eco (pictured), Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel and Sonic.

Finally, the brand said it aims to reduce U.S. vehicle co2 emissions by 15 percent by 2016 while cutting co2 by 27 percent among its Opel and Vauxhall brands in Europe.

Sales of Chevrolet’s plug-in hybrid Volt — the brand’s most efficient vehicle — have struggled to keep up with the Nissan Leaf. Widely regarded as the car’s closest competitor, the two have been engaged in a sales battle from the start, but in a surprise play last January Nissan sliced $6,000 off the price of its electric car. General Motors has since countered with discounts on the Volt rather than an outright price reduction.

Cadillac will also soon launch its luxury variant of the Volt. Called the ELR, it will feature several changes aside from new sheet metal and badges. The plug-in Caddy will come with a fresh interior, revised suspension and extensive tuning to create a sportier, albeit slightly less efficient package.

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