General Motors (GM) is a multinational corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA. It was founded on September 16, 1908, by William C. Durant and Charles Stewart Mott, and it is currently one of the world's largest automakers, designing, building, and selling vehicles under various brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.
GM designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of cars, trucks, crossovers, and SUVs, as well as provides automotive financing services. It also has operations in other fields, such as electric and autonomous vehicles, vehicle connectivity, and advanced manufacturing. GM has a strong presence in the US, as well as other markets such as China, Brazil, and Canada.
General Motors went public on November 18, 2010, after a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) that raised over $20 billion in capital, making it one of the largest IPOs in history. The move allowed the US government, which had bailed out the company during the 2008 financial crisis, to reduce its stake in the company from 61% to 33%. GM's return to the public market was seen as a sign of the automaker's recovery, as it had filed for bankruptcy in 2009, after suffering from declining sales, high costs, and tough competition from foreign automakers.
GM has made significant investments in electric and autonomous vehicle technologies in recent years, aiming to become a leader in the industry. In 2021, the company announced that it planned to spend $35 billion on electric and autonomous vehicles through 2025, as well as increase its global battery production capacity. The automaker also aims to make its vehicles more sustainable, with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality in its products and operations by 2040.
In addition to its business operations, GM has also been involved in various philanthropic and community initiatives. The GM Foundation, for example, provides grants to non-profit organizations working in areas such as education, health, and human services.