GM CEO says she told Biden Tesla and Musk deserve more EV credit

General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra has revealed that she personally told former US President Joe Biden that Tesla and Elon Musk should receive more credit for advancing the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Speaking at The New York Times DealBook Summit, Barra mentioned that despite GM being widely praised at the May 2021 White House EV Summit, an event that notably excluded Tesla, she felt compelled to correct the record.

Barra said that in a private conversation with Biden, she clarified that Tesla’s early leadership was crucial to the EV revolution. 

“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla,’” Barra told interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin.

Notably, the snub created a major rift between the Biden administration and Musk, who openly expressed frustration over Tesla being sidelined. 

Musk argued that the White House unfairly elevated GM, despite Tesla dramatically outselling its competitors in EVs at the time.

The tension also played into broader political divides, with Donald Trump later moving to reverse several Biden-era EV policies. 

Barra also acknowledged that shifting regulatory standards have impacted GM financially, adding that the company needs clearer, more consistent requirements moving forward.