General Motors said Thursday it plans to become a "carbon neutral" company in its global products and operations by 2040 along with ending tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035.

The announcement from GM comes as President Joe Biden announced that the United States plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. The news tops climate change efforts by rival Ford Motors, which announced last summer it would become carbon neutral by 2050.

"General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world," Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole."

The automotive giant said it worked with the Environmental Defense Fund to develop a shared vision of an all-electric future along with slashing tailpipe emissions. GM will offer zero-emission vehicles across various price ranges help create the necessary charging infrastructure and promote consumer acceptance.

The company said it will maintain high-quality jobs needed to meet its goals.

"GM is making it crystal clear that taking action to eliminate pollution from all new light-duty vehicles by 2035 is an essential element of any automaker's business plan," said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, in a statement. "EDF and GM have had some important differences in the past, but this is a new day in America."

The automaker will introduce 30 new electric vehicles by 2025 and spend $27 billion on electric and autonomous technologies over that time. GM recently formed a partnership with trucking manufacturer Navistar Inc. to build trucks with its hydrogen fuel cells to build on that sector.

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