Former General Motors President and Early Advocate for Electric Vehicles, Lloyd Reuss, Passes Away
Lloyd Reuss: The Man Who Saved the Riviera and Championed EVs
Lloyd Reuss, an engineer turned executive, spent decades at General Motors (GM). He started his career at GM in 1957, becoming chief engineer at both Buick and Chevrolet before becoming the general manager of Buick in 1980. During his time at GM, Reuss played a key role in developing GM’s passenger-car models and supported the company’s early electric vehicle (EV) project that eventually released the EV1.
Reuss was not only an innovator in the auto industry but also a champion for various charities, including Focus: Hope in Detroit. This organization helps local students earn associate and bachelor of engineering degrees, with Reuss establishing the Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) at Focus: Hope in 1993. For more than 20 years, Reuss volunteered with the organization, and because of his work, GM gave the group over $14 million since 1986. The CAT has awarded over 300 associate and bachelor of engineering degrees. After retiring from GM in 1993, Reuss focused on charity work.
Reuss supported the GM Impact, an all-electric concept car that debuted at the 1990 Los Angeles Auto Show and later became the GM EV1. He saw something happening in the company back then that made him an early champion of electric vehicles.
Reuss was also instrumental in saving the Riviera from oblivion. He planned to turn Buick from a company that made cushy “doctors’ cars” into a more youthful and exciting brand in the early 1980s. He used C5 Corvette development program money on a full-size sedan platform, which birthed the Pontiac Bonneville, Buick LeSabre, and Oldsmobile 88 in the 1990s.
Reuss died this weekend at 86 years old. His son, Mark, is the current president of GM, following in his father’s footsteps. Funeral service information has not been announced, but the funeral home suggests donating to groups Reuss supported in lieu of flowers.
Reuss was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame for his contributions to the auto industry. He was a visionary who not only made an impact in the industry but also advocated for social justice and educational opportunities for students in his community. Reuss’s legacy will live on, and the auto industry owes him a debt of gratitude for his hard work and dedication.
