General Motors Co. is dropping work to develop hydrogen fuel cells for everyday drivers to focus on electric vehicle batteries, the Detroit automaker announced Friday.

Salaried workers, primarily in Pontiac, were laid off Friday morning as part of the closure of GM's Hydrotec brand, spokesperson Stu Fowle said. Fowle declined to specify how many workers were laid off in connection to Hydrotec's closure.

"Every company has to look at and prioritize where we apply our resources," Fowle said. "And in this moment in time, we really want to put all of our effort toward our EV future.

The shift shows GM's faith in the future of EVs and its skepticism about the viability of using hydrogen fuel cells to power noncommercial vehicles.

Hydrogen fuel cells, which convert hydrogen into electricity,

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