General Motors Co. has weathered depressions, wars and pandemics under its century-old name, but the coming shift to battery-powered vehicles may be an opportunity to rethink its generic-sounding corporate moniker in favor of something avant-garde.

Toyota Motor Corp. may have kicked off the green-car movement with its Prius hybrid more than 20 years ago, but the company is not nearly as bullish as rivals about the American consumer embracing EVs.

Amazon.com led a $700 million equity investment in Rivian Automotive, the electric pickup and SUV maker preparing to deliver its first vehicles next year.