GM to Invest $7 Billion in Electric Pickup Truck Production
General Motors' Significant Investment in Michigan EV Production
General Motors has announced a substantial investment exceeding $7 billion across four manufacturing facilities in Michigan. This capital will be allocated to the development of battery cell production and electric truck manufacturing capabilities.
Expanding Battery Cell Capabilities with LG Energy Solutions
The investment encompasses a third collaborative plant venture with LG Energy Solutions, demonstrating GM’s commitment to achieving its ambitious electric vehicle (EV) production goals. This expansion signifies a major step towards scaling up EV output.
Job Creation and Facility Upgrades
GM projects that these funding initiatives will result in the creation of 4,000 new employment opportunities. Furthermore, the plan includes provisions for retaining an additional 1,000 existing positions within the company.
Investment in Existing and New Facilities
The financial commitment extends to two previously publicized locations: the Ultium Cells battery cell plant situated in Lansing, Michigan, and the ongoing conversion of GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan.
New Ultium Battery Cell Plant in Lansing
A new Ultium battery cell manufacturing plant will be added to the growing portfolio of GM’s EV-focused facilities. This $2.6 billion facility will be located in Lansing, Michigan, on property leased by GM.
Construction Timeline and Production Capacity
Site preparation for the 2.8 million-square-foot plant is scheduled to commence this summer. The facility is projected to become operational by late 2024. It will supply battery cells to the Orion Assembly plant and other GM EV assembly locations.
Ultium Cells' Projected Output
Ultium Cells anticipates that the facility will achieve a battery cell capacity of 50 gigawatt hours upon reaching full production levels. GM and LG Energy are concurrently developing two additional battery cell manufacturing sites in Ohio and Tennessee.
Orion Factory to Produce Electric Pickups
The Orion factory will be dedicated to the production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the electric GMC Sierra. This marks the second GM assembly plant focused on building full-size electric pickup trucks.
Factory Zero and Future EV Production
GM’s Factory Zero, previously known as Detroit-Hamtramck, will also contribute to the company’s expanding EV pickup truck lineup. This includes the GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV, the Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup, and the Cruise Origin autonomous robotaxi.
North American EV Capacity Goals
GM aims to establish a total electric vehicle production capacity exceeding 1 million units in North America by the end of 2025. A significant portion of this capacity will be dedicated to electric pickup trucks.
Competitive Landscape in the EV Pickup Market
The focus on EV pickups positions GM to compete directly with Ford and emerging EV manufacturers such as Rivian in this rapidly evolving automotive segment.