General Motors wants to convert the closed Lordstown Assembly plant into a UAW-represented battery cell manufacturing facility.
In a media release sent out yesterday, GM said it had given the UAW a contract offer that would “solutions,” for closed assembly plants in Ohio and Michigan. While the automaker did not go into the specifics of the plan, rumors later emerged that the company was planning on allocating battery cell production to Lordstown for its upcoming line of new electric vehicles.
Additionally, GM’s plan to begin producing battery cells in Lordstown would not impact the sale of the facility to Lordstown Motors – the newly formed company led by former Workhorse CEO Steve Burns. Lordstown Motors hopes to purchase the plant and begin producing commercial electric vehicles there. While the specifics of the plan aren’t available, it sounds as though the facility may be split between Lordstown Motors and GM.
GM’s offer to the UAW also entailed allocating production of its new electric pickup truck to Detroit-Hamtramck. While these moved could bring thousands of jobs back to Michigan and Ohio, GM isn’t slated to begin production of its electric vehicles or its electric pickup trucks for a few years or so, likely leaving the plants idle for the near future.
The automaker claimed its proposal also included “over $7 billion in investments,” in the US over the next four years, resulting in 5,400 jobs. In a separate statement issued this morning, GM claimed negotiations with the UAW have resumed and said its goal remains “to reach an agreement that builds a stronger future for our employees and our business.”
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Comments
UAW isn’t interested.
GM should keep the plant closed and move Silverado production to China.
More lies. No workhorse is happening and no batteries. You need cars to put the batteries into and we see no new EV car development plans anywhere in the US. I see a Caddy or GMC EV on the new Trailblazer/Encore GX platform using LG batteries (Korea) in a few years. GM will not develop EV in the US.
GM should build the Blazer @ Lordstown . At the very least build Blazers for those being sold on east of the Mississippi River.
Or built the new trail blazer that’s coming early 2020
To build cars there it needs to be a high volume model or multiple models.
This is a very very large plant many models just are not great enough volume to just plug in randomly.
Also to put a new model here will take a couple years. You are not just going to move something here in one year.
One other factor to fit the Blazer the paint shop and other parts of the plant will take over a billion dollars to retrofit new equipment.
While it would be nice it would be a great cost in time and money to move a non compliant model to this line.
When wishing reality some times gets in the way.
Apparently due to technical complexities, GM have slowed their rollout of autonomous taxis (ATs). However, within 5 years, GM should be manufacturing millions of ATs annually. Ideally Lordstown can be making all the batteries for these ATs.