As GM Authority already covered at length, GM announced yesterday that it was investing a whopping $7 billion into its Michigan-based production facilities, including roughly $6.5 billion in electric vehicle production investments. The announcement makes for the largest single investment in GM history. Now, President Biden, the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union, and others have weighed in on.
As a brief summary, yesterday’s announcement includes $4 billion to convert the GM Orion Township Assembly plant for production of the new GM all-electric trucks, including the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV, a move that is expected to create 2,350 new jobs at the facility while retaining a further 1,000 jobs. GM and its joint venture partner LG Energy Solution are also investing $2.6 billion to build a third Ultium Cells battery plant, which will be located Lansing. Finally, GM is investing $510 million into its Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant and Lansing Grand River Assembly plant, supporting production of the next-gen Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave at the former, and new plant upgrades at the latter.
GM CEO Mary Barra
In response to the announcement, President Biden issued a statement, saying that GM’s investment was “the latest sign that my economic strategy is helping power an historic American manufacturing comeback. From day one, my Administration has been laser focused on making sure that America leads the manufacturing future of electric vehicles.”
Back in November, President Biden visited GM’s recently reopened Factory Zero plant, even driving the new GMC Hummer EV. Biden has also signed an executive order calling for roughly half of all new car sales to be electric vehicles by 2030.
President Biden
Per a report from The Detroit News, UAW leader James Harris praised the announcement, which includes retainment of 1,000 existing jobs at the GM Orion Assembly facility.
“Now, I can say, ‘Yes you do have a future and a career at this location; we do have new product coming and, no, you don’t have to uproot your family and relocate,’” Harris said.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also praised the announcement, saying that the investment would create 4,000 jobs and generate $35 billion in economic opportunities over the course of the next few years.
Governor Whitmer
“As governor of the state of Michigan, I will and our Legislature will work with anyone who wants to put Michigan first. We rolled up our sleeves to get this investment over the finish line. In decades to come, we’ll electrify the world,” Whitmer said.
The announcement was also earned praised across the aisle, with Republican State Representative Mark Tisdel saying that “GM’s planned investment is a sign that our state is equipped to expand our business horizons and shape opportunities for working families.”
However, the announcement was not without its critics, with Democratic State Representative Abraham Aiyash tweeting “GM will be getting nearly a BILLION dollars in taxpayer money for jobs that will likely pay only $36k a year with no guarantee of a union or benefits. The art of the deal.”
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Comments
That’s nice; now GM just needs to build some vehicles that make it onto the 2023 favorites list. This year Ford kept getting praise: Lightning EV, Mustang Mach E, Evos, Zephyr and Mondero for China. Jeep got a lot of props. GM has Hummer along with growing incentives.
Even most of The General’s refreshments were lame and Nox, Blazer and Traverse have all become less popular once the chip shortage broke consumer habits and loyalty. .
GM will be bankrupt by 2030
All this electrical push will make the whole planet bankrupt sooner than later.
Build efficient long lasting vehicles running on fossil fuels and things will be quite all right.
The big guy up above put the oil in the ground for a reason. And NOBODY will make things better.
Thump, thump, thump.
To all the Michigan naysayers above: Indiana will take those jobs and investment if you don’t want them in Michigan.
Or Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky Texas….. The downside to this forum is 4 or 5 posts lead us to thinking that’s the way people in Michigan feel, or the investment is wrong. Anti-GM, anti-anything. setting on a pile of cash would receive public ire as well. Your right, and your opinion. Seems logical billions in investments in EVs generating jobs, services and taxes is better than squeezing additional mpg’s out of a coke can with wheels powered by some dismal engine.
Don’t forget Ohio!
gm sold 26 EV’s last quarter.
Great day for Michigan!
I guess that the reason to have to re-train the 1,000 remaining employees that were manufacturing the Bolt is because they need them to learn something else than fire fighting.
Way to go GM! BEST of luck! Current and potential workers will benefit, not to mention customers & the planet.