(This story has been updated with additional information.)
General Motors appears ready to invest $3 billion into two Michigan-based plants to build its coming wave of all-electric pickups and batteries. The total value of the projects is expected to hit $4.5 billion.
The company already builds its only two EVs, the Chevrolet Bolt and GMC Hummer in the state — the Hummer is set to begin rolling out of the company’s Factory Zero in Detroit and into owners’ hands before the end of the month, officials said.
The move, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal, which cited “people with knowledge of the plans.” Reuters later advanced the story saying LG Energy would invest $1.5 billion into one of the facilities, a battery-cell plant.
It’s good news for the state of Michigan, which has watched Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina secure more than $12 billion in electric vehicle and battery plants in the last few months.
GM CEO Mary Barra declined to elaborate on just such a scenario Thursday afternoon during an event hosted by the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.
“There’s a lot of conversation going on right now and in the not-too-distant future we’ll be able to answer that question. But I need to be fair to all parties involved,” she said, adding later an announcement would come in “weeks, not months.”
The reported plan
GM’s plans reportedly include the conversion its plant in Orion, Michigan, 40 miles north of Detroit, to build its future battery-electric trucks. The site currently produces the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV. However, it was designed to build as many as five different vehicle lines and is currently underutilized.
The company will invest $2 billion into the facility, creating 1,500 jobs in the process. No word on whether or not Bolt production would remain or be shifted somewhere else, such as the aforementioned Factory Zero, the Spring Hill, Tennessee plant expected to build the Cadillac Lyriq EV coming next year or to another undetermined location.
Also the company will build a battery-cell production plant in Lansing, Michigan near its two other sites in or near the city. Like the Ultium plant in Lordstown, Ohio, it would be a joint venture with LG Energy and add as many as 1,200 jobs, the Journal reported. The project could be $2.5 billion and employ 1,700 people by 2028, Reuters reported.
Officially speaking
TheDetroitBureau.com reached out to the auto company for confirmation or further comment, receiving an emailed statement from GM spokesman Dan Flores.
“GM is developing business cases for potential future investments in Michigan. As part of developing a competitive business case, we are having discussions with the appropriate local officials on available incentives.
“We are not going to speculate or disclose additional details of the projects under consideration beyond any information included in public filings.
“These projects are not approved and securing all available incentives will be critical for any business case to continue moving forward. I’m not going to speculate on the timing of when GM leadership will make a decision on potential future investments in Michigan.
