The sprawling General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck plant will become the automaker's first factory dedicated to the production of electric vehicles. Once the home of the discontinued Chevy Volt, the facility will begin its new life rolling out battery-powered pickup trucks in late 2021.

Shortly thereafter it will also churn out copies of the Cruise Origin autonomous vehicle which was just revealed last week in San Francisco. Eventually, a number of electric truck and SUV models will be manufactured in the revamped space. The plan calls for a total of $2.2 billion to facilitate the transformation.

With Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer present, GM President Mark Reuss said,

"Through this investment, GM is taking a big step forward in making our vision of an all-electric future a reality. Our electric pickup will be the first of multiple electric truck variants we will build at Detroit-Hamtramck over the next few years."

Despite its pioneer status in the electric vehicle space, GM has been seen as something of a laggard of late. With only a single EV among its various brands in the U.S. – the Chevy Bolt EV – it's being outsold by the relative newcomer Tesla. Even its German rival Volkswagen Group has finally begun to make good on its long-promised electrification program.

Fans of EVs and the Detroit company should soon have more to cheer about, however. Speaking with company officials prior to the announcement, InsideEVs was given the impression that a number of other electric-vehicle product announcements would be coming in the near future. Though it may not seem like it from the outside, the automaker has been laying the foundation for an electric future.

 

It has put together a $2.3 billion joint venture with LG Chem for a facility to annually produce over 30 GWh worth of lithium-ion cells in Lordstown, Ohio. That's enough to supply as many as 600,000 cars. Additionally, since late 2018 the company has announced investments of $300 million for its Orion plant – home of the Chevy Bolt EV – and $28 million for its Battery Lab located in Warren, Michigan. It has also teamed up with Bechtel to help create a new charging network with thousands of stations. And this is all besides its EV efforts in China, like the recently revealed Chevrolet Menlo EV and the Baojun joint venture with SAIC.

For more details, about the Detroit-Hamtramck plan, check out the press release below.

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Detroit-Hamtramck to be GM’s First Assembly Plant 100 Percent Devoted to Electric Vehicles

 

$2.2 billion investment will support 2,200 good-paying manufacturing jobs


DETROIT
 — General Motors’ (NYSE: GM) vision of an all-electric future is coming into clearer focus and gaining momentum with a $2.2 billion investment at its Detroit- Hamtramck assembly plant to produce a variety of all-electric trucks and SUVs. GM’s first all-electric truck will be a pickup with production scheduled to begin in late 2021. This will be followed soon after by the Cruise Origin, a shared, electric, self-driving vehicle unveiled by Cruise in San Francisco last week. Detroit-Hamtramck will be GM’s first fully-dedicated electric vehicle assembly plant.

“Through this investment, GM is taking a big step forward in making our vision of an all-electric future a reality,” said Mark Reuss, GM president during a press event at the plant with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other local and state officials. “Our electric pickup will be the first of multiple electric truck variants we will build at Detroit-Hamtramck over the next few years.”

When the plant is fully operational, this investment will create more than 2,200 good-paying U.S. manufacturing jobs.

GM will also invest an additional $800 million in supplier tooling and other projects related to the launch of the new electric trucks.

Since the fall of 2018, GM has committed to invest more than $2.5 billion in Michigan to bring electric vehicles to market through investments at Orion assembly, GM battery lab in Warren, Brownstown and today’s announced direct investment in Detroit-Hamtramck.  

The plant’s paint and body shops and general assembly area will receive comprehensive upgrades, including new machines, conveyors, controls and tooling.

GM’s joint venture with LG Chem – which is investing $2.3 billion to manufacture battery cells in Lordstown, Ohio – will supply battery cells for the electric vehicles manufactured at Detroit-Hamtramck.

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A key driver behind GM’s decision to make the commitment to Detroit-Hamtramck was the support this project received from the State of Michigan. 

 

“The support from the state of Michigan was a key element in making this investment possible,” added Reuss. “This investment helps ensure that Michigan will remain at the epicenter of the global automotive industry as we continue our journey to an electrified future.”

Detroit Hamtramck currently operates on one shift of production and builds the Cadillac CT6 and the Chevrolet Impala. Approximately 900 people are employed at the plant. As previously confirmed, the plant will be idled for several months beginning at the end of February as the renovations begin. 

The plant has built more than 4 million vehicles since opening in 1985. Hourly employees at Detroit Hamtramck are represented by UAW Local 22.

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