General Motors said Tuesday it is delaying the launch of electric trucks at its Orion Assembly Plant by one year until late 2025, meaning the Oakland County plant will be offline for up to two years.
Production of electric vehicle trucks was supposed to launch there late next year. GM is delaying it by one year to “better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving demand for electric vehicles,” spokesman Kevin Kelly said in a statement. “In addition, we have identified engineering improvements that we will implement to increase the profitability of our products.”
Production of GM’s Silverado EV electric work truck has already begun at the automaker’s Factory Zero plants in Hamtramck and Detroit. Retail production of the Silverado EV is scheduled to begin there later this year.
GM reported that it sold 18 Silverado EVs in the third quarter.
The GMC Hummer EV pickup, SUV and Cruise Origin self-driving shuttle are also produced at Factory Zero. Production of the GMC Sierra electric car is supposed to begin at the Zero plant next year.
GM will end production of the Bolt EV and its bigger sibling, the Bolt EUV, at the end of this year. Employees there will be able to move to other facilities, Kelly said. The facility employs 1,261 employees. According to the General Motors website.
“Consistent with the original plant transformation plan, employees represented at Orion will be offered other opportunities in Michigan, including positions at Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly where production is steadily increasing and significant expansion is planned for 2024, including a second production transformation, “Kelly said.
In January 2022, GM announced that it would invest $4 billion to convert Orion to produce electric trucks on GM’s new Ultium electric vehicle platform.
Construction will include the addition of new body and paint shops and new general assembly and battery pack areas.
GM is planning to bring back the Bolt, GM CEO Mary Barra said during the automaker’s second-quarter earnings call in July. Timing, production location and other details about the next generation Bolt have not been revealed.
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