General Motors will shut down Factory Zero in Detroit for 4 weeks, beginning June 27, to prep it for the manufacturing of extra battery-electric automobiles, together with the brand new Silverado EV pickup. Currently it builds solely the GMC Hummer pickup.
The announcement comes as archrival Ford Motor Co. is transport the F-150 Lightning EV to clients and sellers across the nation and shifting into the lead in providing a battery-electric automobiles within the pivotal and worthwhile full-size pickup truck phase.
The scope of the approaching, monthlong shutdown at Factory Zero was spelled out in an e-mail to TheDetroitBureau.com from GM spokesman Dan Flores.
“GM will expand production capacity at Factory Zero sooner than originally planned by pulling forward the installation of tooling, machinery, and equipment. These upgrades will also help prepare the plant for future products, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV. GM has notified employees it will be taking downtime to facilitate the related work,” Flores mentioned in an e-mail.
“To complete the work, the plant will be down the weeks of June 27, July 4, July 11 and July 18,” he mentioned.
Updates might not imply any change in plans
GM, nonetheless, has not but mentioned if it plans to vary date for transport the primary Silverado EVs from Factory Zero, which is one the crops GM designated to construct electrical automobiles as a part of the corporate’s multi-billion-dollar funding in EVs and EV know-how.
Back in January, GM Chairman Mary Barra mentioned the Silverado EV could be prepared for gross sales within the Spring of 2023 as a 2024 mannequin.
To full the plant upgrades, GM will briefly halt manufacturing of the GMC Hummer EV, the primary automobile constructed on the automaker’s Ultium platform, which started popping out of Factory Zero simply earlier than Christmas.
GM reported delivering 99 GMC Hummer EVs through the first quarter, in response to the gross sales report the corporate launched initially of April. But the quantity is anticipated to extend considerably when the GM releases gross sales for the second quarter in early July.
Others are delivering automobiles
Rivian, the electric-vehicle startup, started delivering the R1T battery-electric pickup in restricted portions final fall.
Earlier this month, Ford mentioned deliveries of the F-150 Lightning are underway. At the tip of May, sellers took supply and offered 201 F-150 Lightnings, with extra in transit as volumes proceed to ramp up. More than 75% of the individuals who have reserved an F-150 Lightning are new to Ford, officers mentioned citing reservation knowledge.
Another factor of GM’s EV technique started taking form this week, when GM confirmed it was transport 150 battery electrical automobiles to Federal Express. The commercialization of the BrightDrop Zevo 600 because the quickest automobile to market growth in GM’s lengthy historical past, GM famous.
“At FedEx, we have ambitious sustainability goals, and our phased approach to vehicle electrification is a crucial part of our roadmap to achieve carbon neutral global operations,” mentioned Mitch Jackson, FedEx chief sustainability officer.
“In just under six months, we’ve taken delivery of 150 BrightDrop Zevo 600s for our parcel pickup and delivery fleet. In today’s climate of chip shortages and supply chain issues, that’s no ordinary feat and a true testament to the collaboration between FedEx and BrightDrop.”
Source: www.thedetroitbureau.com
