General Motors Co said Friday it will contribute $760 million at its Toledo, Ohio manufacturing plant to assemble drive units for electric trucks, the automaker’s most memorable U.S. powertrain facility reused for EV-related production.
The biggest U.S. automaker as of now constructs GM’s six-speed, eight-speed and 10-speed rear-wheel drive and nine-speed front-wheel drive transmissions in a variety of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac at its 2.82-million square foot Toledo, Ohio, transmission plant that it has renamed Toledo Propulsion Systems.
Congress in August approved significant financial incentives for automakers to change over plants producing parts for gasoline-pore vehicles to electric models.
“Once the plant is converted, it will produce GM’s family of EV drive units, which convert electric power from the battery pack to mechanical motion at the wheels,” GM said, adding the plant will produce transmission products while building drive units at the same time during GM’s EV progress.
The Toledo facility as of now employs around 1,500 people. Numerous autoworkers have expressed worries about the shift to EVs and assuming it would affect current auto employment.
“This investment helps build job security for our Toledo team for years to come and is the next step on our journey to an all-electric future,” said GM executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability Gerald Johnson.
GM said last year it would build its EV and autonomous vehicle investments from 2020 through 2025 to $35 billion, a 75% increment as it vows to quit selling gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
GM and LG Energy Solution said last month they are thinking about a site in Indiana for a fourth U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant for the organizations’ joint venture.
Last week, GM said it would contribute $491 million at its Marion, Indiana metal stamping operations to set up the facility to produce a variety of steel and aluminum stepped parts for future products, including electric vehicles.