General Motors stated that the process of hiring and training talent for battery manufacturing would take time. Which would in turn affect the EV goals to build 400,000 EVs in North America by 2023, pushing the date to 2024. GM CEO Mary Barra stated that there is a delay in the launch of cell and pack production as GM is struggling to hire and train 1,000 new workers at its EV battery production plant in Warren, Ohio.
“All of our 2023 launches are progressing well. However, due to a slightly slower launch of cell and pack production than we expected, our plan is now to produce 400,000 EVs in North America over the course of 2022, 2023, and the first half of 2024,” GM CEO Mary Barra told investors during the company’s Earnings Call on Tuesday. GM also has goals to build one million EVs in North America by 2025, but this goal has not been affected by hiring troubles. GM still maintains this goal, as of now, and has several competitive offerings that are set to be released in the next year.
From the Chevrolet Silverado EV and recently unveiled GMC Sierra EV, to the best-in-class pricing of the 2023 Bolt EV and EUV, GM has price points and production output projections that should set the automaker up for a prime position as a top 5 manufacturer in the EV sector within the next ten years. However, the company has struggled to launch some of its EVs. The most notable example is the HUMMER EV from its GMC brand, which has struggled to sell.
Hummer EV production
GM recently delayed production of the HUMMER EV until 2023, opting to upgrade its Factory Zero facility in Michigan for a more substantial electric vehicle production push in 2023. GM said in early October it would pull ahead with body shop upgrades and other steps to help the automaker prepare for a major push in electric vehicle production next year. GM plans to increase the production capacity of its currently offered EVs, including the Chevrolet Bolt, from 44,000 to 70,000 vehicles annually while also making way for new models. General Motors stated in a press release that it planned to make these changes in response to growing demand.
The company plans to launch Silverado EV production sometime next year, with the Chevrolet pickup’s electric version amassing over 170,000 total reservations thus far. The Hummer EV still has 90,000 reservations, although the vehicle has been in production for nearly a year but has not yet reached reasonable production levels.
