(WWJ) It’s more downtime for General Motors' best-known electric vehicle plant.
Factory Zero, the big EV plant on the Detroit Hamtramck border, will be down for this week and next week, putting 1,300 more workers on layoff.
That's on top of 1,200 layoffs earlier this year, as WWJ Auto Beat Reporter Jeff Gilbert said GM is dealing with slower EV sales.
The factory produces the GMC Hummer electric SUV and pickup, the Chevy Silverado and Sierra electric pickups, and the Cadillac Escalade electric SUV.
GM spokesman Kevin Kelly said in an email to Crain’ss the Factory ZERO will temporarily adjust production to align EV production with market demand.
She said impacted employees will be placed on a temporary layoff and may be eligible for subpay and benefits in accordance with the GM-UAW national contract.
Meanwhile, Gilbert said Ford is trying to make up pickup production lost due to a fire at an aluminum supplier, so they're adding workers and eliminating the summer break at several of their pickup truck plants.
Factory Zero was envisioned as the factory of the future in 2021 after GM pumped $2.2 billion into retooling the former Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant.
Production at the factory is expect to resume on April 13.
