GM’s ‘Factory Zero’ Will Play a Key Role in the Company’s Plan for EVs
GM opened the doors to their first EV-exclusive assembly plant in November. How will the new facility shape the auto giant’s future?
Switching from gas powertrains to electric ones takes more than swapping out a few parts. For legacy brands like General Motors (GM), it requires a whole new infrastructure, including new engineers, new suppliers, and
new factories
. The company’s Factory Zero in Detroit is a major part of that change. The assembly plant opened its doors in November 2021 to exclusively produce
electric vehicles
for the U.S. market.GM’s Factory Zero: the specs
The bones of GM’s first EV-only assembly plant aren’t new. The building first opened in 1985 and was used to produce gas-powered vehicles until 2020. That’s when the retooling began.
With the new equipment and technology came the plant’s new name, which points to
GM’s aspirations
for an emissions-free, crash-free, and congestion-free future. The new plant will help the company move forward on at least the first goal on the list.Factory Zero is over 4 million sq. ft. When it’s fully operational,
Detroit Free Press
says it will employ more than 2,200 people and create more jobs outside its walls through its many suppliers. The fruits of labor at Factory Zero
GM jumped into EVs earlier than most. Its first modern electric model, the Chevy Bolt (we won’t get into the
EV1 controversy
here), debuted in 2017. The Bolt and its new sibling, the Bolt EUV, are still in production, but that’s not where Factory Zero’s focus lies.Instead, GM intends to use the new facility to produce its new electric vehicles. The
GMC Hummer
pickup and its upcoming SUV variant will make their home at Factory Zero, along with the Cadillac Lyriq, electric Chevy Silverado, and GM’s future self-driving car, the Cruise Origin. All of these models will be powered by GM’s Ultium platform, the EV powertrain created in partnership with LG. That mean’s they’ll all share the same battery cells, the same monitoring system, most of the same motor architecture, and the same operating system.
What will Factory Zero-made EVs cost to own?
Like most large car companies, GM offers vehicles in a wide range of prices. It plans to continue that tradition as it moves into its all-electric future. Already, it offers the cheapest EV on the market (the Chevy Bolt) as well as one of the most expensive (the Hummer EV).
Coverage for these electric cars varies in price too, but on average,
car insurance
for EVs is more expensive than it is for models still running on dinosaur bones. That said, saving on coverage for any car is easy when you shop with Jerry. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.
And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, Jerry will send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal, so you’re always getting the coverage you want at the best price.
This level of service is why Jerry earned a 4.6/5 rating on the App Store and made it the top insurance app in the country.
Compare Car Insurance Quotes For Free
Jerry automatically shops for your insurance before every renewal. Members save $872/year.
Start saving money!
You might also be interested
