All articles tagged with #gm
GM has installed 50 Fanuc cobots at its Detroit Factory Zero EV plant, idling about 1,000 workers who are effectively laid off as automation takes over panel assembly; the move draws criticism from the UAW as a blow to workers and comes amid EV production slowdowns and looming 2028 contract talks, with some viewing it as a test of cobots and a cost-cutting measure.
GM posted about 715,000 US vehicle sales in Q2, down 4.2% from a year earlier, blaming discontinued models and a steep EV slump after the federal tax credit expiry; EVs fell sharply (Equinox EV, Blazer EV, Hummer EV, Lyriq), while gas‑powered trucks and SUVs carried the quarter (Sierra up 5% to ~95k, Silverado roughly flat, Traverse/Trailblazer/Canyon rising). GM maintains EV share around 13.5–14% and leadership in full‑size pickups/SUVs, aided by tight inventories and disciplined pricing, ending the period with about 511,000 vehicles in dealer stock (~55 days) and average transaction prices above $52,400.
U.S. second-quarter auto sales show a split: hybrids are outperforming non-hybrids as high gas prices and softer EV demand lift electrified models. Toyota rose about 1.1% on electrified-vehicle demand, Hyundai posted strong hybrid gains (and overall up about 4%), Honda up 8.4% on record electrified sales, and Kia up 3% with notable hybrid growth, while GM declined ~4.2% due to limited hybrids. Analysts expect industry sales to be roughly flat to slightly down, with Stellantis and Nissan posting modest gains amid a shift toward affordable, efficient models.
Toyota is on pace to outsell GM in the first half of the year in the U.S., up about 1% to 1.25 million vehicles while GM falls roughly 7.2% to 1.33 million, as hybrids gain popularity and all-electric vehicles lag in adoption, per Cox Automotive forecasts.
GM is expanding its new small-block V8 lineup with a 5.7L/350 for the Silverado (replacing the 5.3L L83), a 6.6L/400 for the Silverado (replacing the 6.2L L87) and a 6.7L/LS6 (409 cu in) producing about 535 hp for the Corvette Grand Sport; the engines share a common block design and will be produced at Tonawanda, NY and St. Catharines, ON, with the LS6 already being assembled in Flint, MI. More specifics are expected as the 2027 Silverado goes to on-sale later this year.
GM is expanding into energy tech, developing sodium‑ion batteries with Peak Energy for grid storage, aiming to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, and plans to connect about 52,000 GM EVs to the grid by the end of the decade as rolling energy resources, while launching Energy Pass to unify charging across major networks and equipping 2027 models with native NACS charging and Plug & Charge.
GM signals a potential shift from lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) to lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries for high-volume EVs, arguing LMR could match LFP’s cost while delivering higher energy density; however, LMR still must prove itself outside the lab before mass production. The Chevy Bolt will keep LFP through 2027, Ford is also pursuing LMR, and GM plans U.S. production of LMR cells by 2028, alongside separate sodium-ion efforts for grid storage.
General Motors laid off about 500–600 IT employees in Austin and Warren, with AI reportedly influencing the decision amid an IT restructuring; severance ranges from two to six months based on tenure, plus lump-sum health benefits and outplacement services, while GM continues hiring in IT, including AI-focused roles.
GM plans to eliminate about 500–600 IT jobs globally as it pivots toward AI and other future technologies, while continuing to hire for AI-enabled roles; the move follows other Michigan layoffs and underscores a broader auto-industry shift toward digitization and cost optimization.
General Motors is laying off about 500-600 salaried IT workers, primarily in Austin, Texas and Warren, Michigan, as part of a broader workforce transformation to cut costs. The company confirmed the reductions but did not provide specifics and said it will support affected employees. GM continues to hire in IT, with openings in AI and autonomous-vehicle programs, and has previously laid off CAD engineers.
General Motors agreed to pay $12.75 million to California prosecutors to settle claims it sold driving data (names, contacts, geolocation, and driving behavior) of hundreds of thousands of Californians to data brokers like Verisk Analytics and LexisNexis. GM will stop selling driving data to consumer reporting agencies for five years, delete existing data within 180 days unless drivers permit retention, and build a privacy program to assess data practices. The AG noted drivers were not directly impacted under California law, and GM still profited about $20 million from OnStar data despite the settlement.
Ford’s 10R80 and GM’s 10L80/10L90 share hardware but run different software and internal components, so they’re not interchangeable. Ford’s 10R80 debuted in the 2017 F-150; GM’s 10L80 arrived in the 2016 Camaro ZL1. Both have had reliability issues and recalls (Ford with CDF-drum shifting and related fixes; GM with shudder/lockups and valve-body issues), illustrating distinct implementations of a common 10-speed goal.
GM says the Iran war is pushing up costs, but demand for expensive vehicles remains resilient, with Q1 average vehicle transaction price around $52,000. First-quarter sales fell about 9.7% amid tighter inventories and a retooling cycle for full-size pickups. The company is offsetting higher costs through cost cuts, efficiency gains, and tariff relief, and is diverting shipments to the U.S. to reduce exposure to the Middle East, while signaling readiness for potential shifts toward more affordable or electric models if needed.
Futures point to a mixed open as AI names slide after OpenAI missed targets ahead of the Musk–Altman trial; investors also weigh Iran’s Strait of Hormuz talks, GM’s tariff refund boosting 2026 guidance, and growing interest in crypto perpetual futures, plus a Spotify–Peloton partnership (Spotify shares fell after earnings). Billionaire Ray Dalio warns the U.S. economy faces stagflation and cautions against rate cuts.
GM is expected to post about $2.61 in Q1 2026 EPS, Ford around $0.19, and Stellantis roughly €0.73 for the year, as the automakers contend with higher costs from the Iran war and supply-chain pressures. GM maintains a stable 2026 outlook with solid margins and cash flow; Ford faces aluminum-supply disruptions and a restructuring; Stellantis pursues a gradual turnaround with mid-single-digit revenue growth and low-single-digit margins, while Q1 shipments for the group rose about 12%.