NEW YORK: General Motor has said that its all electric Chevrolet Bolt concept car will enter the production stage next year in October, and plans to produce the EV concept in Michigan-based factory, Orion.
Previously, Orion factory built small cars for General Motors Company, but the facility will now be used to manufacture the automakers highly anticipated EVs. These electric vehicles are considered to rivals of the ones manufactured by Tesla Motors Inc and Nissan Motor Co, which will be releasing their mass market electric cars in 2017.
The Orion plant was in the process of shut down under the 2009 restructuring plan. However, the decision was reversed when the state of Michigan granted $779 million of business tax credits for next 20 years to make the plant functional. Later, the plant was used to build GM’s Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic.
Even local officials came to aid of the plant, granting $102 million. The Michigan state invested a total of $130 million for worker-training program in 2009, reports Wall Street Journal. The plant then became an integral part of GM operations, as it left Tennessee and Wisconsin factories behind in the production of the fuel efficient Sonic.
However, choosing Orion factory for Chevy Bolt production will also help the automaker strengthen ties with United Auto Workers (UAW), as GM axed 160 jobs from Orion plant last month due to low small cars demand.
