GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly receives $500M grant to manufacture electric vehicles

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm announced a $500 million grant to help General Motors’ (GM) Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant produce electric vehicles

The plant is preparing for ‘electrification.’ GM said the new grant from a federal Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grant program is set to support the production of hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, plug-in electric, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

The Grand River Assembly will join many other GM Plants, including Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center and Orion Assembly in Michigan, Spring Hill Manufacturing in Tennessee, Fairfax Assembly in Kansas, and Toledo Propulsion Systems in Ohio on their electric vehicle production journey.

“GM’s investment and this Department of Energy grant underscore our commitment to U.S. leadership in manufacturing and innovation, making sure we’re competitive at home and abroad,” said Camilo Ballesty, GM vice president of North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations. “Our Lansing Grand River team produces incredible vehicles for our customers, and we’re proud to bring our commitment to performance and quality into our EV future.”

President Joe Biden called it a ‘historic investment’ in a Thursday morning statement.

“Building a clean energy economy can and should be a win-win for union autoworkers and automakers. This investment will create thousands of good-paying, union manufacturing jobs and retain even more—from Lansing, Michigan to Fort Valley, Georgia – by helping auto companies retool, reboot, and rehire in the same factories and communities,” said President Biden in a statement. “This delivers on my commitment to never give up on the manufacturing communities and workers that were left behind by my predecessor and are now making a comeback with the support of my policies, including the conversion grants my administration is announcing today. These grants will help ensure the future of the auto industry is made in America by American union workers. I’ll never stop fighting for the American auto industry and American autoworkers.”

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin released a statement following the news from General Motors.

“The next generation of vehicles should be built by American companies and American workers, which is why I’m so happy to see what’s happening today in Lansing at GM’s Grand River Assembly,” said Slotkin. “Today’s announcement is a step towards that goal and will ensure the plant is well-equipped to build new, advanced electric vehicles. Whether or not you drive an EV today, or ever care to, there’s no denying they will be a big part of the vehicles of tomorrow. All you have to do is look at Europe and Mexico and see that China is looking to be *the* manufacturer of this next generation of cars. That’s why it’s essential to our economic and national security that electric vehicles, the batteries and components they run on, and other critical products are made in America. The funding announced today will also protect existing jobs and generate new ones, while driving economic growth in the area, so it’s a clear win for Lansing.”

U.S. Energy Secretary Granholm will visit Mid-Michigan on Thursday to tour the GM facility. Granholm will later travel to Indiana and Ohio.

The Grand River Assembly said it will continue to produce the Cadillac CT4 and CT5.

Slotkin said a second Michigan plant, in Marysville, was also announced as a recipient Thursday morning.

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