GM to close Detroit battery assembly plant, but not for reasons you might think

In Brief

GM is closing a battery assembly plant south of Detroit, a spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch.

The Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant assembled battery packs for Cadillac’s flagship EV, the Celestiq, and both electric drive units (the motors that power the car) and battery packs for the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, a plug-in hybrid version of its famous sports car. Automotive News first reported the closure.

The closure is not related to GM’s electric vehicle strategy, the spokesperson said. Instead, GM leased the site, and the lease was nearing its end.

The employees and work at Brownstown will be moved to other GM facilities, though the company would not confirm which ones. 

Like many automakers, GM’s electrification strategy was thrown a curveball after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the sweeping federal law signed last year, repealed incentives to produce and sell EVs. 

Since then, the company has pared back its public comments on EVs, though it hasn’t given up on full electrification.

GM continues to produce a range of EVs, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the limited-time-only Chevrolet Bolt. It also continues researching new battery chemistries, including lithium-manganese-rich and sodium-ion, and it’s rolling out a new $900 million facility to speed commercialization.

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