General Motors just laid off 1,900 factory workers. After half a dozen major layoffs in as many months, few observers are surprised.
Over the past several months, GM throttled its EV-focused Factory Zero in Detroit from three shifts to one. That move laid off more than 2,000 workers. The automaker also laid off 900 Kansas workers scheduled to build the redesigned Bolt EV. It cut 1,334 employees at an EV battery plant in Ohio. Another 700 battery workers lost jobs in Tennessee. GM also canceled construciton on a new EV battery factory in Indiana.
Sensing a theme? If you noticed the anti-EV pattern, GM’s latest move won’t shock you. The company just cut one of two shifts at its Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico. That plant assembles the Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Cadillac Optiq. The change eliminated 1,900 jobs.
Lukewarm EV demand forces GM to slow production again
Factory Zero, located on the Hamtramck-Detroit border, assembles GM’s full-size EVs. Those include the GMC Hummer EV SUV and pickup, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, the GMC Sierra EV, and the Cadillac Escalade IQ.
GM builds its midsize EVs at its Ramos Arizpe plant near Saltillo, a major automotive hub just south of the U.S. border. Stellantis has a major presence in the region. Tesla also selected the area for its first factory in Mexico.
Until recently, the Ramos Arizpe plant operated two shifts producing midsize electric crossovers. A GM spokesperson confirmed the change.
“The Ramos plant will transition to a one-shift operation to align EV production with lower customer demand. We are grateful for the contribution our employees have made to GM,” the spokesperson said. “Impacted employees received severance in accordance with Mexican federal labor law. These are necessary actions to keep our operations efficient and our vehicles competitive.” – General Motors spokesperson
The move is notable. Some Factory Zero workers previously blamed GM for prioritizing heavy, high-margin EVs with limited range, then blaming layoffs on customers rejecting those models. But GM’s midsize EV business also appears to be struggling.
Honda partners with GM to build the electric Prologue at Ramos Arizpe using the Blazer EV platform. When Honda reduced Prologue production last year, GM cut the plant from three shifts to two. That decision laid off 800 workers in January 2025.
It remains to be seen whether demand for the Prologue and GM-branded EVs will recover. For now, the factory will attempt to sustain operations with a single shift.
