Automakers have pumped billions into EV development and production, but it will take even more work and money for them to reach the market share goals laid out by the companies. General Motors has invested more than many of its rivals, but the automaker is realistic about the costs it faces going forward. At the same time, CEO Mary Barra said that GM is looking to boost production in 2024 using software and automation.
“We’re a bit disappointed this year that we were constrained by the automation to build battery modules, so this is not something that is fundamentally an issue with Ultium, it was more a manufacturing automation issue that we’re working on, and we’ll be out of it by the middle of next year, and making improvements every quarter.”
GM has several new models on the horizon and will need to get the launches right. Having enough supply is one thing, and quality must be maintained.
The automaker “never saw EV adoption as a straight line,” Barra said, noting that the growth had continued despite plateauing a bit. General Motors is not the only company looking at production hiccups as a hurdle to cross. Ford recently ramped up production of the F-150 Lightning to meet demand, but the automaker had vehicle fires and other issues to work through before restarting the lines after a pause.
[Image: GM]
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