General Motors Halts EV Production at Factory Zero, Temporarily Lays off 1,300 Staff

General Motors has suspended operations at its all-electric Factory Zero facility in Detroit, with the shutdown expected to last until 13 April, as the US-based carmaker continues to grapple with weaker-than-expected appetite for battery-powered vehicles. Some 1,300 workers are affected by the temporary stoppage, which GM confirmed to the Detroit Free Press after employees were notified on 13 March that they would be stood down, Reuters has reported.

"Factory ZERO will temporarily adjust production to align EV production with market demand," a GM spokesperson was quoted as saying.

The Detroit plant, which rolls out models including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and Hummer EV, has seen erratic output over the past year as the firm wrestles with softening consumer interest in electric models. GM slashed production at the site by roughly half in January, moving to a single shift from 5 January, leaving around 1,200 workers on indefinite layoff in the process.

The pause is the latest blow to GM's electric ambitions. The company has already absorbed $7.6 billion in write-downs tied to its EV programmes and joins a growing list of manufacturers scaling back electrification targets following sweeping regulatory changes under President Donald Trump.

Across the industry, attention is shifting back towards petrol-powered trucks and SUVs,vg the backbone of Detroit's profitability. In a sign of that pivot, GM separately announced plans to ramp up heavy-duty pickup production at its Flint facility.