General Motors’ Factory Zero, the automaker’s flagship electric vehicle plant on the Detroit-Hamtramck border, did not shut down because of any executive orders signed by Donald Trump. According to GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly, the plant is temporarily idle for planned upgrades and will resume production on February 3, 2025.
This clarification comes after a Michigan Democratic Party news release on Tuesday falsely claimed that Trump’s executive actions were already hurting Michigan autoworkers, citing Factory Zero as an example. The Democrats later retracted the statement, acknowledging a mistake.
The Democrats’ original release alleged: “Today, Donald Trump signed an electric vehicle Executive Order, endangering Michigan auto jobs across the state — with GM’s Factory Zero already idling.” The statement also included comments from Lavora Barnes, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, suggesting that Trump’s actions would further jeopardize union jobs in Michigan.
However, inquiries from GM prompted the party to amend their statement. A spokesperson later explained the error: “Due to a misunderstanding and miscommunication, earlier versions of this statement mistakenly referenced idling plants in Michigan, which has been corrected. The Trump administration is still targeting key industries here in Michigan and poses a threat to our economy.”
What’s happening?
Factory Zero, a 4.5-million-square-foot facility that produces electric vehicles such as the GMC Hummer EV and Silverado EV work trucks, has been idle since December 23, 2023, when workers went on holiday break. The plant officially closed on January 2, 2024, for upgrades to its paint shop. GM has invested more than $2.5 billion in the facility, which employs about 4,537 people as of October 2024.
The temporary halt is routine. Automakers often idle plants for maintenance, capacity increases, or model retooling. Notably, Factory Zero also produced Cruise Origin EVs until GM’s self-driving subsidiary, Cruise, paused production following an accident involving a pedestrian in October 2023.
For now, GM’s Factory Zero remains on track to resume production, continuing its role as a cornerstone of the company’s electric vehicle strategy.
