Biden at GM plant promises jobs of future will be in Michigan.

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Detroit — On the assembly plant floor of General Motor Co.'s newly renovated Factory Zero electric vehicle plant, President Joe Biden on Wednesday took a victory lap on passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill and pitched the importance of further spending to accelerate EV adoption. He painted a picture of a nation on the precipice of resurgence thanks to industrial innovation in green technology and argued it could all be done without increasing inflation or veering into significant debt. "We're going to make sure that the jobs of the future end up here in Michigan, not halfway around the world," he said. "Here in Detroit, we're going to set a new pace for electric vehicles. This is not hyperbole. It's a fact." Biden was joined by GM CEO Mary Barra, United Auto Workers President Ray Curry, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, members of Michigan's Congressional delegation and more at the event, which launched the new Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center. It is GM's second EV plant so far within its North American footprint and is central to the company's plan to pivot from gas and diesel-powered vehicles to EVs. Before delivering formal remarks, Biden toured the plant and took a spin in the new Hummer EV pickup. It will be produced at the plant along with other electric vehicles, including an electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup and the autonomous, electric Cruise Origin. He later called the Hummer "one hell of a vehicle" and marveled at its speed. "Anyone want to jump in the back, or on the roof?" Biden joked with reporters and attendees. "This sucker's something else!" During the plant tour, Biden commented on how "exciting" he found the new plant, said GM is helping to "change everything" and noted jobs at the plant are among the "most coveted" of union positions, according to pool reports. Biden said the infrastructure bill signed on Monday would help the United States begin truly competing with China to dominate the future global electric vehicle supply chain. The bill includes $7.5 billion to help build out a nationwide electric vehicle charging network and $7.5 billion for electric school buses. But the proposed $1.75 trillion climate and social safety net package Democrats hope to vote on by the end of the week would include significantly more money to spark EV adoption, including billions of dollars in funding to re-tool or build clean energy and auto manufacturing facilities and funding for up to $12,500 consumer rebates for EVs. "For most of the 21st century, we led the world by significant margin because we invested in our people, we invested in ourselves," Biden said. "But something went wrong along the way. "We stopped. We risk losing our edge as a nation, and China and the rest of the world are catching up. Well, we're about to turn that around in a big, big way." The Detroit-Hamtramck plant is an example of the kinds of projects the legislation may support if passed.The 36-year-old plant was earmarked for closure by GM in 2018, but instead the automaker — following a 40-day strike by the UAW in fall 2019 — decided to invest $2.2 billion here to make EVs. The plant is now in the pre-production phase for the GMC Hummer EV pickup, which will arrive at dealerships by year's end. The Hummer SUV and electric Chevrolet Silverado will also be built here. When fully operational, the plant is supposed to employ 2,200. Factory Zero is one of five North American plants GM has so far slated to build electric vehicles. The automaker plans to sell 1 million EVs globally by 2025 and wants to have a zero-emissions lineup by 2035. Electric vehicles sales made up 1.9% of total auto sales in 2020, but they are expected to grow to 14.8% by 2025 and 34.1% by 2030, according to an IHS Markit forecast. Barra, who once was the plant manager at the factory, said she "could not have imagined the role I would play someday in charting the future of transportation." The company is spending $35 billion in EVs and autonomous vehicles globally between 2020 and 2025 and plans to launch 30 new EV models by 2025, she said, adding the new Factory Zero will double the number of employees of the old plant. "It sets the stage for what's to come here and at many other GM facilities in the United States that will be transformed to support the production of full-electric vehicles," she said. "I personally have never been more optimistic about our company and our industry." UAW leaders, too, expressed optimism that the future of transportation would be built by union members. The Build Back Better Act currently includes policy that would make union organizing easier, increase penalties for labor violations and give the UAW and the Detroit Three a leg up over competitors through a $4,500 tax credit for EVs built by union workers spearheaded by Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing. "Mr. President, you are the first president that I can recall standing up and using the word 'union,'" Curry said. "And, Mr. President, when you use the word 'union,' you back it up." Biden also touted provisions in the infrastructure package that would combat PFAS chemicals, expand access to broadband internet, improve roads and bridges, advance public transit, build up resilience to flooding and other natural disasters, reduce supply chain bottlenecks. "There's so much more in this law," he said. "But most of all this law does something truly historic — this law is going to help rebuild the backbone of this nation." https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2021/11/17/biden-visit-gm-plant-should-bolster-detroits-name-ev-game/ /