General Motors is scaling back electric vehicle (EV) output at several major facilities across North America as the company prepares for a slower sales environment following the end of U.S. federal purchase incentives.
The Spring Hill Assembly plant in Tennessee, which builds the Cadillac Lyriq and the upcoming Vistiq SUV, will undergo multiple weeks of downtime in the months ahead. According to internal notices seen by the Detroit Free Press, production will be halted during the week of October 6, again at Thanksgiving, and for the entire month of December.
These adjustments will impact both vehicle assembly and battery pack operations on site, though Ultium Cells employees will remain unaffected.
Starting in January 2026, the plant is expected to operate with only one shift through May, resulting in approximately 700 layoffs. Affected employees will be placed on temporary layoff status with eligibility for benefits under the UAW-GM contract.
In Kansas City, Kansas, GM’s Fairfax Assembly plant is also undergoing changes. The facility, which ceased production of the Cadillac XT4 and Chevrolet Malibu earlier this year, had been preparing to start production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Initial plans called for one shift in November, with the potential for a second shift as demand grew.
That expansion is now on hold, with GM citing market conditions as the deciding factor. The automaker also intends to produce the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Equinox at Fairfax by mid-2027.
In Canada, Ontario’s CAMI Assembly plant, which builds the BrightDrop electric delivery van, will remain idle until at least November 17. The site had been running two shifts before temporary layoffs were announced earlier this year. When operations resume, the factory will operate on a single shift, affecting roughly 450 workers.
GM says the downtime will allow retooling for the 2026 model year of BrightDrop commercial EVs.
The production changes follow partial shutdowns at Detroit-Hamtramck’s Factory Zero, where GM builds the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Escalade IQ. Temporary layoffs at that facility have impacted about 360 workers as the plant adjusts to new market realities.
The moves come as U.S. automakers brace for a slowdown in EV demand. The federal $7,500 EV tax credit expires September 30, pulling forward sales into the summer months. GM recently reported record EV deliveries in August, with more than 21,000 units sold across its Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands. However, sales are expected to decline in the fourth quarter as the loss of incentives and broader economic pressures take effect.
