General Motors (GM) has announced it will end production of its BrightDrop electric delivery vans at the CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, marking a significant setback for one of Canada’s first large-scale EV manufacturing facilities.
The automaker said the decision stems from weaker-than-expected demand in the commercial electric vehicle segment and a changing regulatory environment that has made operations more difficult. GM confirmed the BrightDrop program will not be moved elsewhere, effectively ending production of the Zevo 400 and Zevo 600 models that had been built in Ingersoll since 2022.
“This continues to be an uncertain time for our workforce at CAMI, and we are committed to working closely with our employees, Unifor and the Canadian and Ontario governments as we evaluate next steps for the future of CAMI,” said GM Canada President and Managing Director Kristian Aquilina.
Production at the Ingersoll facility had already been suspended since May 2025, with operations running below capacity due to slow sales and excess inventory. GM had previously indicated that the commercial EV van market had developed much more slowly than anticipated, making it difficult to sustain full-scale production. Additional pressure came from the loss of U.S. tax credits and other policy changes that reduced competitiveness in the North American EV market.
The announcement comes just days after GM had signaled that production would resume on November 17 with one shift and a reduced workforce. At the time, Unifor Local 88 Chair Mike Van Boekel said around 650 employees would remain laid off.
CAMI’s temporary shutdown earlier in the year had already led to hundreds of permanent layoffs and uncertainty about the plant’s long-term viability. Sales of the BrightDrop Zevo vans have struggled to gain traction, with fewer than 2,000 units sold across Canada and the U.S. in 2024.
GM has not yet disclosed what the Ingersoll plant’s next product might be or whether the facility could be retooled for another electric or hybrid program. Company officials said discussions with Unifor and government representatives are underway to determine future options.
