Lansing to produce electric vehicles soon after big investment

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Lansing is soon going to start manufacturing electric vehicles following a $500 million investment from the U.S. Department of Energy.

U.S. Energy Secretary—and former Michigan governor—Jennifer Granholm was in Lansing on Thursday to tour General Motors’ Grand River Assembly Plant, which will soon switch to producing electric vehicles.

“The United States is back in the global game of getting manufacturing to come here, rather than see it go overseas,” said Granholm. “This plant will stay open, and your jobs will remain right here in Lansing, Michigan.”

The conversion was made possible by hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding from the DOE.

Brian Williams has worked at the Grand River Assembly Plant for 29 years, and while it’s been making internal combustion engines since its inception, he says the switch to electric vehicles is a matter of job security.

“They’ll be a place to work, they’ll be jobs here, and we can continue to do what we do best,” said Williams.

Williams was one of the dozens of workers Granhom met today as she toured the facility that produces 160 Cadillacs a day.

“I knew that even though our current product was expiring, they would put something here,” said Williams. “It’s too good of a place to not build cars.”

The $500 million investment is being combined with a $900 million investment from GM to refurbish the plant and train new workers in electric vehicle assembly.

“GM and the UAW. have a great relationship,” said Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. “They are coming off, they get training, they come back on, so they work out of schedule to make sure the workers are taken care of.”

Today’s announcement had not only backing from city leadership but from union officials as well.

“If you want it built better, and you want it built right, you got to bring it to Lansing,” said Benjamin Frantz, president of UAW Local 652.

For workers like Williams, this is just a new chapter for the plant.

“I don’t think anyone is scared of the challenge,” said Williams, “We’ve converted car after car after car here… it’s great for our town, I have lived in Lansing my whole life, and I will continue to, so it’s exciting news.”

Governor Gretchen Whitmer celebrated the announcement today, which she says will help keep Michigan competitive in the future of advanced manufacturing. She describes the funding as a proactive step by the white house to keep the American auto industry located in Michigan.

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