GM Invests $4 B Into U.S. Plants, Shifts Focus Back to Gas-Powered Trucks and SUVs

General Motors will invest roughly $4 billion over the next two years to retool three plants in Michigan, Kansas, and Tennessee for high-margin gas-powered pickups and SUVs, even as it keeps a foot in the EV race. Orion Assembly, once slated for electric trucks, will now build full-size SUVs and light-duty pickups starting in 2027, while Fairfax gets the gas Chevrolet Equinox alongside the electric Bolt, and Spring Hill adds the gas Blazer to a mixed lineup that already includes the Cadillac Lyriq EV.

The pivot underscores cooling demand for battery vehicles and mounting political pressure to “Make in America.” CEO Mary Barra reportedly asked Washington for relief from emissions rules in exchange for fresh U.S. jobs, and the White House—keen to tout domestic production—cheered the move. GM now plans to spend up to $12 billion annually through 2027, balancing EV development with a continued push on profitable internal-combustion models.

Still, the company insists its 2035 goal to end gas-vehicle sales remains intact, framing the new outlays as a bridge to affordable EVs and stronger supply chains. Analysts say the strategy hedges against tariff uncertainty and keeps cash flowing while infrastructure and consumer demand catch up. For workers, the upgrades mean job security on both sides of the propulsion divide; for shoppers, it signals that V-8s and turbo fours will share showrooms with electric crossovers for many years yet.