General Motors has sidelined 1,300 workers as production of some of its electric vehicles (EVs) is paused, again. According to a recent article from trade publication Automotive News, the automaker has “idled production at an electric vehicle plant in Detroit due to waning demand.”
According to the UAW, the workers were temporarily laid off March 16 and will return to work April 13, AN reports.
Just a few months ago, GM permanently laid off 1,200 employees at the plant. The factory manufactures the GMC Hummer electric truck and SUV, and electric versions of the GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Silverado, and Cadillac Escalade.
GM spokesman Kevin Kelly told Automotive News affiliate Crain’s Detroit Business, “Factory Zero will temporarily adjust production to align EV production with market demand.”
With last year’s repeal of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, there has been a downward trend in EV demand.
What does this mean for the future of EVs in the U.S.? As we previously reported, EV adoption in the U.S. has been slower than abroad, where EVs reached 25% of worldwide auto sales in 2025. According to Cox Automotive, the parent company of Kelley Blue Book, the outlook for 2026 new EV sales is around 8% for U.S. market share.
Change takes time, and in the case of EVs, money and infrastructure. Adoption of EVs will continue. It may take longer than expected, but with factors like the ongoing war in the Middle East driving up fuel prices, the cost of buying an EV might be worth it in the long run.
