GM confirmed it will close the Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant south of Detroit, a facility that made battery packs for the Cadillac Celestiq and both electric drive units and battery packs for the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. A company spokesperson told TechCrunch the closure is not related to GM's electric vehicle strategy; the site was leased, and the lease was nearing its end.
Employees and work at Brownstown will be moved to other GM facilities, though the company would not say which ones. The closure comes as GM, like other automakers, has pulled back its public comments on EVs after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act repealed federal incentives to produce and sell them. GM has not abandoned full electrification: it continues to build EVs such as the Silverado EV and a limited-time Chevrolet Bolt, and it is researching new battery chemistries including lithium-manganese-rich and sodium-ion.
GM is also rolling out a new $900 million facility aimed at speeding commercialization of new battery technology. With only one source available, there are no conflicting accounts to weigh; the company's explanation points to a real-estate decision rather than a strategic retreat, though the timing coincides with a broader industry cooling on EV messaging.