General Motors announced this week it planned to invest more than $500 million in its Arlington, Texas, assembly plant to prepare for the production of future internal-combustion engine SUVs. That brings GM's total amount of new planned investment for future combustion engine technology and vehicles to over $2 billion.
Earlier this month, GM announced it would invest $1 billion into its Michigan plants for combustion-engine powered heavy-duty pickups. This follows its announcement in January of an $854 million investment in the next generation of its small block V8. Since 2013, GM has invested over $31 billion in its US manufacturing and parts distribution facilities.
In total, these investments bolster GM’s US manufacturing operations, including more than 50 assembly, stamping, propulsion, and component plants and parts distribution centers nationwide. It also highlights the company’s commitment to continue providing customers with a strong portfolio of combustion-engine vehicles for years.
"Today we are announcing plans for a significant investment in Arlington to strengthen our industry-leading full-size SUV business,” said Gerald Johnson, executive vice president, Global Manufacturing and Sustainability. “Preparing the plant to produce future ICE full-size SUVs reflects our commitment to our valued customers and the efforts of the dedicated Arlington Assembly employees, who have been breaking production records this year.”
Through this investment, the Arlington plant will receive new tooling and equipment in its stamping, body shop, and general assembly areas. It currently builds GM’s entire lineup of full-size SUVs, including the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade, including the Escalade ESV and Escalade-V. These vehicles are among the most popular and profitable in GM's portfolio and regularly top the list of the best-selling large SUVs.
With investments totaling over $2 billion on future internal-combustion engine technology, it's clear General Motors is betting the future is not just electric but will contain large, combustion-engine trucks and SUVs. Whether that viability is primarily due to the development of synthetic fuels, legislation that exempts large vehicles from EV regulations, the continued popularity of large vehicles in the US market, or a combination of all three variables remains to be seen.
