As the United Auto Workers’ strike against car plants owned by Ford, Stelantis and General Motors continues, fewer vehicles are getting built. While that’s a loss for the automakers, some observers see an opportunity for at least one troubled part of GM’s business – the Ultium battery project.
Ultium is GM’s effort to build electric car batteries that are cheaper and more efficient than past offerings. Tech expert Omar Gallaga says concern over automakers’ moves toward building more electric vehicles have a lot to do with why workers are on strike.
Highlights from this segment:
– GM’s Ultium battery plant in Ohio is not currently part of the UAW strike.
– Many electric vehicles and the batteries that power them are built by non-union workers in southern states. This includes Tesla’s Texas gigafactory.
– Electric vehicle demand fluctuates, based on gas prices and the high cost of the vehicles themselves, relative to gas-powered cars.
