General Motors announced Tuesday it will close manufacturing plants in Moraine, Ohio, Janesville, Wisc., Ottawa, Canada and in Toluca, Mexico, as part of a shift away from sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks and a focus on more fuel-efficient vehicles.
The closures will affect about 10,000 workers.
Rick Wagoner, General Motors’ GM, announced at a press conference in Wilmington, Del., the company has plans to manufacturer more fuel-efficient vehicles, including a car that can run gas-free for trips up to 40 miles.
The two U.S. plants closing build the Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy, considered midsize
SUVs, and the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon, considered large SUVs.
The Mexican plant will close later this year. The other plants will close in 2009 and 2010, with sooner closings possible.
According to Wagoner, GM also has two additional major changes pending.
The company may sell its Hummer line. The Hummer H3 mid-size SUV gets 13-14 mpg gallon, while the H1 and H2 are larger vehicles, to which the EPA does not give mileage estimates.
General Motors has also approved production of the Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in hybrid vehicle that can run about 40 miles without any use of gasoline. The Volt will be built in GM's Hamtramck, Mich., plant and is scheduled for public release by the end of 2010.
General Motors will also increase production of some fuel-efficient car models, including the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G5 and G6 and Chevrolet Cobalt.
