In a context where absolutely all brands are investing millions and millions of dollars in electric mobility, General Motors announced that it will spend a fortune, literally USD 854 million, in the development of the sixth generation of its V8 “small block” and USD 64 million in electric motors.
The fifth-generation V8 is currently used in many of the group’s vehicles, from trucks and SUVs to the mid-engine Corvette C8. Confirmation that there will be a sixth generation for the V8 indicates that GM expects to continue selling many gasoline-powered vehicles for years to come.
The total investment reaches almost a billion dollars, so General Motors detailed how it will use this new budget:
Flint Engine Operations in Michigan
Here GM will invest USD 579 million preparing the plant to assemble the family of new sixth generation V8 engines along with machining related to the block, crankshaft and head. Here, work on the facility will begin immediately.
Secondly, 3.0L turbodiesel will continue to be built in Flint used in various group utilities during facility renovations.
Bay City GPS in Michigan
In this plant, GM will invest 216 million dollars to build camshafts, connecting rods and block/head machining to support future V8 production at Flint Engine Operations.
Defiance in Ohio
At the Defiance facility, GM will invest $55 million. $47 million will be invested to prepare the facility to build a variety of casting blocks to support future V8 engine programs, and in addition, the investment includes $8 million to build a castings development cell to support future electric vehicle strategies .
Rochester in New York
Here GM will invest a total of 68 million dollars. $12 million will be invested to prepare the facility to build intake manifolds and fuel rails for future V8 production at Flint Engine Operations and in addition, the investment includes $56 million for the production of battery pack cooling lines for the production of electric vehicles.
All this investment package tells us that beyond the immediacy mandates that seem to govern the market, for giant brands like General Motors the transition to electric mobility is a long-term goalso the development of new combustion engines in the “meanwhile” is not neglected.
