GM's latest electric efforts

Christal Finklea-Vancourt, one of the union workers at GM’s Orion plant, dresses an engine for a Chevrolet Sonic on the assembly line. The line side delivery process for parts was recently re-designed to be more efficient, simplifying the process to only one kit of parts that automatically loads and unloads itself directly on the line. That will be key when the Bolt EV starts being built at the Orion factory in 2017.

Stacey Myers at work on the Orion assembly plant line. GM’s investment of $245 million to support the launch of the Bolt EV and other vehicle platforms at the Orion facility brings total investment in the plant to $962 million since the UAW and GM worked together to reopen the previously idled plant in 2010.

Bob Wright (left) and Terry Wright of UAW Local 5960 members work in the body shop at GM's Orion factory. Along with the Bolt EV, a compact Cadillac SUV is expected to be built at the Orion facility as well.

Robots in Orion’s paint shop apply basecoat to a Chevrolet Sonic. Recently, the team developed a process monitoring tool that alerts operators to potential failures with its robotic paint applicators. This ability to anticipate issues and perform preventative maintenance is vastly increasing quality and throughput. Now implemented at three other GM Manufacturing operations, this monitoring technology is expected to save the OEM millions of dollars annually.

UAW Local 5960 member Byron Garrett demonstrates the safety of General Motors’ first fully collaborative robot that is touch-safe for employees to work alongside without a safety cage. Replacing an ergonomically unfriendly job, the robot separates and stacks spare tires for the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano currently built at the facility, to which the Bolt EV and compact Cadillac SUV will be added in 2017.

Prototypes of GM's Bolt EV are currently being tested at the OEM's Milford Proving Grounds in Milford, MI. The Bolt EV designed to offer more than 200 miles of range at a target price of around $30,000.

In an interesting twist, used Chevrolet Volt EV batteries are helping keep the lights on at the new Enterprise Data Center at GM's Milford Proving Grounds. Five Volt batteries work with an adjacent solar array and two wind turbines to help supply power to the data center’s administrative offices, the OEM noted.

Some GM supplied stats on the energy savings that can be attained by re-using old Volt EV batteries to help power its data center at its Milford facility.

An external view of the new Enterprise Data Center building at GM's Milford Proving Grounds.