GM wants to give Tesla a run for its money when it comes to electric vehicles

General Motors on Tuesday announced it would be investing $6.6 billion in four manufacturing sites in Michigan as it ramps up electric vehicle (EV) and battery cell production in hopes of overtaking Tesla to become the country’s leader in EVs. “We are taking the next step in our continuous work to establish GM’s EV leadership by making investments in our vertically integrated battery production in the U.S., and our North American EV production capacity,” GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement.

The White House released its own response lauding the news, with President Biden calling GM’s decision to invest in Michigan “the latest sign that my economic strategy is helping power an historic American manufacturing comeback.” As part of the investment, GM’s Orion Assembly plant will be converted to manufacture electric trucks under the GMC and Chevrolet brands, with production beginning in 2024—just one year before Ford is expected to start manufacturing its own electric trucks at its Blue Oval City site in Tennessee.

GM’s ambitious plans include plant upgrades to two facilities in Lansing, Michigan—the Delta Township and Grand River Assembly plants—where it will begin production on next-generation Chevrolet Traverses and Buick Enclaves, though it’s unclear if those vehicles will be electric-only or offer hybrid and gas options. GM will also build its third battery cell manufacturing plant in the U.S. at a location they’ve dubbed Ultium Cells Lansing, which will supply batteries for nearby plants. The facility, which GM has invested $2.6 billion into, will begin production in late 2024. GM is hoping to “convert 50% of its North American assembly capacity to EV production by 2030.” In 2020, GM sold nearly 3 million vehicles in North America. Having half of those cars be electric would considerably reduce vehicle emissions in the U.S. as the White House looks to transition to 50% of new cars being EVs by 2050.