General Motors Company (GM)[2] is an Americanmultinationalautomotive manufacturing company headquartered inDetroit, Michigan, United States.[3] The company is most known for owning and manufacturing four automobile brands:Chevrolet,Buick,GMC, andCadillac, each a separate division of GM. By total sales, it has continuously been the largest automaker in the United States, and was thelargest in the world for 77 years before losing the top spot toToyota in 2008.[4][5]
The company originated as aholding company for Buick established on September 16, 1908, byWilliam C. Durant, the largest seller ofhorse-drawn vehicles at the time. The first half of the 20th century saw the company grow into an automotive behemoth through acquisitions; going into the second half, the company pursued innovation and new offerings to consumers as well as collaborations withNASA to develop the earliestelectric vehicles.[8][9] The current entity was established in 2009 after theGeneral Motors Chapter 11 reorganization.[10]
Durant, with the board's approval, also tried acquiringFord Motor Company in 1909, for $8 million,[19] but the banks refused to loan him the initial $2 million down payment.[20] Durant over-leveraged GM in making acquisitions, and was removed by the board of directors in 1910 at the order of the bankers who backed the loans to keep GM in business.[16] The action of the bankers was partially influenced by thePanic of 1910–1911 that followed the earlier enforcement of theSherman Antitrust Act of 1890. In 1911,Charles F. Kettering ofDayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO) andHenry M. Leland invented and patented the first electricstarter in America.[21] In November 1911, Durant co-foundedChevrolet with race car driverLouis Chevrolet, who left the company in 1915 after a disagreement with Durant.[22]
General Motors Company share certificate issued October 13, 1916
In 1920, du Pont orchestrated the removal of Durant once again and replaced him with Sloan.[28] At a time when GM was competing heavily withFord Motor Company, Sloan established annual model changes, making previous years' models "dated" and created a market forused cars.[29] He also implemented the pricing strategy used by car companies today. The pricing strategy hadChevrolet,Pontiac,Oldsmobile,Buick, andCadillac priced from least expensive to most, respectively.[30]
In 1921,Thomas Midgley Jr., an engineer for GM, discoveredtetraethyllead (leaded gasoline) as an antiknock agent, and GM patented the compound becauseethanol could not be patented.[31] This led to the development of higher compression engines resulting in more power and efficiency. The public later realized that lead contained in the gasoline was harmful to various biological organisms including humans.[32] Evidence shows that corporate executives understood the health implications of tetraethyllead from the beginning.[33] As an engineer for GM, Midgley also developedchlorofluorocarbons, which have now been banned due to their contributing toozone depletion in the upperatmosphere.[34]
Under the encouragement of GM President Alfred P. Sloan Jr., GM acquiredVauxhall Motors for $2.5 million in 1925.[35] The company also acquired an interest in theYellow Cab Manufacturing Company the same year, and its president,John D. Hertz, joined the board of directors of GM; it acquired the remainder of the company in 1943.[16]
In 1926, the company introduced thePontiac brand and established the General Motors Group Insurance Program to providelife insurance to its employees.[16] The following year, after the success of the 1927 model of theCadillacLaSalle designed byHarley Earl, Sloan created the "Art and Color Section" of GM and named Earl as its first director. Earl was the first design executive to be appointed to leadership at a major American corporation. Earl created a system of automobile design that is still practiced today.[36] At the age of 24,Bill Mitchell was recruited by Earl to the design team at GM, and he was later appointed as Chief Designer of Cadillac. After Earl retired in December 1958, Mitchell took over automotive design for GM.[37] Also in 1926 the company acquiredFisher Body, its supplier of automobile bodies.[38]
GM acquiredAllison Engine Company[16][39] and began developing a 1,000 horsepower liquid-cooled aircraft engine in 1929.[16] The same year, GM acquired 80% ofOpel, which at that time had a 37.5%market share in Europe, for $26 million. It acquired the remaining 20% in 1931.[35]
The GM labor force participated in the formation of theUnited Auto Workerslabor union in 1935, and in 1936 the UAW organized theFlint Sit-Down Strike, which initially idled two key plants in Flint, Michigan, and later spread to 6 other plants including those inJanesville, Wisconsin andFort Wayne, Indiana. In Flint, police attempted to enter the plant to arrest strikers, leading to violence; in other cities, the plants were shuttered peacefully. The strike was resolved on February 11, 1937, when GM recognized the UAW as the exclusive bargaining representative for its workers and gave workers a 5% raise and permission to speak in the lunchroom.[44]
Walter E. Jominy and A.L. Boegehold of GM invented the Jominy end-quench test forhardenability of carbon steel in 1937, a breakthrough inheat treating still in use today asASTM A255.[45] GM establishedDetroit Diesel the next year.[46]
DuringWorld War II, GM produced vast quantities of armaments, vehicles, and aircraft for theAllies of World War II. In 1940, GM'sWilliam S. Knudsen served as head of U.S. wartime production forPresidentFranklin Roosevelt, and by 1942, all of GM's production was to support the war.[17] GM'sVauxhall Motors manufactured theChurchill tank series for the Allies, instrumental in theNorth African campaign.[16] GM was also a major manufacturer of aircraft, setting up theEastern Aircraft Division with five plants to assembleGrumman-designed aircraft for the allied navies. However, itsOpel division, based in Germany, supplied theWehrmacht with vehicles. Politically, Sloan, as head of GM at the time, was an ardent opponent of theNew Deal, which bolsteredlabor unions andpublic transport. Sloan admired and supportedAdolf Hitler.[49] Nazi armaments chiefAlbert Speer allegedly said in 1977 that Hitler "would never have considered invading Poland" withoutsynthetic fuel technology provided by General Motors. GM was compensated $32 million by the U.S. government because its German factories were bombed by U.S. forces during the war.[50]
GM released the Electrovan in 1966, the first hydrogenfuel cell car ever produced.[56] Though fuel cells have existed since the early 1800s, General Motors was the first to use a fuel cell, supplied byUnion Carbide, to power the wheels of a vehicle with a budget of "millions of dollars".[57][58][59]
An advertisement for the 1969Chevrolet Nova using the advertising slogan"Putting you first, keeps us first"
In the 1960s, GM was an early proponent ofV6 engines, but quickly lost interest as the popularity ofmuscle cars increased. GM demonstratedgas turbine vehicles powered bykerosene, an area of interest throughout the industry, but abandoned the alternative engine configuration due to the1973 oil crisis.[60]
In partnership withBoeing, GM's Delco Defense Electronics Division designed theLunar Roving Vehicle, which traversed the surface of the Moon, in 1971.[61][62] The following year, GM produced the first rear wheelanti-lock braking system for two models: the Toronado and Eldorado.[63]
In 1973, the Oldsmobile Toronado was the first retail car sold with a passengerairbag.[64][65]
Thomas Murphy became CEO of the company, succeeding Richard C. Gerstenberg in November 1974.[66][67]
From 1978 to 1985, GM pushed the benefits ofdiesel engines andcylinder deactivation technologies. However, it had disastrous results due to poor durability in theOldsmobile diesels and drivability issues in theCadillac V8-6-4 variable-cylinder engines.[69]
GM sold Frigidaire in 1979. Although Frigidaire had between $450 million and $500 million in annual revenues, it was losing money.[70]
General Motors headquarters building, 1981
Robert Lee of GM invented theneodymium magnet, which was fabricated by rapid solidification, in 1984.[71] This magnet is commonly used in products like a computer hard disk. The same year, GM acquiredElectronic Data Systems for $2.5 billion fromRoss Perot as part of a strategy by CEORoger Smith to derive at least 10% of its annual worldwide revenue from non-automotive sources.[72] GM also intended to have EDS handle its bookkeeping, help computerize factories, and integrate GM's computer systems. The transaction made Ross Perot the largest shareholder of GM; however, disagreements with Roger Smith led the company to buy all shares held by Ross Perot for $750 million in 1986.[73]
In a continuation of its diversification plans, GMAC formed GMAC Mortgage and acquired Colonial Mortgage as well as the servicing arm of Norwest Mortgage in 1985. This acquisition included an $11 billion mortgage portfolio.[74] The same year, GM acquired theHughes Aircraft Company for $5 billion in cash and stock and merged it intoDelco Electronics.[75] The following year, GM acquired 59.7% ofLotus Cars, a British producer of high-performancesports cars.[76]
In 1987, in conjunction withAeroVironment, GM built theSunraycer, which won the inauguralWorld Solar Challenge and was a showcase of advanced technology. Much of the technology from Sunraycer found its way into the Impact prototype electric vehicle (also built by Aerovironment) and was the predecessor to theGeneral Motors EV1.[77]
In 1988, GM acquired a 15% stake in AeroVironment.[78]
In 1989, GM acquired half ofSaab Automobile's car operations for $600 million.[79]
In 1990, GM debuted theGeneral Motors EV1 (Impact) concept, abattery electric vehicle, at theLA Auto Show. It was the first car with zero emissions marketed in the US in over three decades. The Impact was produced as theEV1 for the 1996 model year and was available only via lease from certain dealers in California and Arizona. In 1999–2002, GM ceased production of the vehicles and started to not renew the leases, disappointing many people, allegedly because the program would not be profitable and wouldcannibalize its existing business. All of the EV1s were eventually returned to General Motors, and except for around 40 which were donated to museums with their electric powertrains deactivated, all were destroyed. The documentary filmWho Killed the Electric Car? covered the EV1 story.[82]
In February 2000,Rick Wagoner was named CEO, succeeding Smith.[91][92] The next month, GM gave 5.1% of its common stock, worth $2.4 billion, to acquire a 20% share ofFiat.[93]
In December 2000, GM announced that it would begin phasing outOldsmobile. The brand was eventually discontinued in 2004, seven years after it had become the first American car brand to turn 100.[94]
GM paid $2 billion to sever its ties withFiat in 2005, severing ties with the company due to an increasingly contentious dispute.[100]
GM began adding its "Mark of Excellence" emblem on all new vehicles produced and sold in North America in mid-2005. However, after the reorganization in 2009, the company no longer added the logo, saying that emphasis on its four core divisions would downplay the GM logo.[101][102]
In 2005,Edward T. Welburn was promoted to the newly created position of vice president, GM Global Design, making him the first African American to lead a global automotive design organization and the highest-ranking African American in the US motor industry at that time. On July 1, 2016, he retired from General Motors after 44 years. He was replaced byMichael Simcoe.[103][104]
In 2006, GM introduced a bright yellow fuel cap on its vehicles to remind drivers that cars can operate usingE85ethanol fuel.[105] They also introduced another hybrid vehicle that year, theSaturn Vue Green Line.[106]
In 2008, General Motors committed to engineering half of its manufacturing plants to be landfill-free by recycling or reusing waste in the manufacturing process.[107] Continuing their environmental-conscious development, GM started to offer the2-mode hybrid system in theChevrolet Tahoe,GMC Yukon,Cadillac Escalade, andpickup trucks.[108]
In late 2008, the world's largestrooftop solar power installation was installed at GM's manufacturing plant inZaragoza. The Zaragoza solar installation has about 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) of roof at the plant and contains about 85,000 solar panels. The installation was created, owned, and operated byVeolia Environment and Clairvoyant Energy, which leases the rooftop area from GM.[109][110][111]
In March 2009, after the company had received $17.4 billion in bailouts but was not effective in a turnaround, PresidentBarack Obama forced the resignation of CEORick Wagoner.[112]
General Motors filed for a government-backedChapter 11 reorganization on June 8, 2009.[113][114] On July 10, 2009, the original General Motors sold assets and some subsidiaries to an entirely new company, including the trademark "General Motors".[113][114] Liabilities were left with the original GM, renamedMotors Liquidation Company, freeing the companies of many liabilities and resulting in a new GM.[113][114]
Through theTroubled Asset Relief Program, theUnited States Department of the Treasury invested $49.5 billion in General Motors and recovered $39 billion when it sold its shares on December 9, 2013, resulting in a loss of $10.3 billion. The Treasury invested an additional $17.2 billion into GM's former financing company, GMAC (nowAlly Financial). The shares in Ally were sold on December 18, 2014, for $19.6 billion netting the government $2.4 billion in profit, including dividends.[115][116] A study by theCenter for Automotive Research found that the GM bailout saved 1.2 million jobs and preserved $34.9 billion in tax revenue.[117]
In June 2009, at the request ofSteven Rattner, lead adviser to PresidentBarack Obama on thePresidential Task Force on the Auto Industry,Edward Whitacre Jr., who had led a restructuring ofAT&T, was appointed as chairman of General Motors.[119] Whitacre was tasked with overseeing GM's emergence from bankruptcy and downsizing its sizable number of brand marques, many of which had produced chronic losses even before the recession began. In July 2009, after 40 days of bankruptcy protection, the company emerged from the government-backedGeneral Motors Chapter 11 reorganization.[120]
As mandated by its bailout agreement, GM began the process of shedding its poorest-performing brands in June 2009: Hummer, Saab, Saturn, and Pontiac. An October 2009 agreement to sell the Hummer brand toChina-basedSichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd.[121] and a group of private investors fell through three months later, resulting in GM seeking a new suitor.[122] American company Raser Technologies, along with several others, expressed interest in buying the company, but none of the proposed acquisitions came to fruition, and in April 2010 GM said it was officially shutting down the Hummer brand.[123][124] Similarly, GM's efforts to sell its Saturn division yielded an early suitor. In June 2009, GM announced that theSaturn brand would be sold to thePenske Automotive Group.[125] The deal fell through, however, and GM declared the brand defunct in October 2010. While GM agreed to shed its underperforming Pontiac brand as part of its bailout agreement, the company explicitly opted not to sell it to another company.[126][127] The last Pontiac was built in January 2010.[128]
GM was more successful in its attempts to sellSaab Automobile: the company closed a sale to Dutch automakerSpyker Cars in February 2010.[129] Saab continued to perform poorly under Spyker's management, however, and in 2012 the Saab division declaredbankruptcy.
In 2009, GM faced significant challenges in its Asian operations, particularly in Korea with GM-Daewoo Automotive Technology Company (GMDAT).[130][131] At the time, GM would manufacture low-cost small cars in Korea and export them to developing markets, including China. GMDAT suffered from cash flow issues exacerbated by a $1.5 billion loss in foreign exchange in the first quarter of 2009. GM's precarious financial situation, exacerbated by impending bankruptce, and the reluctance of the US government rescuers to address overseas issues, left few options. Facing a frozen credit market and the Korean Development Bank's refusal to extend loans beyond the existing $2 billion owed by GMDAT, GM had no alternative but to seek capital from China.[130][131]
By mid-November 2009, GM suddenly had $491 million available for GMDAT's turnaround, though the source of the funds was initially unclear.[130][131] It was later revealed that GM had sold a 1% stake in Shanghai GM toSAIC Motor, effectively giving SAIC Motor controlling interest in the venture. Additionally, GM transformed its struggling GM India division into a joint venture, with SAIC Motor acquiring a 50% stake in exchange for a $350 million investment. GM executives stated that SAIC Motor's involvement facilitated access to Chinese banking sector funding, which would have been challenging to secure independently. In its 2010 SEC filing, GM clarified that SAIC had helped secure a $400 million commercial bank loan, using its stake in Shanghai-GM as collateral.[130][131]
In December 2009, the "new" GM'sboard of directors asked CEOFritz Henderson to resign, and its chairman, Ed Whitacre, was named interim CEO.[132] GM opted to appoint Whitacre as its permanent CEO the following month, though Whitacre ultimately stepped down as CEO in September 2010, relinquishing the position to fellow GM board memberDaniel Akerson but agreeing to continue on as GM chairman until the end of the year. Akerson replaced him as chairman, while continuing as CEO, in January 2011.[133][134]
On January 15, 2014,Mary Barra was named chief executive officer, succeedingDaniel Akerson. Barra also joined the GM board.[142] Only three weeks later, the company announced its2014 General Motors recall, which was due to faulty ignition switches, and was linked to at least 124 deaths. The resulting settlements with family members of those killed were estimated to cost the company $1.5 billion.[143] Under Barra, GM began a multi-year abandonment of many markets, choosing to focus on higher-profit markets like North America and China.[144]
On January 4, 2016, in its first investment in aridesharing company, GM invested $500 million inLyft.[145][146] The company does not directly supply Lyft drivers with vehicles, however – and has no plans to do so in the future – and Lyft ultimately partnered withMotional for production of its autonomous vehicles.
In March 2016, GM acquiredCruise, aSan Francisco self-driving vehicle start-up, to develop self-driving cars that could be used in ride-sharing fleets.[147][148] In June 2022, Cruise received California's first Driverless Deployment Permit, allowing it to both charge fees for its service as well as offer fully autonomous rides in a major public city.[149]The Verge reported that the company lost $561 million in Q1 2023, but said it remains on the path to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2025 and $50 billion by 2030.[150]
On January 8, 2021, GM introduced a new logo alongside the tagline "EVerybody in", with the capitalized "EV" as a nod to the company's commitment to electric vehicles.[158][55] GM's new logo usednegative space to create the idea of an electric plug in the "M" of the logo.[159]
On January 28, 2021, GM announced that it will end production and sales offossil-fuel vehicles (including hybrids and plug-in hybrids) by 2035 as part of its plan to reachcarbon neutrality by 2040.[14]
In 2021, GM announced plans to establish an automotive battery andbattery pack laboratory in Michigan.[161][162][163] GM will be responsible for battery management systems and power electronics, thermal management, as well as the pack assembly. An existing GM facility at Brownstown Township was chosen to be upgraded as a battery pack plant.[136] LG Chem's U.S. subsidiary, Compact Power ofTroy, Michigan, has been building the prototype packs for the development vehicles and will continue to provide integration support and acting as a liaison for the program.[164]
In mid-2023, GM abandoned its goal of North American electric vehicle deliveries of 400,000 units from 2022 by mid-2024. It had previously set the timeline of by end of 2023. CEO Mary Barra pointed to failures in the scaling of battery module production while simultaneously blaming lack of consumer demand.[165]
General Motors andLG Chem Ltd. have a long-term supply agreement. LG Chem Ltd. will provide GM with more than 500,000 tons ofcathode materials for 24.7 trillionwon (US$18.6 billion). Provided materials to the automaker will be enough for 5 millionelectric vehicles.[166][167]
In January 2024, GM announced it would once again manufacture a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) while it aims to balance supply of battery electric vehicles with demand.[168]
On April 15, 2024, GM announced that it would relocate its global headquarters from the Renaissance Center to the nearbyHudson's Detroit development in 2025.[169]
In October 2024, General Motors increased its investment in lithium production by raising its commitment to Canadian mining company Lithium Americas from $650 million to $945 million.[clarification needed] The investment establishes a joint venture with Lithium Americas to develop the Thacker Pass mine in Nevada, one of the largest known lithium resources in the United States, positioning GM to meet growing demand for EVs by reducing dependency on foreign lithium sources.[170]
GM's engines were successful in theIndy Racing League (IRL) throughout the 1990s, winning many races in the smallV8 class. GM has also done much work in thedevelopment of electronics for GM auto racing. An unmodified Aurora V8 in the Aerotech captured 47 world records, including the record for speed endurance in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Recently, theCadillac V-Series has entered motorsports racing.
General Motors was the largest global automaker by annual vehicle sales for 77 consecutive years, from 1931, when it overtookFord Motor Company, until 2008 when it was overtaken byToyota. This reign was longer than any other automaker, and GM is still among the world's largest automakers by vehicle unit sales.[4]
In 2008, the third-largest individual country by sales was Brazil, with some 550,000 GM vehicles sold. In that year, Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela sold another 300,000 GM vehicles, suggesting that the total GM sales in South America (including sales in other South American countries such as Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, etc.) in that year were at a similar level to sales in China.[197]
In 2009, General Motors sold 6.5 million cars and trucks globally; in 2010, it sold 8.39 million.[198] Sales in China rose 66.9% in 2009 to 1,830,000 vehicles and accounting for 13.4% of the market.[199]
In 2010, General Motors ranked second worldwide with 8.5 million vehicles produced.[200] In 2011, GM returned to the first place with 9.025 million units sold worldwide, corresponding to 11.9%market share of the globalmotor vehicle industry. In 2010, vehicle sales in China by GM rose 28.8% to a record 2,351,610 units.[201] The top two markets in 2011 were China, with 2,547,203 units, and the United States, with 2,503,820 vehicles sold. The Chevrolet brand was the main contributor to GM performance, with 4.76 million vehicles sold around the world in 2011, a global sales record.[202]
Based on global sales in 2012, General Motors was ranked among the world's largest automakers.[203]
In May 2012, GM recorded an 18.4% market share in the U.S. with stock imported.[204]
Annual worldwide sales volume reached 10 million vehicles in 2016.[205][206][207] Sales in India for April 2016 – March 2017 declined to 25,823 units from 32,540 the previous year and market share contracted from 1.17% to 0.85% for the same period. However, exports surged 89% during the same period to 70,969 units. GMTC-I, GM's technical center inBangalore, India continued in operation. Weak product line-up and below par service quality were the reasons for the poor showing by GM in India that year.[208][209]
Global Volt/Ampera family sales totalled about 177,000 units from its inception in December 2010 through 2018.[210] including over 10,000 Opel/Vauxhall Amperas sold in Europe up to December 2015.[211][212] The Volt family of vehicles ranked as the world's all-time top-sellingplug-in hybrid as of September 2018[update], and it is also the third best sellingplug-in electric car in history after theNissan Leaf (375,000) and theTesla Model S (253,000), as of October 2018[update].[210] The Chevrolet Volt is also the U.S. all-time top-selling plug-in electric car with 148,556 units delivered through October 2018.[213][214]
General Motors' American workers are unionized generally under theUnited Auto Workers (UAW), which is the primary auto workers union in the United States.
After the first convention of UAW in 1936, the union decided that it could not survive by piecemealorganizing campaigns at smaller plants, as it had in the past, but that it could organize the automobile industry only by going after its biggest and most powerful employer, General Motors, focusing on GM's production complex in Flint, Michigan.
Organizing in Flint was a difficult and dangerous plan. GM controlled city politics in Flint and kept a close eye on outsiders. According toWyndham Mortimer, the UAW officer put in charge of the organizing campaign in Flint, he received a death threat by an anonymous caller when he visited Flint in 1936. GM also maintained an extensive network of spies throughout its plants. This forced UAW members to keep the names of new members secret and meeting workers at their homes.
As the UAW studied its target, it discovered that GM had only two factories that produced thedies from which car body components were stamped: one in Flint that produced the parts forBuicks,Pontiacs, andOldsmobiles, and another inCleveland that producedChevrolet parts.
National Guardsmen with machine guns overlooking Chevrolet factories number nine and number four
While the UAW called for a sit-down strike in Flint, the police, armed with guns and tear gas, attempted to enter the Fisher Body 2 plant on January 11, 1937. The strikers inside the plant pelted them with hinges, bottles, and bolts. At the time,Vice PresidentJohn Nance Garner supported federal intervention to break up the Flint Strike, but this idea was rejected byPresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt. The president urged GM to distinguish a union so the plants could re-open. The strike ended after 44 days.
That development forced GM to bargain with the union.John L. Lewis, President of theUnited Mine Workers and founder and leader of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, spoke for the UAW in those negotiations; UAW PresidentHomer Martin was sent on a speaking tour to keep him out of the way. GM's representatives refused to be in the same room as the UAW, so GovernorFrank Murphy acted as a courier andintermediary between the two groups. Governor Murphy sent in theU.S. National Guard not to evict the strikers but rather to protect them from the police and corporatestrike-breakers. The two parties finally reached an agreement on February 11, 1937, on a one-page agreement that recognized the UAW as the exclusive bargaining representative for GM's employees, who were union members for the next six months.[234]
Thetool and die strike of 1939, also known as the "strategy strike", was an ultimately successful attempt by the UAW to be recognized as the sole representative for General Motors workers. In addition to representation rights, the UAW, working jointly with theCongress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), sought to resolve existing grievances of skilled workers.
From November 21, 1945, until March 13, 1946, (113 days) the UAW organized "320,000 hourly workers" to form a US-wide strike against theGeneral Motors Corporation, workers used the tactic of thesit down strike.[235] It was "the longest strike against a major manufacturer" that the UAW had yet seen, and it was also "the longest national GM strike in its history".[235] As director of the UAW's General Motors Department (coordinator of union relations with GM),[236]Walter Reuther suggested to his colleagues the idea of striking the GM manufacturing plants with a 'one-at-a-time' strategy, which was "intended to maximize pressure on the target company".[235] Reuther also put forth the demands of the strikers: a 30 percent increase in wages and a hold on product prices. However, the strike ended with the dissatisfaction of Walter Reuther and the UAW, and the workers received only a 17.5-percent increase in wages.
The2007 General Motors strike was a strike from September 24 to 26, 2007, by the UAW against General Motors.
On September 24, 2007, General Motors workers represented by the UAW union went on strike against the company. The first US-wide strike against GM since 1970 was expected to idle 59 plants and facilities for an indefinite period of time. Talks broke down after more than 20 straight days of bargaining failed to produce a new contract. Major issues that proved to be stumbling blocks for an agreement included wages, benefits, job security and investments in US facilities.[237][238][239]
Two car assembly plants inOshawa, Ontario and a transmission facility inWindsor closed on September 25. However, on September 26, a tentative agreement was reached, and the strike's end was announced by UAW officials in a news conference at 4 a.m.[240] By the following day, all GM workers in both countries were back to work.
On September 15, 2019, after talks broke down to renew their contract, which expired earlier that day, the UAW announced that GM employees would begin striking at 11:59 pm.[241] This strike shut down operations in nine states, including 33 manufacturing plants and 22 parts distribution warehouses.[242] After 40 days, on October 25, 2019, the "longest strike by autoworkers in a decade" and the longest against GM since 1970 came to an end when United Auto Workers members voted to approve a new contract with GM. Strikinglabor union members received a $275 a week strike pay salary for the duration of the strike.[243] The strike cost GM more than $2 billion.
The 2023 strike launched by the UAW was the first strike against all three major American automakers in history. Then-recently elected UAW presidentShawn Fain stated that he was "fed up" with the current situation between workers and automakers; Fain specifically blasted the tiered workers system at automakers, failure for automakers to keep wages up with inflation, pensions, as well as the introduction of afour-day workweek as opposed to the five-day workweek. GM CEOMary Barra protested that her company offered an "unprecedented deal" which gave workers 20% raises as well as "world-class" healthcare. Barra further stated that meeting all 1,000 plus demands would bankrupt the company and cost over $100 billion.[244][245]
Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile byRalph Nader, published in 1965, is a book accusingcar manufacturers of being slow to introducesafety features and reluctant to spend money on improving safety. It relates to the first models of theChevrolet Corvair (1960–1964) that had aswing axle suspension design that was prone to 'tuck under' in certain circumstances. To compensate for the removal of a front stabilizer bar (anti-roll bar) as a cost-cutting measure, Corvairs requiredtire pressures that were outside of the tire manufacturer's recommended tolerances. The Corvair relied on an unusually high front to rear pressure differential (15 psi front, 26 psi rear, when cold; 18 psi and 30 psi hot), and if one inflated the tires equally, as was standard practice for all other cars at the time, the result was dangerous over-steer.[246]
In early March 1966, several media outlets, includingThe New Republic andThe New York Times, alleged that GM had tried to discreditRalph Nader, hiring private detectives to tap his phones and investigate his past, and hiring prostitutes to trap him in compromising situations.[247][248] Nader sued the company forinvasion of privacy and settled the case for $425,000. Nader's lawsuit against GM was ultimately decided by theNew York Court of Appeals, whose opinion in the case expandedtort law to cover "overzealous surveillance".[249] Nader used the proceeds from the lawsuit to start the pro-consumer Center for Study of Responsive Law.
A 1972 safety commission report conducted byTexas A&M University concluded that the 1960–1963 Corvair possessed no greater potential for loss of control than its contemporary competitors in extreme situations.[250] TheUnited States Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a press release in 1972 describing the findings ofNHTSA testing from the previous year. NHTSA conducted a series of comparative tests in 1971 studying the handling of the 1963 Corvair and four contemporary cars – aFord Falcon,Plymouth Valiant,Volkswagen Beetle, andRenault Dauphine – along with a second-generation Corvair (with its completely redesigned, independent rear suspension). The 143-page report reviewed NHTSA's extreme-condition handling tests, national crash-involvement data for the cars in the test as well as General Motors' internal documentation regarding the Corvair's handling.[251]
NHTSA went on to contract an independent advisory panel of engineers to review the tests. This review panel concluded that 'the 1960–63 Corvair compares favorably with contemporary vehicles used in the tests ... the handling and stability performance of the 1960–63 Corvair does not result in an abnormal potential for loss of control or rollover, and it is at least as good as the performance of some contemporary vehicles both foreign and domestic'.[citation needed]
In 1980, former GM executiveJohn DeLorean wrote in his bookOn a Clear Day You Can See General Motors that Nader's criticisms were valid.[252]
JournalistDavid E. Davis said that despite Nader's claim that swing-axle rear suspension were dangerous,Porsche,Mercedes-Benz, andVolkswagen all used similar swing-axle concepts during that era.[253]
McGee v. General Motors was a 1998court case in which the jury awarded plaintiffs Robert and Connie McGee $60 million.[254] The trial revealed hidden information about a General Motors fuel tank design. General Motors (GM) was alleged to have sacrificed vehicle safety measures in favor of additional profit.[254] This case was featured onCNN,60 Minutes,The New York Times, andUSA Today.[254]
In 2002, GM (along with other multinational corporations) was sued by a group of South Africans represented by theKhulumani Support Group.[255] The plaintiffs alleged that the company provided vehicles to the South African security forces during theApartheid. The company settled with the plaintiffs in 2012, agreeing to pay a sum of up to $1.5 million.[256]
In May 2014, theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined the company $35 million for failing to recall cars with faulty ignition switches for a decade, despite knowing there was a problem with the switches. General Motors paid compensation for 124 deaths linked to the faulty switches.[257] The $35 million fine was the maximum the regulator could impose.[258] The total cost of the recall was estimated to be $1.5 billion.[143] As well as the Cobalts, the switches of concern had been installed in many other cars, such as the Pontiac G5, the Saturn Ion, the Chevrolet HHR, the Saturn Sky, and Pontiac Solstice. The recall involved about 2.6 million GM cars worldwide.[259]
General Motors has come under criticism for collecting highly detailed driver data and selling the personal information to insurance companies without consumers' consent or knowledge. Texas Attorney GeneralKen Paxton sued General Motors on August 13, 2024, alleging that General Motors sold the information to at least two companies,LexisNexis Risk Solutions andVerisk Analytics, who then sold the information to insurance companies.[261][262]
From 1976 until it was terminated in 2017, philanthropic activity was carried out via theGeneral Motors Foundation, a 501(c)(3) foundation.[263]
General Motors has a close relationship with theNature Conservancy and has fundraised for and donated cash and vehicles to the charity.[264]
Since 1997, GM has been a source of funding forSafe Kids Worldwide's "Safe Kids Buckle Up" program, an initiative to ensure child automobile safety through education and inspection.[265][266]
^Brinkman, Norman; Eberle, Ulrich; Formanski, Volker; Grebe, Uwe-Dieter; Matthe, Roland (April 15, 2012).Vehicle Electrification – Quo Vadis. 33rd International Vienna Motor Symposium 2012. Verein Deutscher Ingenieure.doi:10.13140/2.1.2638.8163.Archived from the original on December 22, 2014.
^Cobb, Jeff (January 9, 2017)."Nissan's Quarter-Millionth Leaf Means It's The Best-Selling Plug-in Car In History".HybridCars.com.Archived from the original on January 11, 2017.As of December 2016[update], the Nissan Leaf is the world's best-selling plug-in car in history with more than 250,000 units delivered, followed by the Tesla Model S with over 158,000 sales, the Volt/Ampera family of vehicles with 134,500 vehicles sold, and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV with about 116,500 units sold through November 2016. These are the only plug-in electric cars so far with over 100,000 global sales.
^Cobb, Jeff (August 10, 2016)."Global 10 Best-Selling Plug-In Cars Are Accelerating Forward".HybridCars.com.Archived from the original on August 11, 2016.As of June 2016[update], cumulative global sales of the top selling plug-in electric cars were led by the Nissan Leaf (over 228,000), followed by the Tesla Model S (129,393), Votl/Ampera family (about 117,300), Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (about 107,400), Toyota Prius PHV (over 75,400), BYD Qin (56,191), Renault Zoe (51,193), BMW i3 (around 49,500), Mitsubishi i-MiEV family (about 37,600) and BYD Tang (37,509).
^Nader v. General Motors Corp., 307 N.Y.S.2d 647 (N.Y. 1970)
^Fisse, Brent; Braithwaite, John (1983).The Impact of Publicity on Corporate Offenders. State University of New York Press. p. 30.ISBN978-0-87395-732-8.
^"PB 211-015: Evaluation of the 1960–1963 Corvair Handling and Stability",National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Technical Information Service, July 1972
Gustin, Lawrence R. (2008) [1973].Billy Durant: Creator of General Motors. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.ISBN978-0-472-03302-7.OCLC179794253.
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