The General Motors Reinvention

It’s been a tough year for General Motors so far, but the company is already revving its engines about its upcoming reinvention. Trying to maintain and revive its four remaining brands, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC; General Motors is taking drastic steps to remain relevant in the current cut-throat climate of the auto industry. Clearly, applying new technology and appealing to a younger audience are near the top of the company’s list of priorities with an advanced website that includes numerous videos, a Twitter feed, and even a way to send a message to GM CEO Fritz Henderson. Here’s a look at some of the other ways General Motors is planning on reinventing itself:

The Electric Revolution

One of the biggest steps that the “new” GM has made was to open a state of the art automotive battery laboratory. The company claims that this $25 million lab is the largest of its kind in the United States. How will this new battery lab really help the current state of General Motors though? For now, it’s being used primarily to develop and test the company’s upcoming electric and hybrid vehicles, like the new Chevy Volt. As you may have already heard, GM is really hedging its bets with the Volt, an electric vehicle which it claims will get nearly 230 miles per gallon. With the success of the Volt, General Motors will have a much easier time selling consumers and dealers alike on electric and hybrid vehicles.

New Plants, New Jobs, and New Vehicles

Despite having closed several major production plants and cutting thousands of jobs, the
General Motors reinvention will still involve new plants and new jobs. GM recently announced that it will open a new assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan. The plant is being designed to build the company’s future small car, another new vehicle in an upcoming line of fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars. This new plant should also restore over one thousand jobs, something everyone in Michigan can appreciate. There are also talks of opening further new plants across the nation.

eBay Auctions

Have you ever gotten a steal through an eBay auction? With millions of different items for sale from thousands of sellers, there’s bound to be some good deals out there. General Motors is taking that mindset and applying it to its vehicles. In a move that’s sure to at least gain some attention from the online shoppers, GM is testing a project that allows eBayers to bid on their next car, just like other eBay auctions. Consumers can even get online financing through the more than 200 dealerships participating in the program. Right now, the company is only testing the project for California residents, although it will no doubt expand if it proves successful. Time will tell if this program and any of the other recent General Motors developments will be enough to successfully turn the company around.