General Motors returns to work May 18 as coronavirus lockdowns ease
GM lines up behind FCA, which was the first US automaker to announce a return-to-work date.
General Motors aims to return to work on May 18 as states ease lockdown restrictions across the US, the company said Wednesday. The automaker's goal is to reopen "the majority of manufacturing operations" across the US and Canada on May 18 and it cited numerous lessons from building ventilators and medical equipment it will draw on.
On Tuesday, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles became the first automaker to announce a production restart date, also May 18. GM's announcement makes it the second, while Ford previously told Roadshow it plans to continue evaluating the situation as it works toward a production restart.
GM, Ford and FCA each pressed pause on manufacturing operations in North America on March 18 to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. Since then, each has gone on to support the medical community and those on the front lines with ventilators or personal protective equipment.
While the pandemic did push planned updates to numerous Chevrolet and GMC vehicles to next year, GM maintains that some of its most important vehicle programs -- the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV -- remain on track.
