Photo: General Motors
The purpose of rebranding is to create a different identity for a brand or company, and this is exactly what General Motors is trying to do with Factory ZERO. Previously known as the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center, this is the manufacturing facility where the GMC Hummer will enter production late next year.
No fewer than $2.2 billion have been set aside for retooling, upgrades, and – of course – rebranding. “It represents the single largest investment in a plant in General Motors history,” and once fully operational, it will create “more than 2,200 good-paying manufacturing jobs.”
The transformation from Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center to Factory ZERO isn’t as simple as you may think, though. Concrete waste from the physical transition was repurposed to create temporary roadways, and stormwater is recycled to reduce discharge costs and offset the cost of drinking water. The stormwater will be used for fire suppression and by the cooling towers, but the green accolades don’t stop here.
General Motors further boasts a wildlife habitat spanning over 16.5 acres within the site, “home to species like monarchs, foxes, and turkeys.” Factory ZERO is planned to switch to 100-percent renewably energy by 2023, and two of the sources for clean energy are the 30-kilowatt solar carport and a 516-kilowatt photovoltaic solar array.
As mentioned in the opening paragraph, the GMC Hummer will be the first nameplate to roll off the assembly line with an all-electric powertrain and an all-new electric platform that General Motors calls BEV3. Developed for all-, rear-, and front-wheel-drive applications, this vehicle architecture is compatible with 400-volt Ultium batteries ranging from 50 to 200 kWh, and fast charging at rates of up to 200 kWh.
In addition to the e-truck with off-road chops, Factory ZERO is also where the Cruise Origin will be manufactured. The self-driving shared vehicle will be joined by “other EVs” that General Motors didn’t detail. According to hearsay, we may be treated to a Hummer SUV, a Chevrolet pickup, and an all-electric Cadillac SUV the size of the Escalade.
The transformation from Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center to Factory ZERO isn’t as simple as you may think, though. Concrete waste from the physical transition was repurposed to create temporary roadways, and stormwater is recycled to reduce discharge costs and offset the cost of drinking water. The stormwater will be used for fire suppression and by the cooling towers, but the green accolades don’t stop here.
General Motors further boasts a wildlife habitat spanning over 16.5 acres within the site, “home to species like monarchs, foxes, and turkeys.” Factory ZERO is planned to switch to 100-percent renewably energy by 2023, and two of the sources for clean energy are the 30-kilowatt solar carport and a 516-kilowatt photovoltaic solar array.
As mentioned in the opening paragraph, the GMC Hummer will be the first nameplate to roll off the assembly line with an all-electric powertrain and an all-new electric platform that General Motors calls BEV3. Developed for all-, rear-, and front-wheel-drive applications, this vehicle architecture is compatible with 400-volt Ultium batteries ranging from 50 to 200 kWh, and fast charging at rates of up to 200 kWh.
In addition to the e-truck with off-road chops, Factory ZERO is also where the Cruise Origin will be manufactured. The self-driving shared vehicle will be joined by “other EVs” that General Motors didn’t detail. According to hearsay, we may be treated to a Hummer SUV, a Chevrolet pickup, and an all-electric Cadillac SUV the size of the Escalade.
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