General Motors Co. will halt production at several North American factories and extend shutdowns at some others due to a persistent shortage of semiconductor chips that is harming the auto industry’s hopes for a recovery this year.
The carmaker said on Thursday that three plants previously unaffected by the chip shortage will either be out of business for one or two weeks or have lower production, including one plant in Tennessee and another in Michigan making popular mid-size SUVs. . Vehicles affected include the Chevrolet Traverse SUV and the Cadillac XT5 and XT6 SUVs.
GM will also extend the closure of a Kansas City plant and an Ontario plant through May 10. Both facilities have been closed since February as GM is diverting chips from less popular models to large pickup trucks and SUVs, which is the biggest gain. producers.
“GM will continue to use every available semiconductor to build and ship our most popular and in-demand products,” said a company spokesman. So far, GM has avoided a standstill at the four plants where it makes the company’s largest pickup trucks and SUVs, he said.
GM, meanwhile, said it would resume production on April 12 at a plant in Missouri that makes medium-sized pickups and has been idle for two weeks due to the shortage of chips.