Magna announced it had broken ground on a new manufacturing facility in St. Clair, Michigan, that will build complex battery enclosures for General Motors’ upcoming 2022 GMC Hummer EV.
The factory will produce battery enclosures for the revived Hummer, now to be sold under the GMC commercial vehicle brand as a pure EV.
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Construction of the 345,000 sq ft facility, named Magna Electric Vehicle Structures, is costing US$70m and is expected to bring 300 jobs to the city over the next five years.
Magna said the battery enclosure contributes to the structural and safety aspects of a vehicle’s frame and protects high voltage batteries from damage and water. The supplier is able to develop such assemblies in steel, aluminium and multi-material configurations, including lightweight composites, to meet the individual needs of its customers.
“Bringing this new battery enclosure technology to market is another example of Magna’s ability to deliver a full-system solution to automakers supporting their focus on a lower emissions future,” said John Farrell, president of Magna’s body and chassis group Cosma International.
Magna, through its body and chassis product group, claims to have long been an industry leader in vehicle structures providing a comprehensive range of capabilities and engineering products and services to customers worldwide.
“This new business with GM marks an important evolution as the company expands its capabilities in all aspects of the vehicle electrification space,” Magna said in a statement.
Production at the new plant is scheduled to start early in 2022. It will be Magna’s 25th factory in Michigan.
