Lordstown’s Lessons: How Detroit’s Mistakes Haunt the EV Future
In the early 1970s, the General Motors assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, was touted as the world’s most advanced factory. Equipped with state-of-the-art robots and electronic sensors, it was designed to produce the Chevrolet Vega, a subcompact car intended to compete with fuel-efficient imports. But the Vega was a disaster. Plagued by engineering issues and rapid production demands, the plant faced labor unrest and ultimately a strike. The story of the Vega should serve as a cautionary tale for today’s auto industry.
The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) is the most significant shift in car manufacturing since the invention of the assembly line. Legacy automakers initially struggled to adapt, prioritizing large gas-guzzlers over investments in future technologies. Ford lost billions on its EV business in 2024, and GM encountered mounting losses internationally. Both could face further financial setbacks due to proposed tariffs and trade policies. Like the Vega, executives in Detroit appear to repeat past mistakes.
The Ghosts of Lordstown
Today, the town of Lordstown—and the surrounding Mahoning Valley—bear scars of the auto industry’s decline. A central figure in this narrative is George Goranitis, a former factory worker who experienced firsthand the impacts of plant closures.
After years of layoffs, GM “reallocated” the Lordstown Assembly plant shutting down of the Chevy Cruze. The recently unionized Ultium Cells factory, where General Motors stacks battery cells into modules, is a joint venture with LG Energy Solution of South Korea.
Situated next to the old General Motors Lordstown Assembly plant, the recently unionized Ultium Cells factory—where General Motors stacks battery cells into modules—is a joint venture with LG Energy Solution of South Korea.
Now, Ultium Cells, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, stands near the former Lordstown Assembly site. The factory is highly automated, seeking to compete with foreign companies in the electric vehicle market. Ultium produces lithium-ion batteries for GM’s EV models, hoping to embody Joe Biden’s vision for the future of the industry. The Department of Energy provided a $2.5 billion loan to the factory as part of a larger strategy to boost domestic manufacturing.
However, the transition to EVs hasn’t been without challenges. The work, though less physically demanding, involves constant monitoring to avoid hazards from the harsh chemicals used in battery production. Workers reported health and safety issues, and efforts to unionize arose to address these concerns. Workers voted overwhelmingly to unionize in 2022.
The Union Fight and the Future
Carmakers have attempted to resist unions by using climate commitments as a reason for doing so. Unions have sought to prevent companies from leveraging electrification to undermine wages, benefits, and protections. The UAW’s recent master agreement with the Detroit automakers included provisions to safeguard workers’ interests in the transition to EVs.
“We’ve been told for months that the EV future must be a race to the bottom,” UAW International president Shawn Fain said after the deal was struck.
Political perspectives on the auto industry are divided. While Democrats champion the Big Three and their workforce, Republicans have resisted efforts to expand the EV market. The U.S. auto sector is still facing problems. Automakers are now retreating from global markets amidst electrification and China’s rise as a manufacturing behemoth.
Tariffs and Trade Wars
The coming period’s most important change for automakers will be tariffs. Tariffs have been used with increasing frequency since Trump’s first term. Legacy U.S. automakers stand to lose if the White House implements tariffs on vehicles and parts from Canada and Mexico, which are key to supply chains. This could be a huge blow affecting the profits of the Big Three and increasing costs for consumers.
The UAW initially supported tariffs, although it also acknowledges that current anti-worker policies are damaging American workers. Ultimately, it is not clear what will happen
The Complexities of EV Production
EVs are not immune to the challenges of the modern world. Even though batteries are being mass produced, they require numerous risks. The EPA has found that a solvent in cathode production can lead to various health problems.
A worker operates a control interface inside the battery-cell clean room at the Ultium Cells plant inside a General Motors factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
Emily Drueke, a quality control worker at BlueOval SK, or BOSK, stated that she and her team have requested respirators. There also is a language barrier, as Korean firms work with American workers that speak little to no Korean. The UAW’s organizing efforts are crucial in making these EV jobs safer. The UAW is working to ensure job security and quality for their workers in the EV world.
Political shifts could create obstacles. The Trump administration’s actions, such as efforts to loosen regulations, could hinder improvements and make it harder for EV jobs to remain safe and a growing area.
Ultimately, the challenges of EVs are hard, but the rewards are potentially massive for workers.
