General Motors is taking a major financial hit as it slows its electric-vehicle plans in the U.S., a move that’s forcing a larger reset across its supply chain.
The company revealed about $7.6 billion in EV-related charges, tied to softer demand, canceled supplier contracts, and changes to battery and vehicle production plans. Some of the costs are cash expenses, while others are write-downs linked to scaling back investments made when EV growth was expected to move much faster.
GM expanded its EV production, expecting demand to rise quickly. When sales cooled, the company was left with too many vehicles and production plans that no longer matched demand.
A big share of the charges comes from ending or reworking supplier contracts, especially those tied to batteries and other EV components. These deals were set up for much higher volumes that never materialized. Walking away isn’t cheap, but sticking with them would have cost even more in the long run.
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GM is also reworking its manufacturing plans. Battery plant investments are being adjusted as some factories shift attention back to gas-powered or hybrid vehicles. Those moves affect everything from parts orders and transportation plans to staffing and inventory levels.
The situation shows how tricky demand planning can be when supply chains move faster than customers. Automakers committed billions to EV supply networks years ago, locking in materials and logistics based on forecasts that are now being revised.
This isn’t just a GM problem. Other automakers, including Ford, which recently took a $19.5 billion writedown and dropped several EV models, are making similar changes as EV demand softens. Volkswagen has even paused U.S. exports of its ID. Buzz electric van after slow sales.
There’s a clear takeaway for supply chain leaders. Long-term contracts and expensive plants make it hard to pivot when demand changes. More flexibility and cautious capacity planning are becoming critical as the EV market settles into a more realistic pace.
GM says it still plans to sell electric vehicles, but the latest charges show how far production plans got ahead of demand. The company and its suppliers are now pulling back, revisiting contracts, capacity, and inventory to match what the market can actually support.
