General Motors (GM) is preparing for to launch its new Silverado EV later this year with plans to build a $200 million electric vehicle parts plant. The new parts plant will support the production of GM’s new electric truck, which is expected to ramp up in the second half of the year.

After selling over 20,000 EVs for the first time in a quarter in Q1, GM’s CEO Mary Barra says the automaker is ready for a breakout year.

This comes despite the fact that GM will be ending Chevy Bolt EV and EUV production, the cheapest electric model in its lineup, and best selling EV with 19,700 units sold in Q1.

The news comes in the wake of a new era for GM, based around its flexible Ulltium platform. GM’s electric vehicle archetecture is designed to power a wide range of models, including the Chevy Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Silverado EV pickup, all launching this year.

GM has already announced a massive $4 billion overhaul at its Orion Assembly plant, where the Chevy Bolt EV is built, to prepare for its upcoming Silverado EV, but the automaker has more extensive ideas planned to ramp production.

GM building new $200M parts plant for Silverado EV truck

According to Automotive News, GM is planning to build the new EV parts plant in the site of the former Detroit Pistons arena, which was demolished in 2020.

The site would span 87.3 acres and would consist of 1.05 million square feet of EV parts and distribution space. An additional 50,000 square feet of office space would be included, documents fueled with the city of Auburn Hills, Michigan show.

GM’s new EV parts plant is near the Orion Assembly plant to help streamline production of the upcoming Silverado EV pickup.

Although GM is planning to build the electric truck alongside the GMC Sierra at its Factory Zero in Detroit later this year, the automaker wil expand to Orion as a second assembly in 2024. Altogether, GM expects to be able to build around 600,000 electric trucks annually.

GM said in a statement:

General Motors has identified the former Palace of Auburn Hills site as a potential location for a supplier park to support its Orion Assembly Plant, which will be expanded to produce electric pickup trucks.

GM’s already has 340 fleet customers for the new WT (Work Truck) Silverado EV edition, which will begin delivieres later this quarter. The RST passenger version is expected to be available this summer.

The City of Auburn Hills planning commision is expected to meet next week to consider the proposal. We’ll keep you updated when we hear more.